Investigations Officer Consultant (OSINT)

Organizational Context

UNRWA is a UN agency providing assistance and protection to Palestine refugees across the Middle East. It is a large operation with over 30,000 staff. This role sits within the Investigations Division of the Department of Internal Oversight Services (DIOS), which is responsible for investigating allegations of misconduct involving UNRWA personnel.

Job Purpose

The Investigations Officer Consultant's primary purpose is to significantly enhance the investigative capabilities of UNRWA's Department of Internal Oversight Services (DIOS). This role provides specialized support in critical areas such as case assessment, meticulous investigative planning, advanced Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) gathering, thorough digital evidence review, and comprehensive reporting. The consultant will be instrumental in assisting with online inquiries and investigations into a broad spectrum of misconduct allegations, including fraud, corruption, harassment, and breaches of neutrality, involving UNRWA staff and contractors. This contribution is vital for upholding the Agency's integrity, ensuring robust accountability, and maintaining strict compliance with UNRWA's investigative policies and international standards. By strengthening DIOS's capacity, the consultant directly supports the Agency's mission to provide assistance and protection to Palestine refugees, ensuring ethical conduct and operational effectiveness.

Responsibilities

The Investigations Officer Consultant will undertake comprehensive case assessment and investigative planning. This includes reviewing complaints and allegations, formulating detailed investigation plans, and meticulously analyzing information to determine its relevance, reliability, and evidentiary value. The consultant will conduct and record interviews with staff and other involved parties, and obtain and analyze various forms of evidence, including documentary, electronic, and digital. A key duty involves conducting and supporting online inquiries and Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) activities, encompassing the identification, collection, preservation, analysis, and documentation of information from publicly available sources, social media platforms, websites, and databases, all in strict accordance with applicable policies and evidentiary standards. The role also requires assisting in the collection, review, and analysis of digital evidence, such as electronic records, communications, and metadata. Additionally, the consultant will support the Central Intake Unit in managing misconduct intake and assessment, and provide reporting, documentation, and advisory support by drafting investigation reports, closure reports, and advisory reports, while also reviewing reports prepared by other investigators. The consultant will contribute to policy development, incorporating lessons learned into Agency procedures, and assist in delivering investigator training on interviewing, online investigations, OSINT methodologies, and digital evidence collection.

Work Experience

A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in investigatory work is required, including at least two years of international experience outside the candidate's home country, permanent residence, and citizenship. Experience carrying out international investigation activities, analyzing information using OSINT platforms, and investigation experience in or on the Middle East are desirable.

Skills

Proficiency in Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) for information identification, collection, preservation, analysis, and documentation. Expertise in digital evidence collection, review, and analysis (electronic records, communications, metadata). Strong analytical and investigative research capabilities. Ability to formulate investigation plans and assess allegations of misconduct. Skill in drafting comprehensive investigation, closure, and advisory reports. Knowledge of investigative policies, procedures, and best practices. Capacity for delivering investigator training. Strict adherence to confidentiality, independence, impartiality, and professional integrity. Proficiency in English is required; Arabic is desirable.

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