Assistant Client Advisor (four posts)

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 PCT Operations Teams 10 & 11, PCT Operations Services 1 & 2, PCT Operations Division, PCT Services Department, Patents and Technology Sector. The PCT Operations Division is responsible for the receipt, formalities examination, publication and communication of applications and related documents filed under the PCT and delivering high-quality customer services to PCT users in all 10 official PCT publication languages.

b.    Purpose Statement

The incumbent is required to reach out to clients as instructed, as well as to carry out processing and formalities examination duties in at least two languages for international patent applications, and provide customer services to applicants and offices.

c.    Reporting Lines

The incumbent works under the supervision of the Team Head of the respective PCT Operations Team.

d.    Work Relations

The incumbent liaises as instructed frequently with external customers, PCT legal and IT specialists.

The incumbent will perform the following principal duties:

a.   Identify repetitive defects for the same client in daily work, communicate with Principal Client Advisor or Client Advisors, and reach out to clients as instructed.

b.   Examine in at least two languages formality requirements of standard international applications, ensuring conformity with set standards; process, carry out data entry and check international applications and related documents for completeness, acknowledge receipt, and follow-up as required; forward more complex examination formalities issues to Team Head for follow-up.

c.   Ensure high level of customer services to users and reply to queries in a timely manner. Liaise with PCT users and authorities and provide follow-up as required.

d.   Carry out publication preparation and review work; ensure publication and republication work assignments are in final format for international publication within established deadlines; and inform Team Coordinator of delays or other issues.

e.   Participate in team meetings and provide input towards improving internal work processes and workflows.

f.    On request, participate in customer support on PCT electronic services.

g.   On request, participate in testing PCT electronic systems and tools.

h.   Keep abreast of and work in line with established work processes.

i.    Perform other related tasks as required.

Education (Essential)

First-level university degree.

Experience (Essential)

Relevant professional experience, preferably at least two years, working with patents, including in an IP office or comparable working environment.

Experience (Desirable)

Experience with formalities examination of patent applications.

Experience in customer service.

Language (Essential)

Excellent written and spoken knowledge of one language and a good knowledge of a second language, (one of which is English), among the following PCT publication languages\: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish, in accordance with business needs.

Language (Desirable)

Knowledge of other PCT publication languages.

Job Related Competencies (Essential)

Ability to communicate with people from the technical and business field.

Good understanding of the PCT and ability to explain or provide training on the rules, regulations and procedures governing the area of work.

Good IT skills for document processing, data management and data search.

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

Client orientation, with ability to deliver high-quality client services.

Ability to work within pre-defined deadlines in an organized and logical manner while maintaining meticulous attention to detail.

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

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.

Job Related Competencies (Desirable)

Knowledge of best practices and relevant tools used for customer service.

Ability to use different web browsers.

Ability to use authentication tools.

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 September 2024 rate of 96.7%

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 normally 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.

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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.