A Junior Professional Officer (JPO) is a young professional sponsored by their respective government for an assignment of one or more years. Through the assignment, the JPO gains a unique personal and cultural experience and the opportunity to acquire hands-on experience in international cooperation activities under the close direction/supervision of senior Court officials.
The goal of the JPO Programme is to assist in the execution of the mandate of the International Criminal Court (ICC) by providing young graduates, having limited professional experience, with the opportunity to gain knowledge by means of a structured learning experience through temporary service with the ICC.
The programme will give participants the opportunity to work in the Court’s stimulating multicultural environment on projects related to their expertise and interests. JPOs will be able to strengthen their expertise at a national or international level with unrivalled experience in the implementation of international criminal justice offered by the Court’s unique environment. In particular, the programme will enable them to develop a deeper understanding of how the Court operates and the challenges it faces. In return, the Court is looking for individuals with intellectual rigour, insight into national practice, limited relevant experience, attention to detail, commitment, honesty, integrity, motivation, creativity and team spirit.
A Junior Professional Officer is a young professional, usually under 35 years old, with a strong interest in the work of the Court. In order to be eligible, the candidate must hold an advanced university degree and 2 years of relevant experience or a first level university degree and 4 years of experience. Other eligibility requirements are proficiency in English or French and excellent IT skills.
A JPO holds the status of a staff member and is subject to the Staff Rules and Regulations of the Court. In most of the cases, JPOs are on assignments for one year with a possibility of extension.
Close to the end of the JPO assignment, should the JPO have a continuous interest to work in the Court, he/she is welcome to participate in the recruitment and selection processes as an applicant and will have a possibility to be placed on a position upon successful outcome of the competitive process. JPOs are usually allowed annual study leave to attend training activities in order to contribute with their professional development. Training related expenses are covered by the sponsoring governments.
The sponsoring governments are responsible for paying the salaries and allowances, dependants, shipment of personal effects, repatriation travel as well as overhead charges ICC supports for administering a JPO programme, costs for additional workstations and an annual allowance for training and training-related travel.
The list of the JPO vacancies is regularly submitted to participating governments. The recruitment process is conducted directly by the governments and no direct applications to the Court are accepted. Nonetheless, the Court has final say on the nominated candidate. Position openings and applications deadline depend on the needs of the sections and the interest of the governments.