HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) in Yambio, South Sudan. Yambio is classified in the “E” category and as a non-family duty station. The incumbents report to the Coordinator of the Human Rights Division, under the overall guidance and direction of the Director of the Human Rights Division (HRD).

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Human Rights Officers will be responsible for the following duties:  Formulates recommendations and suggests strategies to better promote and protect human rights in the mission area, including for peace processes.  Works directly with other UNMISS components, including the police and military, to integrate human rights considerations into the planning and review of their programs and operations, including through developing procedures and policies, as appropriate.  Plans, coordinates and leads multidisciplinary teams in the conduct of investigations into alleged violations of international human rights and humanitarian law in South Sudan in compliance with UN standards.  Ensures, coordinates and supervises the timely entry of accurate and verified human rights cases into an established database; conducts quality control and delivers statistics and trend reports as required.  Ensures the integration of UN-developed methodology into human rights monitoring, reporting, protection and investigation activities.  Drafts, reviews, and coordinates the timely delivery of a variety of reports, briefings and other type of communications in compliance with established standards, including with regard to public human rights reports; Analyses and synthesizes significant amounts of information of relevance to human rights.  Develops information gathering and operational plans, including interviews and the collection and analysis of open sources material.  Develops the methodology and tools to collect and process all data including for the identification of perpetrators.  Maintains OHCHR Database up to date and clear documentation systems.  Contributes, and where required, coordinates the implementation of the Human Rights Due- Diligence Policy on UN support to non-UN forces including by coordinating risk assessments and ensuring relevant human rights monitoring information is gathered, as well as advises on support and follow-up for the implementation of the Policy.  Contributes to the integration of human rights in the mission’s protection of civilians (PoC) efforts and, where relevant, coordinates such efforts including by, inter-alia, mapping and reporting protection risks, early warning, advising UN uniformed personnel on human rights issues during the conduct of their operations, and participating or coordinating in Joint Protection Teams, as required; in compliance with established standards, including with regard to public human rights reports.  Plans, designs, implements and evaluates strategies for the mainstreaming of human rights in the activities of the UNCT and advocates for the integration of human rights in all programmes;  Contributes to the integration of human rights in humanitarian action, through participating or coordinating emergency preparedness and response activities including in the work of the Protection Cluster, as appropriate.  Establishes and maintains contact with national authorities, civil society, UN Agencies, Funds/ and Programmes with complementary mandates, and other relevant partners to inform on the human rights situation in the mission area and advises on strategic and policy issues to better protect and promote human rights.  Contributes to the integration of gender perspectives/considerations and specific women/girls’ rights issues in all activities, programmes and strategies.  Facilitates cooperation and appropriate communication with OHCHR in the establishment of policies and sharing of best practices.  Designs, coordinates and evaluates capacity building efforts, including those supporting institution-building and institutional reforms, for alignment with international human rights norms and to meet international human rights law obligations.  Designs, delivers, coordinates and evaluates human rights training programmes for national officials, civil society representatives, human rights non-governmental organizations (NGOs), National Human Rights Institutions and other national stakeholders.  Coordinates with other UN mission components, UN actors and other regional and international organizations to create opportunities to integrate human rights into their training and cooperation programmes, including those aiming at legislative, rule of law and security sector reforms.  Serves as team leader with responsibility to develop office workplans and other strategic documents; Trains, coaches and supervises new and junior staff, manages their performance, and assists in training needs assessments.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of relevant human rights standards and exposure to a range of human rights issues including approaches and techniques to address sensitive and complex human rights problems in their political, ethnic, racial, gender and socio-economic dimensions. Knowledge of institutional mandates of human rights organizations, prevailing policies and procedures. Ability to train authorities and civil society organizations in investigating, reporting and advocacy. Ability to relate human rights issues and perspectives, including their gender equality dimensions, to political, social, economic and humanitarian Programmes. Ability to identify sources for data collection, research and analyze information and draft human rights reports. Ability to evaluate and integrate information from a variety of sources and assess impact on the human rights situation in the area of assignment. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations; and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. COMMUNICATION: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors’ language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed. TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings. PLANNING AND ORGANIZING: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently. MANAGING PERFORMANCE: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority; Makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member; Accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills; Monitors progress against milestones and deadlines; Regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff; Encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative; Actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff; Appraises performance fairly

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in law, political science, international relations, social sciences, information systems management or related field. A first-level university degree, in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience, may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job – Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in human rights monitoring and investigation, political affairs, international relations, law or a related area is required. A minimum of three years of human rights related experience in a field operation in an international organization, non-governmental organization, or within the United Nations common system (inclusive of peacekeeping and political missions) is required. Experience in providing technical assistance to government, national human rights institutions and civil society organizations on human rights and accountability is required. Experience in designing, managing capacity-building programmes and conducting Human Rights trainings is required. A minimum of three (3) years of experience supervising a team is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of Arabic is desirable.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

• This position is temporarily available until 31 December 2024. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment. • While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post. • Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station. • This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15. • Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply. Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation. • Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as “retirement.” Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service. • Qualified women that meet the requirements of this job opening are particularly encouraged to apply and will be given full consideration in accordance with the United Nations efforts to increase women participation in its workforce

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.