Human Rights Officer, NOC

Org. Setting and Reporting

This post is found in the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Regional Hub for East and Southern Africa, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The incumbent will report to the relevant workstream lead under the overall guidance of the Regional Director or his/her delegated representative. The Human Rights Officer is responsible for conducting a wide range of tasks. Depending on the organizational setting, these may include monitoring and investigating compliance with international human rights and humanitarian law; analysing and managing data to inform early-warning, accountability and policy; drafting evidence-based reports and strategic advice; integrating human-rights perspectives into peace, humanitarian and development planning; advising UN leadership and national authorities on protection of civilians, rule of law and transitional justice; and fostering partnerships, capacity-building and advocacy initiatives that advance equality, accountability and the promise to leave no one behind.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Administrative Officer will be responsible for the following duties -Conduct substantive monitoring of the implementation of human rights and international humanitarian law and follow up on recommendations from human rights mechanisms, including treaty bodies, the UPR, and special procedures, as well as investigative findings, to ensure compliance with human rights and advance accountability. -Collect, document, and analyse evidence-based information on civil, cultural, economic, social, and/or political rights, including the right to development, to enable analysis, early warning and response, accountability, and informed decision-making, identifying gaps and contributing to ensuring human rights data is discoverable, interoperable, and appropriately shared, including from gender and leave no one behind perspectives. -Draft, review, and disseminate human rights reports, briefings, and other communications, with legal analysis as appropriate, and prepare analytical papers to inform strategies, policies, programmes, crisis management, guidance, and decision-making processes, with attention to gender integration and leave-no-one-behind perspectives. -Collect, verify, and analyse multi-source information relevant to the human rights thematic and/or country-specific situation, ensuring data quality and methodological compliance, including from a gender perspective and leaving no one behind. -Provide advisory and substantive support to national and/or regional counterparts to strengthen their human rights systems, institutions, and frameworks, including complaint mechanisms, victim and witness support services, and engagement with human rights mechanisms, including reporting and implementation of recommendations. -Design and deliver human rights capacity-building programmes for State institutions, security forces, NHRIs, civil society, and other stakeholders, including on human rights-based approaches with attention to gender and leave-no-one-behind perspectives. -Contribute substantively to human rights mainstreaming efforts, supporting the integration of human rights norms and standards into political, peace and security, humanitarian, development and economic frameworks and processes, to help tackle impunity and address socio-economic, development and other human rights challenges. -Provide substantive advisory and technical support to authorities and other non-State development actors to integrate human rights norms and standards in development and economic policies and programmes, including for a human rights economy and as relevant to national development plans and Voluntary National/Local Reviews. -Provide human-rights-based technical assistance on administration of justice and security-sector issues, including trial and detention monitoring, transitional justice support, and/or vetting of security actors as relevant. -Contribute substantively to advisory engagement with UN leadership and UN partners on the integration of human rights into protection, rule of law, the human rights economy, transitional justice, and accountability. -Contribute to research, analysis, guidance, and policy advice on human rights issues in the context of economic policy and sustainable development, with a focus on poverty, inequalities, and development financing, providing analytical inputs to the UN Common Country Analysis and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks. -Engage in the promotion of Human Rights through advocacy and impactful outreach activities. -Collect and analyse data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables, and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation, and reporting.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of international human rights law, norms, and standards. Knowledge of human rights monitoring, documentation, analysis, research, and reporting methodologies, including planning, coordinating, and conducting field missions.Knowledge of regional and international human rights mechanisms. Knowledge of the application of the promotion and protection of economic, social, and cultural rights, including within the context of addressing inequalities.Skills in drafting human rights reports, policy, and other documents.Skills in designing, delivering, and evaluating capacity-building and training programmes.Ability to build and maintain partnerships.Critical thinking skills. 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.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. Place the team agenda before the personal agenda. Supports and acts in accordance with the final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect one's 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 an 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.

Education

An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in human rights, law, political science, international relations, social sciences, economics, public policy, sustainable development, humanitarian affairs or related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university.

Job - Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in human rights or related areas is required. Skills in designing, delivering, and evaluating capacity-building and training programmes are required. Skills in drafting human rights reports, policy and other documents is required. Knowledge of the application of the promotion and protection of economic, social and cultural rights, including within the context of addressing inequalities is desirable Knowledge of human rights monitoring, documentation, analysis, research and reporting methodologies, including planning, coordinating and conducting field missions is desirable Knowledge of regional and international human rights mechanisms is desirable Ability to build and maintain partnerships is desirable Critical thinking skills is required

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details).

Required Languages LanguageReadingWritingListeningSpeakingEnglishUN Level IIIUN Level IIIUN Level IIIUN Level III Assessment Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which will be followed by a competency-based interview. Special Notice Candidates for the National Professional Officer category shall be of the nationality of the country where this position is located. Locally recruited General Service staff members applying for this post must meet the minimum requirements, including academic qualifications and years of relevant experience. Relevant experience in the General Service category at G-6 and G-7 levels may count towards experience requirements. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance 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. 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Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. All external candidates recruited in accordance with section ‎2.2 (a) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment without limitation and all external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2. (c) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment limited to the entity are subject to an initial probationary period of one year under a fixed-term appointment. 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.