Legal Associate

December 16, 2025

H (no hardship)

FamilyFamily

GS6

General Service

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2025-09-01

Legal Associate

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Legal Associate is a member of a protection team. S/he normally reports to a higher grade Legal Officer.

The Legal Associate assists the supervisor to prepare legal analysis required for quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern. Another important function of the position is to contribute to the involvement of the persons of concern with an office in making decisions that affect them, whether in accessing their rights or in identifying appropriate solutions to their problems. To achieve this, the incumbent will need to support involvement of communities of concern and relevant authorities in continuous cooperation. Additionally, the Legal Associate is expected to contribute to the capacity building activities for local and central state authorities in the area of protection of persons of concern either directly or in cooperation with partners.

The Legal Associate assists an office in providing quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern. S/he is also required to assist an office in ensuring that persons of concern are involved with the office in making decisions that affect them, whether in accessing their rights or in identifying appropriate solutions to their problems. In addition, the Legal Associate is in charge of the office's corporate legal work and advises on all matters of Labour Law affecting refugees.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR's core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties
- Monitor the development of law and doctrine.
- Provide input to assist in analysis of relevant emerging legislation in line with protection and humanitarian principles, international law and standards.
- Provide inputs to selected advocacy efforts of the operation.
- Contribute to the preparation of legal advice and draft position papers.
- Consistently apply international and national law and UNHCR policies and standards.
- Liaise with relevant state authorities at central and local levels, partner NGOs and other relevant stakeholders.
- Participate in meetings within UNHCR and with external counterparts at the relevant level.
- Contribute to draft protection documents and policies in cooperation with supervisor.
- Provide guidance and support in the formulation of protection strategies.
- Assist in handling individual cases and situations raising special questions of application or interpretation of international law, refugee and human rights law.
- Prepare protection documents and policies in cooperation with supervisor.
- Participate in the development of project proposals and project implementation.
- Assist in the preparation of legal advice and drafting of position papers and guidelines on pertinent legal and operational issues.
- Contribute to advocacy towards proper interpretation of law and doctrine as well as in the development of standards of protection.
- Consistently apply international and national law and UNHCR policies and standards.
- Liaise and intervene with local authorities on the legal issues pertaining to persons of concern.
- Assist in providing legal advice on all cases referred from all units of UNHCR, most notably RSD, RST and Registration.

- Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
- Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level
For G6 - 3 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Field(s) of Education
Not applicable.

Certificates and/or Licenses
Law, Human Rights, Political Science
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Previous relevant legal related work experience.
Desirable
Experience in facilitating training.
Completion of UNHCR learning programmes on protection or any other equivalent external courses.

Functional Skills
*CO-Drafting and Documentation
*LE-Legal Research
TR-Training - Virtual and face to face
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements
For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.


All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power.

As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.

The ideal candidate should have a law degree obtained in Poland. The candidate is required to have sound general legal background, excellent knowledge of Polish and EU asylum system, international refugee and human rights law and proven long-time work experience in its practical application. The candidate is required to have prior experience working on asylum cases, conducting border and detention monitoring and liaising with public institutions.

Previous experience with UNHCR, UN Agencies, Polish public administration and legal NGOs would be a strong asset as well as stakeholder management, and supporting vulnerable groups including legal cases. Good skills in managing sensitive relations with counterparts and partners as well as cross-cultural sensitivity are essential. Strong drafting, analytical and reporting skills, and strong analytical capacity in English and Polish are essential. C1 level proficiency in Polish is required and B2 in English is essential.

This position is open to applications from internal and external candidates, provided that requirements regarding professional experience, academic qualifications, language, etc. are fulfilled.

TO THE ATTENTION OF EXTERNAL CANDIDATES:
External Candidates must meet the essential minimum requirements of the position and must have either Polish citizenship or the legal status necessary to work in Poland.

Your application will NOT be considered if:
- The application form is not duly filled.
- The residence/work permit is not submitted (for non-Polish candidates)

Additional Information
UNHCR’s workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages and opinions. We seek to sustain and strengthen this diversity and to ensure equal opportunities, as well as an inclusive working environment, for our entire workforce. Joining us means living, sharing and promoting these core values of inclusion, diversity and gender equality.

Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on the grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.

UNHCR reserves the right to retain applications and consider external candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNHCR at the same grade or lower level and with similar job descriptions, experience, and educational requirements for the appointment of a shorter duration (Temporary Appointment).

UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, training or any other fees).

Shortlisted candidates may be required to sit for a test. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified. No late applications will be accepted.

Remuneration & Benefits
A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. The monthly net salary is between PLN 9,429 and PLN 11,514 depending on relevant experience, dependency status and language proficiency. For more information on UN salaries, allowances and benefits, please visit the portal of the Office of HR Management of United Nations.

UNHCR also offers comprehensive medical insurance and pension plans.

Important note: Candidates who have already applied for this position do not need to submit a new application.

English

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Polish

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Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit this link: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel

Nature of Position:

Poland’s eastern borders with Belarus, the Russian Federation, and Ukraine serve as the European Union’s external borders. The country currently hosts over one million refugees from Ukraine, in addition to a smaller number of asylum seekers and refugees from other countries.

UNHCR has been in Poland for over 30 years (since 1992), working with national authorities on refugee-related matters. Following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine and subsequent refugee response in Poland in 2022, UNHCR has substantially scaled up its presence and operations. It currently has a Country Office and Frontex Liaison Office in Warsaw, two Field Offices in Warsaw and Lublin, and a Sub-Office in Krakow, with a workforce of around 90 staff members, both national and international.

UNHCR in Poland is supporting government-led efforts through a multi-sectoral response, with a focus on ensuring access to asylum and protection (including access to legal status, documentation, and rights), assisting the most vulnerable refugees, and facilitating inclusion and solutions for refugees. UNHCR works with central and local authorities, partners, media, civil society, communities, and more.

As the UN-mandated agency to provide international protection to refugees, UNHCR leads the refugee coordination structure in support of Polish authorities, to enhance the national response, ensure complementarity, and avoid duplication. Under the Poland chapter of the Regional Refugee Response Plan for the Ukraine situation, UNHCR currently coordinates the response of 77 organizations, the majority of which are local.

Living and Working Conditions:

Additional Qualifications

Skills

Certifications

Human Rights - Other, Law - Other, Political Science - Other

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Judgement & decision making, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Policy research & development, Teamwork & collaboration

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales

Compendium

Additional Information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance