Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Regional Hub for Central and West Africa (RHCWA), Global Operations Division (GLO), Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), based in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. The incumbent reports to the Regional Representative. The Human Rights Officer is responsible for conducting a wide range of tasks. Depending on the organizational setting, these may include monitoring and investigating compliance with international human rights and humanitarian law; analysing and managing data to inform early-warning, accountability and policy; drafting evidence-based reports and strategic advice; integrating human-rights perspectives into peace, humanitarian and development planning; advising UN leadership and national authorities on protection of civilians, rule of law and transitional justice; and fostering partnerships, capacity-building and advocacy initiatives that advance equality, accountability and the promise to leave no one behind.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Human Rights Officer will be responsible for the following duties: - Conduct substantive monitoring of the implementation of human rights and international humanitarian law and follow up on recommendations from human rights mechanisms, including treaty bodies, the UPR, and special procedures, as well as investigative findings, to ensure compliance with human rights and advance accountability. - Collect, document, and analyze evidence-based information on civil, cultural, economic, social, and/or political rights, including the right to development, to enable analysis, early warning and response, accountability, and informed decision-making, identifying gaps and contributing to ensuring human rights data is discoverable, interoperable, and appropriately shared, including from gender and leave no one behind perspectives. - Advise or support national counterparts to draft technical inputs for constitutions, legislation, and security-sector reforms that meet international human rights norms and standards. - Provide substantive advisory and technical support to authorities and other non-State development actors to integrate human rights norms and standards in development and economic policies and programmes, including for a human rights economy and as relevant to national development plans and Voluntary National/Local Reviews. - Provide substantive support to treaty bodies, special procedures, the UPR, and/or commissions of inquiry through research, coordination, and follow-up, exercising professional judgment under the guidance of senior staff. - Engage substantively in fundraising and resource mobilization activities to advance the Office’s goals, contributing to donor engagement, proposal development, and coordination efforts, under the guidance of senior staff. - Engage in the promotion of Human Rights through advocacy and impactful outreach activities. - Engage substantively in the Office’s partnership‑building activities, including supporting the identification, development, and maintenance of partnerships, under the guidance of senior staff. - Deliver training programmes and workshops using various platforms for different audiences to enhance the capacity of UN staff and partners. - Prepare and contribute to the review of training materials for practitioners in collaboration and consultation with relevant UN Agencies and other partners. - Supervise daily team activities by organizing work assignments, providing technical guidance to junior staff, monitoring progress against tasks, and ensuring all team outputs are delivered on time. - Provide guidance to team members to promote professional development and a positive team culture.

Competencies

Professionalism: Ability to build and maintain partnerships. Planning, organising, and coordination skills in a large multi-stakeholder environment. Ability to mobilize support from a wide range of partners and stakeholders. Skills in designing, delivering, and evaluating capacity-building and training programmes. Knowledge of international human rights law, norms, and standards. Skills in drafting human rights reports, policy, and other documents. Knowledge of regional and international human rights mechanisms. Project management skills. 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.

Planning& Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates an 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.
Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost, and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight, and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.

Education

An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in law, political science, international relations, social sciences or related area is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

A minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in human rights or related areas is required. Relevant experience may include, but is not limited to political affairs, public affairs, international relations, law, social sciences, economics, development, humanitarian affairs, or other related areas. Project management skills is required Knowledge of regional and international human rights mechanisms is required Skills in designing, delivering, and evaluating capacity-building and training programmes are required Planning, organising, and coordination skills in a large multi-stakeholder environment are required Ability to build and maintain partnerships is desirable Ability to mobilize support from a wide range of partners and stakeholders is desirable Skills in drafting human rights reports, policy and other documents are desirable

Languages

Language	Reading	Writing	Listening	Speaking
French	UN Level II	UN Level II	UN Level II	UN Level II

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

Extension of the appointment is subject to extension of the mandate and/or availability of funds. Candidate selected will be granted a fixed-term appointment limited (“FTAlimited”) in accordance with section 2.2 (b) of the administrative instruction ST/AI/2013/1 on Administration of fixed-term appointments. United Nations Secretariat staff members who meet the definition of "internal candidate" in staff rule 4.10, who are selected for a position subject to FTA-limited, will be reassigned to the position without a lien to their parent position. 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,with due regard to geographic diversity. 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. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance 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. Please note that pursuant to the Staff selection system policy (ST/AI/2025/2): (1) Applicants for positions in the Field Service category cannot be of the nationality of the country where the position is located, and (2) Applicants for positions in the Professional and higher categories in a mission, field operation, or resident coordinator’s office cannot be of the nationality of the country where the position is located. For currently serving staff of a United Nations Common System organization, only the UN-recognized nationality will be considered for the purposes of these restrictions.

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. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile 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. All external candidates recruited in accordance with section ‎2.2 (a) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment without limitation and all external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2. (c) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment limited to the entity are subject to an initial probationary period of one year under a fixed-term appointment. 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.

HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER