International Criminal Court contracts and grades: a guide for applicants

The International Criminal Court is a treaty-based international organization in The Hague. It is not a United Nations court, even though its salary structure and many employment conditions draw on the UN common system. An ICC vacancy must therefore be read under ICC rules, not as an opening in the UN Secretariat.

Staff appointments

The Court’s current administrative issuances include the Staff Regulations and Rules and the policy governing tenure. Staff posts are commonly filled through fixed-term appointments. Short-term appointments exist under separate provisions and are used for time-limited needs. The appointment type printed in the vacancy determines which rules apply.

A significant change took effect in 2025. Under the ICC tenure policy, a person newly appointed on or after 1 January 2025 to an established post designated as a Tenured Post normally receives an initial two-year fixed-term appointment, with the first six months as probation. “Tenured Post” describes the post’s status under the policy; it does not mean that a new recruit receives an indefinite contract on the first day. Renewal and later tenure decisions remain subject to the applicable policy.

Candidates may also see consultancy, internship, visiting professional and Junior Professional Officer opportunities. These are separate routes. Consultants provide defined services and are not placed in a staff grade merely because their work resembles that of a staff member. Interns and visiting professionals follow programme-specific eligibility and funding terms. JPOs are generally sponsored under arrangements with participating governments.

The grade structure

The Court uses the Professional and higher categories and the General Service category. The official grade structure includes P-1 through P-5 and D-1 through D-2, with Assistant Secretary-General and Under-Secretary-General levels at the top. General Service runs from G-1 through G-7; the Court’s classification material distinguishes Other Level posts, G-1 to G-5, from Principal Level posts, G-6 and G-7.

These labels describe the level of the post, not the quality of an individual applicant. P posts normally call for professional expertise and are recruited internationally. D grades carry director-level responsibility. General Service posts are locally recruited and cover administrative, technical and support work. A G-7 can involve substantial expertise and supervisory responsibility; it should not be described as an entry-level job.

The ICC follows UN common-system salary scales, allowances and benefits, subject to its own legal framework. Professional salaries include the relevant post adjustment for the duty station, while General Service pay follows the applicable local scale. The grade range is not a promise that an appointee will start at its maximum. Step placement, benefits, pension participation and allowances depend on the rules and personal circumstances.

Job titles do not provide a reliable shortcut. “Legal Officer,” “Investigator,” “Analyst” and “Translator” can appear at different grades. Use the grade stated in the vacancy and compare your experience with its minimum requirements.

Work across the Court

The Court has four principal organs: the Presidency, Judicial Divisions, Office of the Prosecutor and Registry. Careers therefore span much more than courtroom advocacy. Chambers and the Presidency need legal officers and judicial support. The Prosecutor recruits lawyers, investigators, analysts and cooperation specialists. Registry functions include court management, counsel and victim support, witness protection, detention, interpretation and translation, field operations, security, information management, finance, human resources and technology.

Most posts are based in The Hague. The ICC also maintains field presences connected to situations and investigations. A field assignment may carry travel, security or hardship conditions that are not shared by a headquarters vacancy.

Professional recruitment is international, but individual notices can include nationality, language or representation considerations allowed under the Court’s rules. General Service recruitment is local, so the vacancy may require a right to work at the duty station. English and French are the Court’s working languages; particular roles may require one or both, and situation-related jobs may require additional languages.

Applying without misreading the notice

Apply only through the ICC jobs portal or the programme route linked from the official site. Read the vacancy’s appointment type, grade, organizational section, duration, language requirements and closing time. Selection may include written tests, competency-based interviews, references and background checks appropriate to the work.

Do not confuse the ICC with the International Court of Justice or a UN criminal mechanism. Their subject matter may overlap, but the employer, legal framework and application system are different. That distinction is especially important when comparing contracts or claiming previous “UN grade” equivalence.