Human Rights Officer (Tjo)

UN Atlas; Genf; On-site; CHF 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva seeks a Human Rights Officer to lead monitoring of rights and international humanitarian law, ensuring follow-up on recommendations and coordinating evidence-based information collection and documentation.

You will oversee reports and communications, provide legal analysis, and help train UN staff and partners while upholding strict confidentiality.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in human rights, law, political science, or related fields.
• Minimum 7 years in human rights or related areas.
• Experience drafting human rights reports and policy documents.
• Knowledge of investigation chain of custody procedures.
• Strong monitoring, documentation, analysis and reporting skills.
• Experience planning and conducting field missions.
• Discretion with confidential information and data privacy.
• Fluent in English and French.

Responsibilities

• Lead monitoring of human rights and international humanitarian law implementation.
• Ensure follow-up on recommendations from human rights mechanisms.
• Coordinate collection, documentation, and quality control of evidence-based information.
• Lead production and review of human rights reports, briefings and communications.
• Provide legal analysis and papers for strategy and policy development.
• Coordinate training programs to build capacity among UN staff and partners.

Skills

English

French

Data analysis

Report writing

Training delivery

Confidentiality

Integrity

Education

Master's degree in human rights or related field

Bachelor's degree + 2 years qualifying experience

Job description

Organizational context:

This Human Rights Officer position is within the Investigation Support Section of the Human Rights Inquiries Branch, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva. The role reports directly to the Chief of the Investigation Support Section and the Chief of Branch, contributing to the OHCHR's mandate.

Job purpose:

The Human Rights Officer will lead and coordinate the monitoring of human rights and international humanitarian law implementation, ensuring follow-up on recommendations from human rights mechanisms to advance accountability. This involves managing the collection, documentation, and quality control of evidence-based information on various rights, supporting early warning and informed decision-making. The role also entails leading the production and review of human rights reports and communications, preparing analytical papers for strategy and policy development, and coordinating training programs to enhance capacity among UN staff and partners. Confidentiality and data integrity are paramount.

Responsibilities:

Key responsibilities include leading the monitoring of human rights and international humanitarian law implementation and ensuring follow-up on recommendations from human rights mechanisms to support compliance and accountability. The role involves coordinating the collection, documentation, and quality control of evidence-based information on civil, cultural, economic, social, and political rights, including the right to development, to inform decision-making and identify data gaps. Additionally, the officer will lead the production and substantive review of human rights reports, briefings, and communications, providing legal analysis and preparing papers for strategic planning. Maintaining confidentiality and integrity of sensitive information, in compliance with UN data privacy standards, is crucial. The position also requires coordinating and leading training programs for UN staff and partners to build capacity.

Education:

An advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in human rights, law, political science, international relations, social sciences, economics, public policy, sustainable development, or humanitarian affairs is required. A first-level university degree with two additional years of qualifying experience may substitute for the advanced degree.

Work experience:

A minimum of 7 years of experience in human rights or related fields is required. This includes experience in drafting human rights reports and policy documents, knowledge of chain of custody procedures for investigations, and expertise in human rights monitoring, documentation, analysis, research, and reporting methodologies. Experience in planning and conducting field missions is also necessary. Knowledge of international humanitarian law and skills in maintaining confidentiality are desirable.

Skills:

Professionalism, Teamwork, Planning & Organizing, knowledge of human rights issues, data analysis, report writing, training delivery, confidentiality, integrity, and adherence to UN policies and procedures.

Required languages:

English, French