National Legal Specialist - Agricultural Legislation Review and Reformnew
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) · UN agency
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device
- 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’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.
Organizational Setting
FAO's office for Iraq is responsible for developing, promoting, overseeing and implementing agreed strategies for addressing countrywide food, agriculture and rural development. It develops and maintains relations with the relevant government entities and Ministries at country level.
At the request of the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), and in line with the FAO-Government of Iraq partnership under the Country Programming Framework, FAO Iraq is providing technical support to review the agricultural legislation currently in place in Iraq. The review will identify gaps, overlaps and outdated provisions, assess alignment with Iraq's international obligations, and formulate proposals to develop and modernize the legal framework in a way that strengthens the flexibility, resilience and adaptive capacity of the agriculture sector.
Reporting Lines
Under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative in Iraq, the technical supervision of the Legal Office, and in close technical collaboration with FAO Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa (RNE), the incumbent will work in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture.
Technical Focus
Agricultural legislation review, gap analysis, harmonization, stakeholder consultation and reform proposals.
The incumbent will lead the legislative review, gap analysis, stakeholder consultation and the formulation of concrete reform proposals.
Tasks and responsibilities
Inception and Methodology:
• Based on the inputs provided by the Legal Office, prepare an inception report setting out the methodology, review framework, assessment criteria, sources to be consulted, stakeholder engagement approach and detailed work plan.
• Compile and map the agricultural laws, regulations, ministerial instructions and related instruments currently in force.
Legislative Review and Gap Analysis:
• Conduct a systematic review of the identified legislation to assess coherence, enforceability, institutional responsibilities, overlaps, gaps and outdated provisions. Provide a folder with soft copies to FAO Legal.
• Assess consistency of the national legal framework with Iraq's international obligations and with recognized international and regional good practice.
• Benchmark priority areas against comparable national frameworks and relevant international legal instruments and guidance.
• Identify legal and regulatory entry points to strengthen the sector's flexibility, climate resilience and adaptive capacity.
• Drawing on the above and following the guidance of the Legal Office, develop a national legal report with recommendations to revise and strengthen national legislation. Send it to the Legal Office for clearance.
Consultation and Validation:
• Organize and facilitate consultations with the Ministry of Agriculture, relevant ministries and stakeholders to validate findings.
• Incorporate feedback and build consensus around priority reform areas.
Recommendations, Drafting and Reporting:
• Formulate prioritized legal reform recommendations, including short-, medium- and longer-term measures, and prepare a practical roadmap for implementation.
• Prepare concrete legal drafting proposals, amendment options and explanatory notes for selected priority provisions, clearly indicating the rationale, expected implications and any institutional or procedural requirements for adoption.
• Prepare progress reports, meeting minutes and a final consultancy report.
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements
• University degree in Law, preferably with specialization in agricultural, environmental, natural resources or administrative law (a first-level university degree with additional qualifying experience may be accepted).
• Minimum 7 years of relevant experience in legislative review, legal drafting, or agricultural and natural resources law and policy.
• Working knowledge (level C) of English, and Arabic.
• National of Iraq 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
• Deep knowledge of agricultural legislation and policy, and of legislative drafting and harmonization processes.
• Familiarity with international legal instruments and obligations relevant to agriculture, food, water and natural resources.
• Ability to analyze complex legal frameworks and propose practical, implementable reforms.
• Skilled in facilitating multi-stakeholder consultations and building consensus.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks, prioritize and deliver within deadlines.
Selection criteria
• Proven knowledge of Iraq's legal and institutional framework for agriculture.
• Experience in stakeholder consultation and in working with government institutions.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing)
- Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted
- Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/
- For additional employment opportunities 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.
FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.
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
• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/. These qualifications should be in alignment with the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) mappings.
• 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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