Counsel/Senior Counsel

Work for the IMF. Work for the World.

The Legal Department (LEG) of the International Monetary Fund (the Fund) is seeking to fill a term Counsel/Senior Counsel position in its Financial Integrity Group. This position is based at the Fund’s headquarters in Washington, DC. Travel to Fund member countries is expected.

The Fund is an international organization with a membership of 191 countries. The Fund's Legal Department aims at promoting and preserving the rule of law and financial integrity which are essential to the Fund in carrying out its mandate.

In fulfilling its mission, the Legal Department provides high quality, professional advice to the Fund's Board of Governors, Executive Board, management and staff, and to the authorities of member countries on Fund law and policy, financial integrity issues, Fund-related administrative issues, and domestic legal and operational policy issues relevant to the Fund's mandate. The Legal Department employs mainly Counsels and Financial Sector Experts.

The Legal Department’s Financial Integrity Group implements the Fund’s strategy on financial integrity, including anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT). The work is conducted through two divisions under the direct oversight of the General Counsel and Director of the Legal Department. The successful candidate will be assigned to one of the two divisions.

The Fund's Legal Department offers a unique opportunity to contribute to strengthening and fostering global, regional and country efforts in financial integrity, including AML/CFT, with a view to promoting the integrity of the international financial system.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the oversight of the General Counsel and Director of the Legal Department and the direct supervision of the Head and Deputy Head(s) of the Division to which the successful candidate will be assigned, the selected candidate will undertake substantive policy and technical work in the area of financial integrity as a member of a multidisciplinary team of experts. The successful candidate will also be active in fostering the global dialogue on AML/CFT in coordination with relevant regional and global partners.

More specifically, depending on the profile of the selected candidate, the primary duties and responsibilities can include from the following tasks undertaken by both Divisions:

1. Providing financial integrity legal and policy advice and related services to Fund departments and member countries;
2. Contributing to the inclusion of financial integrity issues into Fund surveillance; Fund-supported programs; and Financial Stability Assessments, consistent with the Fund’s Executive Board decisions and staff guidance, notably by reviewing policy notes and staff reports, conducting analytical work of relevant issues, providing legal and policy advice, and participating in area department missions, as required;
3. Assessing countries' implementation of international AML/CFT standards, including by participating in or leading relevant missions to assess compliance with international AML/CFT standards and engaging in or managing related pre-assessment research and post-mission work and reviews;
4. Contributing to capacity development activities, including by participating in, managing, or leading inter-disciplinary missions, as required;
5. Providing in-depth expertise, undertaking analytical work, and contributing to fostering a global dialogue on financial integrity issues in coordination with relevant regional and global partners;
6. Drafting policy papers and reviewing briefing papers and reports to ensure clarity and consistency with established Fund policies;
7. Conducting research and analysis on complex legal and policy issues in the financial integrity area; and
8. Providing input on policy and operational papers and decisions.

In addition to the above, the selected candidate may carry out other assignments as instructed by the Head or Deputy Head(s) of the Division.

Qualifications

Candidates must possess an LLM, JD, LLB, or equivalent, and must be eligible to practice law. In addition, candidates must possess a minimum of four years (eight years preferred) of professional legal experience.

The candidate will have relevant public and/or private sector professional level experience and an in-depth knowledge of and at least three years direct professional experience with financial integrity issues, including experience at the national or international level, such as with a specialized domestic entity such as a financial intelligence unit or an AML/CFT supervisor or regulator, or another government AML/CFT policy or operational agency, with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) or a FATF-style regional body (FSRB), or with a private sector entity, such as a bank.

Demonstrated experience, including but not limited to, with AML/CFT assessments, operational AML/CFT supervisory or regulatory experience, international cooperation or operational experience such as in prosecuting ML/TF cases (including transnational cases) and recovering assets, as well as in emerging topics such as FinTech and virtual assets, transparency of beneficial ownership, measuring illicit financial flows and ML/TF risks would be a distinct advantage.

Candidates will also possess a deep understanding and practice of financial integrity issues and architecture at an international level, and a solid knowledge of Fund policies related to surveillance and conditionality, or a demonstrated willingness and ability to learn in this area.

In addition to quality education and experience, this position requires excellent oral and written communication skills in English; strong analytical and time management skills; sound judgment; diplomatic skills; an ability to develop strong relationships with country and international organization counterparts; and excellent skills at working collaboratively with colleagues at all levels and of different cultural backgrounds. Professional level fluency in other languages is not required but could be an additional asset.

Other information

This vacancy shall be filled by a 3-year Term appointment in accordance with the Fund’s new employment rules that took effect on May 1, 2015.

It is expected that while the position is advertised at the full grade band, it will be filled at the lower level.

A regular staff member who is selected to fill the vacancy will maintain their open-ended status. If the selected candidate is a contractual employee, they will be offered a Term staff appointment. Staff members already on a term appointment will continue their current term but may receive an extension provided that their current term appointment has not already been extended.

All applicants are expected to include a Statement of Interest as an attachment to the application, which may be used in the screening process for this vacancy.

The IMF is committed to achieving a diverse staff, including age, creed, culture, disability, educational background, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, nationality, race, religion and beliefs, and sexual orientation.