Senior Human Rights Officer
Organizational Context
These positions are within the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), its regional and country presences, and peacekeeping operations. Incumbents report to a Director or Chief and may serve as Head of Country Presence. The role falls within the Human Rights job family, encompassing five specialties: General Human Rights, Human Rights Adviser, Gender Adviser, Legal Adviser, and Human Rights, Protection of Civilians Specialist.
Job Purpose
The Senior Human Rights Officer provides strategic oversight and direction for monitoring human rights and international humanitarian law implementation, ensuring follow-up on recommendations from human rights mechanisms. This role is crucial for collecting, documenting, and managing evidence-based human rights information to enable thorough analysis, early warning, and informed decision-making, with a focus on gender and inclusivity. The officer sets strategic frameworks for monitoring missions, oversees report drafting and dissemination, and prepares analytical papers to inform policies and strategies. They provide guidance to national counterparts and UN partners on strengthening human rights systems, capacity-building programs, and mainstreaming human rights across various UN frameworks. The position involves representing the UN at high levels in negotiations and coordination forums, advocating for human rights standards, and managing resource mobilization and communication strategies to advance OHCHR's goals.
Responsibilities
Provide strategic oversight for monitoring human rights and international humanitarian law, ensuring follow-up on recommendations from human rights mechanisms and advancing accountability. Exercise institutional accountability for collecting, documenting, and managing evidence-based human rights information for analysis, early warning, and decision-making, with attention to gender and inclusivity. Set strategic frameworks for human rights monitoring and field verification missions, ensuring adherence to UN methodology and protection standards. Provide strategic oversight and clearance for human rights reports, briefings, and analytical papers to inform strategies and policies. Offer senior-level guidance to national counterparts and UN partners to strengthen human rights systems, institutions, and capacity-building programs. Represent the UN at senior levels in inter-governmental negotiations, public forums, and peace processes, advocating for human rights standards and building coalitions. Oversee the development of strategies for protection of civilians, conflict-related sexual violence, and child protection. Provide guidance on support to treaty bodies, special procedures, and commissions of inquiry. Steer resource mobilization, advocacy, outreach, and partnerships strategies. Direct communication strategies to amplify human rights messaging. Manage team activities, resources, and professional development.
Work Experience
A minimum of 10 years of experience in human rights or related fields (e.g., political affairs, international relations, law, social sciences, development) is required. Knowledge of international human rights law, norms, and standards is essential. Experience integrating a human rights-based approach, gender equality, and leave no one behind principles is required. Programme management, stakeholder mobilization, and people management skills are also necessary.
Skills
Professionalism, Teamwork, Planning and Organizing, Leadership, Managing Performance, Strategic thinking, Communication, Problem-solving, Interpersonal skills, Advocacy, Resource mobilization, Programme management, People management.