Legal Consultant, Food and Agriculture Organisation, Nairobi, Kenya

Legal Consultant, Food and Agriculture Organisation, Nairobi, Kenya
Location: Kenya - Nairobi with travel to Somalia

FAO Somalia - Country Office in Nairobi is seeking to employ a Legal Consultant. He/She will work under the general supervision of the Officer-In-Charge of FAO-Somalia and the Direct Supervision of the IMPROVEMENT AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES PROGRAMME (SOMASEED) Project Manager and Project Operations Manager. The incumbent will perform the following duties to the benefit of two seed companies/associations (maize and sesame producer) and one banana growers association (seed in the following shall thus be intended in the wider sense of “good quality genetic material”):
- Provide high quality legal support to the Somaseed teams based in Nairobi and in Somalia. Preparing an agreement that will regulate the relationship between the seed company shareholders/association members.
The agreement will provide for (the following shall be adapted, mutatis mutandis, for association and association members):
-Protection of shareholders personal assets in the company.
-Regulation of the sharing of dividends and profits among the shareholders.
-The management structure of the company and the responsibilities of each director and shareholder.
-Transfer, transmission and forfeiture of company shares.
-Meetings of the company.

-Decision making in the company.
-Raising of company capital.
-Management of company assets.
-Corporate governance.
-Dispute settlement among the shareholders, seed growers, and the company with the seed growers.
·         Preparing a document that will govern the relationship between the seed company/association with the farmers, retailers, and other members of public. The document should cover the clear objectives of the company.
·         To prepare a standard/ generic contract between the seed company and the farmers. This agreement will cover issues of payment, quality of the seeds produced and dispute settlement between the two parties.
·         To prepare agreement governing the relationship among the members of farmers association.
·         Provide a dispute settlement mechanisms for the farmers.
·         Revise and amend if necessary present statute and bylaws of the seed association;
·         Revise and amend if necessary present statute and bylaws of the seed company;
·         Present the documents to the beneficiaries, and incorporate their feedback in the final version of the documents.
·         Train the beneficiaries/facilitate understanding and practical application of the documents provided.

Qualifications/Experience/Requirements:
Essential:
·         A masters degree in Law.
·         Good Knowledge of computers including word processing, spreadsheets and Internet use.
·         Good communication and writing skills.
·         Fluent in English.
·         At least five years work experience in legal advice to private companies and business entities.
·         Ability to work effectively with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.

Desirable:
·         Previous working experience with a UN organization or NGOs.
·         Somalia-specific work experience
·         Experience in training, agriculture sector and seed system an added advantage
·         Specialization in SPS, WTO regulations and UPOV an added advantage

Selection Criteria
·         Education (generic and specific training)
·         Practical experience in delivering legal advice to companies
·         Practical experience in delivering legal advice to association of farmers
·         Experience with agribusiness
·         Experience with farmers organizations

How to apply
Candidates are requested to submit a covering letter quoting the Position Title and Vacancy Announcement No. FAO/10/2010 along with their current/detailed Curriculum Vitae and FAO Personal History (PH) form (available at http://www.fao.org/VA/adm11e.dot - see following page for guidelines on how to fill it out). E-mail is the preferred means of receipt and the application should be sent to HR-Somalia@fao.org The subject line of the e-mail message should read CONFIDENTIAL - FAO/10/2010. If making a hard copy submission, the envelope should be clearly marked CONFIDENTIAL - FAO/10/2010 and sent to the following address:

FAO-Somalia
UN-Somalia Ngecha Road Complex
Corner Lower Kabete Road/Ngecha Road
P.O. Box 30470-00100
Nairobi, Kenya.

Applications may also be faxed, again clearly indicating CONFIDENTIAL - FAO/10/2010 in the subject line, to +254-20-4000333.
Applications must be received by the deadline. Late applications will not be considered.
Only short listed candidates meeting all essential qualifications will be contacted.

Reference Code: RW_8CDAXR-46

Closing Date: Friday, 07 January 2011