HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER - Regional Project Coordinator (TJO), P4

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), West Africa Regional Office (WARO) based in Dakar, Senegal. The Human Rights Officer reports directly to the Regional Representative of the West Africa Regional Office. The Human Rights Officer is responsible for conducting a wide range of tasks. Depending on the organizational setting, these Set the strategic approach and provide authoritative legal advice may include monitoring and investigating compliance with international human rights and humanitarian law; analyzing 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 Human Rights Officer will be responsible for the following duties: - Lead and coordinate the monitoring of the implementation of human rights and international humanitarian law and ensure appropriate follow-up on recommendations from human rights mechanisms, including treaty bodies, the UPR, special procedures, and investigative findings, to support compliance with human rights and advance accountability. - Coordinate and manage the collection, documentation, and quality control of evidence-based information on civil, cultural, economic, social, and/or political rights, including the right to development, to support early warning, accountability, and informed decision-making, identifying gaps and ensuring the proper handling and sharing of human rights data, including from gender and leave no one behind perspectives. - Lead and undertake analysis and prepare analytical papers, including on lessons learned, to inform human rights strategies, crisis management, prevention, and response policies, programmes, and other strategic decision-making processes. - Lead the provision of substantive advice and technical support to national and/or regional counterparts to strengthen their human rights systems, institutions, and frameworks, including complaints mechanisms, victim and witness support services, and engagement with human rights mechanisms, including reporting and implementation of recommendations. - Lead and coordinate substantive 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, including as relevant to UN Common Country Analysis and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks. - Lead the engagement with youth networks to advocate for youth rights and meaningful participation in civic, political, and other decision-making processes. Support strategic direction and provide policy advice to prevent and combat racism, xenophobia, and all forms of discrimination, with a leave-no-one-behind perspective, applying a gender and intersectional analysis throughout. - Manage and coordinate fundraising and resource mobilization activities to advance the Office’s goals, including planning initiatives, engaging donors and partners, and ensuring effective implementation within assigned areas of responsibility. - Maintain confidentiality and integrity and handle sensitive information with discretion, ensuring compliance with the UN data privacy, security requirements, and standards. - Coordinate and lead the delivery of training programmes and workshops using various platforms for different audiences to enhance the capacity of UN staff and partners. - Plan and manage required resources to implement the responsibilities, projects, and activities. - Provide guidance to team members to promote professional development and a positive team culture.

Competencies

• Professionalism: Knowledge of child protection and related frameworks. 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. Ability to mobilize support from a wide range of partners and stakeholders. Skills to integrate a human rights-based approach, leave no one behind, gender equality, and women's empowerment into all areas of work. Project management 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. • 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 improvements; 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) 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 degree.

Job - Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible experience in human rights or related areas is required. Relevant experience may include, but is not limited to political affairs, public affairs, international relations, law, social sciences, economics, development, humanitarian affairs, or other related areas. Ability to mobilize support from a wide range of partners and stakeholders is required. Knowledge of child protection and related frameworks is required. Skills to integrate a human rights-based approach, leave no one behind, gender equality and women's empowerment into all areas of work is required. Knowledge of regional and international human rights mechanisms is required. Project management skills are desirable. Knowledge of human rights monitoring, documentation, analysis, research and reporting methodologies, including planning, coordinating and conducting field missions is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, French is required. English is desirable. 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 LanguageReadingWritingListeningSpeakingFrenchUN Level IIUN Level IIUN Level IIUN Level II

Desirable Languages

LanguageReadingWritingListeningSpeakingEnglishUN Level IIUN Level IIUN Level IIUN Level II

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 for five (5) months under the current funding, with the possibility of extension, subject to operational needs and the availability of funding should the project be extended with a new phase. • A current staff member who holds a fixed-term, permanent or continuing appointment may apply for temporary positions no more than one level above his or her current grade. • However, a current staff member who holds an appointment at the G-6 or G-7 level may also apply to temporary positions in the Professional category up to and including the P-3 level, subject to meeting all eligibility and other requirements for the position. • A staff member holding a temporary appointment shall be regarded as an external candidate when applying for other positions, and may apply for other temporary positions at any level, subject to section 5.7 below and staff rule 4.16 (b) (ii). Therefore, a staff member holding a temporary appointment in the General Service or related categories may only apply to positions within those categories. For full information on eligibility requirements, please refer to section 5 of ST/AI/2010/4Rev.1 on Temporary Appointments. • Pursuant to section 7.11 of ST/AI/2012/2/Rev.1, candidates recruited through the young professionals programme who have not served for a minimum of two years in the position of their initial assignment are not eligible to apply to this position. • 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. • 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. 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.

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. 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.