National Legal Specialist - IAS

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FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.

• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply
• Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO's values
• FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination　　
• All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
• FAO staff are subject to the authority of the Director-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the Organization.

Organizational Setting

FAO has secured funding from the Kunming Biodiversity Fund (KBF) to implement the project UNJP/SRL/009/UNJ “Prevention and Control of Invasive Alien Species (IAS) for Enhanced Biosecurity in Sri Lanka”. The project aims to drive transformational change by addressing the underlying causes of biodiversity loss associated with IAS. Its primary objective is to establish a comprehensive and institutionalized national biosecurity framework that prevents future invasions, mitigates existing impacts, and enhances ecosystem resilience. This will be achieved through updates to policy, legal, operational, and institutional mechanisms for effective IAS management, thereby accelerating Sri Lanka’s implementation of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) with scalable, sustainable solutions.

To support this work, FAO Sri Lanka is recruiting a National Legal Specialist – IAS, tasked with providing technical guidance to strengthen Sri Lanka’s national institutional and legal biosecurity frameworks for the prevention and management of IAS. The Specialist will assist the Government of Sri Lanka in establishing a robust, coherent, and operational IAS legal system that prevents new introductions, mitigates existing impacts, and enhances long-term ecosystem resilience. This includes ensuring that national legislation and institutional mandates are updated, harmonized, and aligned with the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), international standards, and national priorities.

Reporting Lines

The National Legal Specialist  - IAS  will work under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative for Sri Lanka and the Maldives and the technical supervision of Legal Officer, Development Law Service, Legal Office. The Specialist will work in close coordination with the Project Management Unit (PMU), the Environment and Climate Change Specialist, the Lead Technical Officer, the IAS Monitoring & Reporting Specialist, and IAS Management Specialist.

Technical Focus

•    IAS legal framework review and reform
•    Biosecurity system enhancement
•    Alignment with international IAS standards
•    Integration of cross-cutting considerations (gender, resilience, stakeholders)

Tasks and responsibilities

•    Conduct a comprehensive review of existing national legislation and institutional mandates related to the control IAS, including, inter alia, biodiversity and plant protection laws.
•    Identify legal gaps, overlaps, and areas requiring updates, harmonization, or new instruments to strengthen the effective control of IAS.
•    Support the development or updating of legal instruments and institutional frameworks to strengthen the control of IAS, taking into consideration cross-cutting issues, such as gender, community engagement, and ecosystem resilience.
•    Support the development of standard operating procedures and protocols for IAS prevention, monitoring, and rapid response.
•    Support the PMU to liaise with government agencies in strengthening institutional coordination and governance for IAS management.
•    Support the PMU in organizing and facilitating workshops and consultation meetings for stakeholders.
•    Provide technical support on the implementation of IAS risk assessments and border biosecurity measures.
•    Support the development of guidance documents, manuals, and templates to support consistent application of IAS legislation.
•    Promote awareness on legislative compliance and the importance of the control of IAS.
•    Undertake any other tasks as requested by the FAOR / AFAOR (Programme).

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements  
 
•    Advanced degree (Master’s or higher) in Environmental Law. Specialization in Biodiversity law, Biosecurity law, or a related field desirable.
•    Minimum of seven years of experience in reviewing legal frameworks including drafting and reviewing environment-related legislation.
•    Strong knowledge in national and international legal instruments related to biodiversity/invasive alien species (IAS) and biosecurity systems.
•    Working knowledge of English and fluency in Sinhala and/or Tamil.   
•    National of Sri Lanka or resident of the country with valid work permit

FAO Core Competencies

•    Results Focus
•    Teamwork
•    Communication
•    Building Effective Relationships
•    Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

•    Strong expertise in IAS management, biosecurity systems, and relevant national and international legal frameworks.
•    Proficient in reviewing, analyzing, and harmonizing legislation, and institutional mandates.
•    Strong problem-solving and analytical skills, with the ability to identify gaps and propose actionable legal solutions.
•    Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills, with the ability to work independently and coordinate effectively with government agencies and stakeholders.

Selection Criteria

•    Proven expertise in reviewing, drafting or harmonizing IAS-related legislation, and institutional mandates.
•    Experience in legislative review and drafting
•    Experience in strengthening biodiversity governance frameworks and coordinating effectively with government agencies and stakeholders.
•    Familiarity with the UN System and /or development sector will be considered an asset. 
 

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.

 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing).
• Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you need help or have queries, please contact: Careers@fao.org
• Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted.
• Only language proficiency certificates from UN accredited external providers and/or FAO language official examinations (LPE, ILE, LRT) will be accepted as proof of the level of knowledge of languages indicated in the online applications.
• For other issues, visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances. 

HOW TO APPLY

• To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
• Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application
• Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
• Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
• Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
•  We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.

If you need help or have queries, please create a one-time registration with FAO’s client support team for further assistance: https://fao.service-now.com/csp

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