Senior Human Rights Officer
Organizational Context
This position is within the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) in Kyiv, part of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The mission monitors and reports on the human rights situation, engaging with stakeholders to strengthen protection and accountability. The incumbent serves as Deputy Head of Mission, supporting strategic leadership, oversight of monitoring and reporting, and representing OHCHR.
Job Purpose
The Senior Human Rights Officer serves as Deputy Head of Mission for the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU). This role provides strategic, substantive, and managerial leadership, overseeing the monitoring, verification, analysis, reporting, and advocacy efforts related to the human rights situation in Ukraine, particularly in the context of the armed conflict. The incumbent ensures methodological quality and consistency across the mission's operations, supports the effective delivery of its mandate, and advises the Head of Mission on strategic positioning, sensitive engagements, and resource management. A key aspect is representing OHCHR and HRMMU at senior levels with national authorities, UN entities, Member States, and other partners, and acting as Officer-in-Charge when designated. The role also involves supervising staff and requires travel to areas affected by hostilities.
Responsibilities
Provide strategic oversight for monitoring human rights and international humanitarian law implementation, ensuring follow-up on recommendations and advancing accountability. Exercise institutional accountability for collecting, documenting, and managing evidence-based information for analysis, early warning, and decision-making, integrating gender and leave-no-one-behind perspectives. Set strategic frameworks and oversee human rights monitoring and field verification missions, ensuring adherence to UN methodology and protection standards. Coordinate fact-finding or investigative missions to document violations, ensuring victim/witness protection and collaboration. Provide final clearance for human rights reports and analytical papers, integrating gender and leave-no-one-behind principles. Offer authoritative guidance to UN leadership and partners on integrating human rights into various sectors. Represent the human rights function at senior coordination forums. Provide strategic guidance to authorities and humanitarian actors on embedding human rights in emergency response. Oversee resource mobilization strategies and advocacy activities. Manage and coordinate team activities, including hiring, training, and resource planning.
Work Experience
A minimum of ten years of experience in human rights or related fields such as political affairs, international relations, law, or humanitarian affairs is required. Experience in strategic thinking, building partnerships, and coordinating in large multi-stakeholder environments is necessary. Knowledge of human rights monitoring, documentation, analysis, and reporting methodologies is essential. Experience with international human rights and humanitarian law is desirable.
Skills
Professionalism, Communication, Planning and Organizing, Leadership, Building Trust, Strategic thinking, Partnership building, Coordination, Human rights monitoring, documentation, analysis, research, reporting, International human rights law, International humanitarian law, Programme management.