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 in the Hague Infoline Unit (HIU), the Hague Information and Promotion Section (HIPS), Hague Legal and Business Development Division, The Hague Registry.  HIPS is responsible for the development of information on and promotion of the Hague System with a view to increasing its geographical scope among WIPO Member States and encouraging increased use of the system. HIU is responsible for the management of customer service for Hague System users.

b.    Purpose Statement

The incumbent is responsible for providing the interface and day-to-day functional support to users and potential users of the Hague System by processing and replying to standard and non-standard inquiries related to the registration of international designs and subsequent transactions. In particular, the incumbent works with other business entities within the Hague Registry, such as operations and legal, and those outside the Hague Registry, such as finance, IT, and translation, to obtain clarification for the resolution of complex processing issues. The incumbent works in accordance with HIPS Standard Operating Procedures and other established guidelines.

c.    Reporting Lines

The incumbent works under the general supervision of the Coordinator of HIU and works in close coordination with other sections in the Hague Registry.

The incumbent will perform the following principal duties:

a.   Provide timely customer service at a high level by telephone or in writing on issues such as general information, formalities processing, procedures, and case-specific requests including those related to applications, renewals, irregularities, corrections, publication, payment, priority documents, and decisions.

b.   Assist current and potential users with questions on Hague online services and tools; escalate complex issues to appropriately to concerned colleagues in the Hague Registry; and participate in user testing of online services and tools.

c.   Facilitate clear communication between sections in the Hague Registry and other business units in WIPO to effectively solve complex customer queries that require escalation, ensure the queries are dispatched to responsible colleagues, and expedite the processing and recording of urgent requests.

d.   Prepare and deliver presentations and regularly participate in training and promotional activities, in particular workshops and webinars, organized by HIPS or other entities in WIPO, of relevance to the Hague System.

e.   Undertake research or directly investigate specific case-related issues raised by customers or escalate when necessary to other sections in the Hague Registry.

f.    In collaboration with the HIU Coordinator, prepare customer service statistics and provide feedback to the HIU Coordinator on recurrent issues and problems raised by customers.

g.   Based on user feedback, propose functional and user experience updates and improvements to Hague online services and tools.

h.   Carry out administrative activities related to the drafting and updating of documentation to support the activities of HIU.

i.    Perform other related duties as required.

Education (Essential)

Completed secondary education with relevant diploma.

Education (Desirable)

First-level university degree in management, business administration, international relations, intellectual property, or related field.

Experience (Essential)

At least eight years of relevant professional experience in customer service, preferably in an intellectual property setting and related to industrial designs.

Experience (Desirable)

Experience in examination practices and legal procedures of the Hague System.

Experience in handling and responding to customer inquiries in an IP Office or comparable environment.

Experience in developing training material such as distance learning courses and multimedia training material.

Language (Essential)

Excellent written and spoken knowledge of English and French.

Language (Desirable)

Knowledge of written and spoken Spanish.

Job Related Competencies (Essential)

Sound knowledge of the rules and procedures of the Hague System.

Ability to produce quality informational material on short deadlines.

Ability to work within the rules, regulations and procedures governing the area of work.

Client oriented with the ability to deliver accurate and consistent client services in a timely manner; ability to provide information and reply to inquiries in a clear and concise manner; excellent phone etiquette.

Meticulous attention to detail and ability to spot irregularities.

Good time management and work organization skills.

Ability to work on own initiative and with a marked sense of teamwork and shared responsibility.

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

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 of the Organization. Accordingly, the selected candidate may be required to move from time to time to new functions.

Annual salary (Net of tax):  86,236 CHF

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

Additional Information

* Initial fixed-term appointment of one year, 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”).

Dependency allowances

7,939 CHF per year for dependent spouse;  6,398 CHF per year for each dependent child.

Language allowance

Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish: 4,788 CHF per year for two of these languages, and 3,192 CHF per year for one of them.  The allowance is not payable for the mother tongue or the main working language of the staff member.  The grant of this allowance is subject to examination.

General Service posts are generally subject to local recruitment.  Staff in the General Service category is recruited in the host country or within reasonable commuting distance of the Headquarters.

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.