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.

This post is a limited-term fixed-term post.

a.    Organizational Setting

The post is located in the Operations Service of the Hague Registry.  The Operations Service is responsible for receiving, processing, and registering international design applications and other transactions related to the administration of the various Acts of the Hague Agreement.

b.    Purpose Statement

The Operations Service is responsible for receiving, processing, and registering international design applications and associated transactions. The incumbent is required to administer the work of the team for non-application transactions such as changes, renewals and Office decisions, monitor the quality of the work and prepare statistical reports.  The incumbent is also required to solve complicated cases and answer complex queries, which requires a thorough understanding of the various Acts of the Hague Agreement, the Common Regulations, the Administrative Instructions, and the Locarno Classification.  The incumbent replaces the Coordinator when required.

c.    Reporting Lines

The incumbent works under the supervision of the Coordinator, Operations Service.

d.    Reporting Lines

The incumbent liaises with Member Offices, users, legal officers, IT developers, financial officers and translators on operational design, development, deployment, and support issues for the Hague Registry.

The incumbent will perform the following principal duties:

a.   Coordinate the work of non-application transactions such as changes, renewals and Office decisions and monitor the production, quality and performance of the team;

b.   Solve complicated cases and answer complex queries, and guide team members in processing these; ensure communication of results and include these cases in training materials used for the team;

c.   Collaborate with the Coordinator to ensure that the working procedures comply with the set objectives for production and quality; identify and make proposals on how to improve the working procedures;

d.   Contribute to the work of developing and updating standard operating procedures and guidelines on examination practices;

e.   Analyze and identify training needs for non-application transactions; develop training programs both for internal staff as well as for stakeholders based on WIPO and national Offices’ registration procedures; deliver training and participate in training seminars for the Hague users and National Offices, as required;

f.    Provide assistance in developing services to stakeholders (both internal and external) to provide timely and relevant responses to queries and requests for information; ensure quality with respect to client-service in general by ensuring prompt and accurate follow up;

g.   Assist the Coordinator in reviewing and resolving complicated international design applications, and in developing examination practice for applications;

h.   Replace the Coordinator in his/her absence, as required; and

i.    Perform other related tasks, as necessary.

Education (Essential)

First-level university degree in business administration, industrial design, law, engineering, science, or humanities.

Experience (Essential)

At least three years of relevant professional experience in the area of industrial designs.

Experience (Desirable)

Experience in an Intellectual Property Office or comparable working environment.

Language (Essential)

Excellent written and spoken knowledge of English.

Language (Desirable)

Knowledge of other official UN languages or of a major user of the Hague System.

Job Related Competencies (Essential)

Good knowledge of the Hague System concerning the registration of international design applications.

Good communication skills with the ability to communicate information clearly, both orally and in writing.

Ability to perform root cause analysis and shape unstructured and disjointed information into cohesive business requirements;  problem-solving skills.

Excellent time management and work organization skills.

Ability to handle and protect confidential and sensitive data with integrity.

Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to maintain effective partnerships and working relations in a multicultural environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.

Customer/client oriented, with the ability to deliver a high-quality customer/client service, improving service execution, delivery and outcomes.

Competent user of Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) and web collaborative workspaces (JIRA and Confluence) and the ability to adapt to new systems and tools quickly.

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 July 2023 rate of 89.2%

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

Additional Information

* Initial fixed-term appointment of two years, renewable subject to satisfactory performance and other applicable conditions.  The selected candidate’s appointment will be subject to an overall term of five years in this position, with no possibility of renewal beyond that term.  S/he may, however, apply and be considered for other positions at WIPO.

This is not applicable to WIPO staff members on fixed-term, continuing or permanent appointments, who were recruited following a competition under Staff Regulation 4.10 (“Appointment Boards”).

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.