SENIOR HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER (KHARTOUM) – OHCHR
Job Description
| Organization | Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights |
| Posting Title: | SENIOR HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER, P5 |
| Job Code Title: | SENIOR HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER |
| Department/Office: | Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights |
| Duty Station: | KHARTOUM |
| Posting Period: | 22 September 2023 – 06 October 2023 |
| Job Opening Number: | 23-Human Rights Affairs-OHCHR-214749-R-Khartoum (R) |
| Staffing Exercise | N/A |
Org. Setting and Reporting
The incumbent will provide support to the mandate of the High Commissioner’s designated Expert on the situation of human rights in Sudan pursuant to Human Rights Council Resolutions A/HRC/RES/S-32/1, A/HRC/RES/50/1 and A/HRC/RES/S-36/1.
This position will be based in Khartoum but has been temporarily relocated to Nairobi until conditions allow for deployment to Khartoum. The incumbent will report to the Chief of the Africa Branch, through the Head of the OHCHR Sudan Country Office, and coordinate the activities of the Expert’s staff, in close coordination with the UN Joint Human Rights Office in Sudan.
Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Senior Human Rights Officer, Coordinator:
– Supervises the development of investigation plans, methodology and tools to collect and process all data;
– Supports the mandate of the designated Expert on substantive, operational and administrative procedures and ensure their implementation;
– Manages the overall work of the designated Expert’s staff, including by facilitating constructive internal work-flows, information sharing, accountability and performance management;
– Facilitates the communication between the designated Expert and OHCHR, including the Joint Human Rights Office in Sudan;
– Ensures that the Expert’s team carries out its tasks in accordance with agreed strategic objectives and standard methodology, including gender perspectives, pursuant to A/HRC/RES/S-36.1.
– Coordinates the investigating and reporting tasks of the Expert’s staff;
– Oversees the development of plans to ensure that all required measures are taken to protect victims and witnesses who will cooperate with the designated Expert and that effective referrals pathways for survivors are used when possible;
– Accompanies the designated Expert on his field missions;
– Acts as the main interlocutor on operational and substantive matters with duty bearers, member states, UN agencies, media and other stakeholders;
– Ensures the integration of gender perspective, including in the investigation plan, interviewing of victims, evidence gathering, analysis and report writing;
– Takes ultimate responsibility for the quality and timely delivery of the High Commissioner’s reports to the Human Rights Council on the human rights situation in Sudan, with the input of the designated Expert, and assists with the preparations of the Enhanced Interactive Dialogues on Sudan at the Human Rights Council;
– Liaises with the OHCHR security section and UNDSS on aspects related to the security requirements and informs accordingly the designated Expert and his staff;
– Manages the budget and finances of the designated Expert’s team and is responsible for regular operational, financial and administrative reporting to OHCHR and/or other UN entities as required;
– Performs other duties as required.
Competencies
PROFESSIONALISM: knowledge of and exposure to a range of human rights issues including approaches and techniques to address and advise on highly sensitive and complex 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 evaluate and integrate information from a variety of sources and assess impact on the human rights situation in the region or country of assignment, including the political environment and legal statutes as they pertain to human rights. Ability to complete in-depth studies and reach conclusions on possible causes and solutions to human rights problems in specific societies and systems. Ability to relate and advise on human rights issues and perspectives, including their gender equality dimensions, to political, social, economic and humanitarian programmes in affected countries and areas. 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; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing.
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 & 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.
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.
JUDGEMENT/DECISION-MAKING: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.
Education
Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree), in law, political science, international relations or another discipline related to human rights is required. 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.
Work Experience
A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in human rights or combined experience in human rights and international humanitarian law or international criminal law is required.
A minimum of five (5) years of experience in managing teams is required.
A minimum of two (2) years of experience carrying out human rights, international humanitarian law or international criminal law investigations is desirable.
Languages
French and English are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English (both oral and written) is required. Fluency in Arabic is an advantage.
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which will be followed by competency-based interview.
Special Notice
This position is temporarily available until 31 March 2025, subject to the availability of funds.
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.
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.
Staff members of the United Nations Secretariat must fulfill the lateral move requirements to be eligible to apply for this vacancy.
Staff members are requested to indicate all qualifying lateral moves in their Personal History Profile (PHP) and cover note.
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.
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.
