Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Office of the Special Envoy for Syria (OSE-Syria), in Geneva. The Senior Human Rights Officer will report to the Principal Political Affairs Officer.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Senior Human Rights Officer will be responsible for the following duties: • Lead the formulation and execution of the implementation of the mission’s strategies and program of work related to human rights issues, including the mission’s work on Detainees, Abductees and Missing Persons (DAMP), and provide inputs and advice to the Mission leadership on the same. • Establish and maintain partnerships with representatives of family associations, national counterparts and civil society representatives, including women’s groups, involved in DAMP issues. • Support national counterparts in strengthening and developing all aspects of the DAMP file including practical ways to enhance processes for determining the fate and whereabouts of DAMP and proposing concrete recommendations that address the needs and concerns of their families. • Participate in and maintain effective coordination with relevant bodies, mechanisms and United Nations entities, including the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and represent the mission as required. • Enhance advocacy of the DAMP file and increase coordination between national counterparts and international actors, including donors. • Write a variety of reports, communications, briefings, and statements and ensure the preparation of and quality of assessment, policy documents and guidelines. • Coordinate and oversee research initiatives on DAMP issues within the mandate of the OSE. • Perform programmatic, managerial and administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the mission’s corrections component, including the preparation of budgets, reporting on performance and results, recruiting staff and managing and evaluating staff performance. • Leads team members efforts to collect and analyze data and provides insight to identify trends or patterns for data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting. Ensures that everyone can discover, access, integrate and share the data they need. • Provide advice as required on human rights issues. • Provide direct support to the Deputy Special Envoy in preparing and conducting ISSG Humanitarian Task Force meetings and engaging UN humanitarian partners and Member States to this end. • Performs other related duties as required by mission leadership.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of and wide exposure to the full range of human rights issues, in particular with regard to national protection systems, and human rights mainstreaming. Strong knowledge of institutional mandates and international standards pertaining to human rights. Ability to address approaches and techniques to address highly sensitive and complex issues and problems. Knowledge of the Middle East and North Africa region, including its human rights and political situation. Ability to exercise independent judgement and discretion in advising on and handling major issues and problems; Ability to manage projects and programmes. Knowledge of the structure and functions of the United Nations system, its organs, agencies and programmes. Knowledge of mainstreaming human rights in the development work of the United Nations. Substantive knowledge of programming and planning tools and frameworks. 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. The ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. 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; 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. VISION: Identifies strategic issues, opportunities and risks; Clearly communicates links between the Organization’s strategy and the work unit’s goals; Generates and communicates broad and compelling organizational direction, inspiring others to pursue that same direction; Conveys enthusiasm about future possibilities. LEADERSHIP: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow; Empowers others to translate vision into results; Is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; Establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; Anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; Drives for change and improvement; does not accept the status quo; Shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in law, political science or international relations or international economics or other disciplines related to human rights. 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. Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is an advantage.

Job – Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in human rights, political affairs, international relations, law or related area is required. Out of the ten years, at least seven (7) years of experience at the international level is required. A minimum of three (3) years of experience managing a team of professional staff is required. Experience working on human rights issues, including DAMP, in a conflict or post conflict context is required. Experience in human rights monitoring and reporting is desirable. Experience in human rights technical cooperation in a United Nations field context is desirable. Experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.

Languages

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

Assessment

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

Special Notice

• This temporary position is open through 31 December 2024 with the possibility of extension. It is funded from the extra-budgetary resources and subject to the availability of funds. 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.

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.