Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located within the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI). The Human Rights Officers will be based in the Baghdad Office. The Human Rights Officer will report to the Chief Human Rights Officer.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the incumbent will act as a thematic Team Leader and will be responsible for the following duties:

• Provide substantive guidance and operational support to field teams in the monitoring documenting and reporting of alleged violations of international human rights law including in relation to fair trial standards and the prevention of torture and ill-treatment in places of detention, the rights of women and children, the rights of minorities and the right to freedom of expression.
• Coordinates the monitoring of and evaluates the legal system and its compliance with international human rights instruments and advises where appropriate, relevant authorities including on the implementation of UN recommendations.
• Formulates recommendations and suggests strategies to better promote and protect human rights in the mission area.
• Plans, designs, implements and evaluates strategies for the mainstreaming of human rights in the activities of the UN peace mission and the UNCT and advocates for the integration of human rights in these programmes.
• Contributes to advocacy strategies, advocates and advises relevant authorities, including State officials, the UN Country Team (UNCT) and the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT), UN and Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) senior management on strategies to better protect and promote human rights and mechanisms to stop impunity and redress human rights violations;• Contributes to the integration of gender perspectives/considerations and specific women/girls’ rights issues in all activities, programmes and strategies.
• Represents the human rights component in decision-making fora in the area of responsibility as appropriate.
• Analyses and synthesizes significant amounts of information of relevance to human rights, including from open sources.
• 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.
• Promotes the effective flow of information and channels human rights analysis and concerns for inclusion in UN crisis management and response.
• Trains, coaches and supervises new and junior staff, manages their performance, and assists in training needs assessments.
• Designs, delivers, coordinates and evaluates human rights training programmes for national officials, armed groups, civil society representatives, human rights non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other national stakeholders.
• Works with national authorities and civil society for the establishment of transitional justice processes and the establishment of accountability and compensation mechanisms, as appropriate.
• 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.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Competencies

Professionalism: Good knowledge of international human rights and international humanitarian law. Proven understanding of the relevance of information and data management and its applicability to human rights work; Ability to identify appropriate means of communication to channel relevant human rights information for crisis management and response; 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. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is 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

An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in human rights, law, political science, international relations, social sciences or a related area. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in field and headquarters locations at national and international levels in the human rights field is required.

Experience in supervising and leading thematic human rights teams is required.

Experience in addressing the roots causes of human rights conflicts and ensuring accountability for human rights violations in accordance with international standards is required.

Human Rights monitoring and reporting experience is required.

A minimum of one year’s experience working in a United Nations common system field operation (inclusive of peacekeeping, political missions and UN agencies, funds, and programmes) – or similar international organisation or non-governmental organisation – in a conflict or post-conflict setting is required.

Experience conducting human rights investigations is required.

Experience of managing teams is required.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in English is required.

Assessment

Previously rostered candidates are not subject to any further assessment and as such, will not be invited for such an assessment.

Special Notice

This “Recruit from Roster” job opening is only open to roster applicants who are already placed on pre-approved rosters, following a review by a United Nations Central Review Body. Only roster applicants who were placed on rosters with similar functions at the same level are considered to be eligible candidates. Eligible applicants receive an email inviting them to apply. Rostered applicants are encouraged to apply only if they are interested and available to take up the position at the duty station/s specified in the Job Opening. Applying to this job opening carries an expectation to accept the offer, if selected.

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

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.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side 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.