IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING APPLICATION DEADLINE:  please note that the deadline for applications is indicated in local time as per the time zone of the applicant’s location.

a.    Organizational Setting

The position is located in the Legislative, Policy and Technology Advice Section of the Patent and Technology Law Division, Patents and Technology Sector. The Division is responsible for the implementation of WIPO’s strategic goal concerning the balanced evolution of the international normative framework for intellectual property in the area of patents and related fields such as utility models and the protection of undisclosed information. The Section is responsible for providing legislative and policy assistance to Member States in the design and implementation of balanced legislative, regulatory, and policy frameworks in the aforementioned fields of IP.

b.    Purpose Statement

The incumbent directs, supervises and reviews the work of a team that provides legislative and policy assistance to Member States in the design and implementation of their legislative framework in the area of patent law. The assistance provided also covers utility models, trade secrets, and integrated circuit layout designs. The role further includes contributing to the ongoing revision of the methodology of legislative and policy advice.

The main role of the incumbent is to manage the work of the Section with supervisory and review authority, and to conduct autonomous legal research and analyses on various legal issues related to patents, utility models, trade secrets, layout designs of integrated circuits and directly linked areas of technology law. The duties extend to providing legislative and policy assistance in the form of balanced and tailor-made advice to Member States, including review of legislative drafts and providing draft provisions or recommendations on policy options to requesting Member States. The role comes with the task of monitoring and developing the methodology of providing such assistance.

c.    Reporting Lines

The incumbent works under the supervision of the Director, Patent and Technology Law Division.

The incumbent will perform the following principal duties:

a.   Advises on, and contributes upon request to, the implementation of the Organization’s program in ensuring that the intellectual property normative framework of each member country takes into account the needs and interests of those countries, as well as their compatibility with the multilateral international legal framework;

b.   Leads, plans and controls the work of the Section ensuring the effective management and efficient use of all financial, human and other resources; submits planning and budget proposals and activities in conformity with defined outcomes and objectives; supervises, evaluates and monitors individual and team performance levels;

c.   Coordinates and undertakes research, and analyzes the needs of countries, or groups of countries, on patents, utility models, trade secrets, layout designs of integrated circuits, or other related areas of the law as requested;

d.   Proposes, designs, plans and monitors projects and programs on policy implementation matters, including related legal assistance;

e.   Prepares comments on legal texts, drafts bills or other documents requested by interested countries on patents, utility models, trade secrets and integrated circuits and other areas of related laws as requested;

f.    Leads the work on the documentation and revision of legislative advice methodology, including the preparation of templates, checklists and toolkits facilitating the provision of legislative assistance;

g.   Supervises and conducts research with the aim of drawing up advisory papers and legislative drafting aids on selected topics of substantive patent law;

h.   Undertakes visits to Member States and organizes virtual meetings, as appropriate, in order to hold formal consultations with government officials, policymakers, legislative draftspersons and other relevant stakeholders in the framework of legislative assistance; initiates, develops and maintains contacts with authorities of countries or groups of countries in all regions as well as with the United Nations agencies and other partner institutions;

i.    Explores, initiates, develops and leads studies and strategies in new areas of the law related to patents, utility models, trade secrets and integrated circuits, such as the relationship of standardization and patents;

j.    Plans, organizes and leads seminars, specialized meetings and training courses (including preparation of teaching documents and delivery of lectures) on patents, utility models, trade secrets and layout designs of integrated circuits and other related areas of intellectual property; represents the Organization in conferences and meetings with other organizations or institutions, as appropriate;

k.   Prepares work plans, reports, and other administrative documents; and

l.    Performs other related duties, as required.

Education (Essential)

Advanced university degree in law.  A first-level university degree plus two years of relevant experience in addition to the experience required below may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience (Essential)

At least ten years of experience and subject matter expertise including in patents, trade secrets or related areas of intellectual property, such as the relationship of standardization and patents. In addition to the above, experience is essential in drafting laws, acts and regulations or writing legal opinions in the areas of patent law, trade secret law and related areas of intellectual property.

Experience (Desirable)

Experience in the patent legal systems of developing countries.

Patent prosecution experience and knowledge of various patent examination models.

Private practice or academic experience.

Language (Essential)

Excellent written and spoken knowledge of English.

Language (Desirable)

Good knowledge of any other United Nations official language.

Job Related Competencies (Essential)

Detailed understanding of patent law treaties.

Strong analytical, decision-making and problem-solving skills.

Excellent managerial skills and ability to lead by example and to motivate and support staff towards meeting challenges and achieving objectives, promoting ownership and responsibility at all levels.

Excellent communication, presentation and interpersonal skills and ability to maintain effective partnerships and working relations in a multi-cultural environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.

Ability, willingness to learn, and agility to respond to change.

Competent user of Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) and related business and communications tools, the internet and social media.

Ability to drive change and support the transformation of work with new technologies.

Excellent time management and work organization skills.

A strong attention to detail.

Job Related Competencies (Desirable)

Understanding of patent office rules and regulations.

1.    Communicating effectively.

2.    Showing team spirit.

3.    Demonstrating integrity.

4.    Valuing diversity.

5.    Producing results.

6.    Showing service orientation.

7.    Seeing the big picture.

8.    Seeking change and innovation.

9.    Developing yourself and others.

Mobility:  WIPO staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the Director General and may be assigned to any activities, office or duty station of the Organization.  Accordingly, the selected candidate may be required to move from time to time to new functions and/or to another duty station.

Annual salary:

Total annual salary consists of a net annual salary (net of taxes and before medical insurance and pension fund deductions) in US dollars and a post adjustment.  Please note that this estimate is for information only.  The post adjustment multiplier (cost of living allowance) is variable and subject to change (increase or decrease) without notice.  The figures quoted below are based on the August 2023 rate of 87.6%

Please refer to WIPO’s Staff Regulation and Rules for detailed information concerning salaries, benefits and allowances.

Additional Information

* Initial period of two years, renewable, subject to satisfactory performance.  No fixed-term appointment or any extension hereof shall carry with it any expectancy of, nor imply any right to, (further) extensions or conversion to a permanent appointment.

This vacancy announcement may be used to fill other posts at the same grade with similar functions in accordance with Staff Rule 4.9.5.

Applications from qualified women as well as from qualified nationals of unrepresented Member States of WIPO and underrepresented geographical regions are encouraged. Please click on the following links for the list of unrepresented Member States and the list of underrepresented regions and the WIPO Member States in these regions.

The Organization reserves the right to make an appointment at a grade lower than that advertised.

By completing an application, candidates understand that any willful misrepresentation made on this web site, or on any other documents submitted to WIPO during the application, may result in disqualification from the recruitment process, or termination of employment with WIPO at a later date, if that employment resulted from such willful misrepresentations.

In the event that your candidature is shortlisted, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of an identification and of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WIPO 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 through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and these will be reviewed individually.

Additional testing/interviewing may be used as a form of screening.  Initial appointment is subject to satisfactory professional references.

Additional background checks may be required.