Human Rights Officer, P4

Negotiable

Vacancies

1

25 Sep 2026

Job Type

Full-time

Geneva, Switzerland

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Job Description

Job Opening ID:

282513

Job Network:

Political, Peace and Humanitarian

Job Family:

Human Rights Affairs

Category and Level:

Professional and Higher Categories

Position Level:

P-4

Recruitment Type:

Position Specific Job Openings

Duty Station:

GENEVA

Department/Office:

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

2026-08-26

2026-09-25

Org. Setting and Reporting

This post is located in the Rule of Law, Accountability and Civic Space (RACS 1), Special Procedures (SP), Thematic and Special Procedures Division (TSP) in the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The incumbent will work as Secretary of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, under the general supervision of the Chief of Special Procedures, and under the direct supervision of the Chief of the Special Procedures, Rule of Law, Accountability and Civic Space (RACS1) Section.

Responsibilities

Lead and coordinate the monitoring of the implementation of human rights and international humanitarian law and ensure appropriate follow-up on recommendations from human rights mechanisms, including treaty bodies, the UPR, special procedures and investigative findings, to support compliance with human rights and advance accountability. - Coordinate and manage the collection, documentation, and quality control of evidence-based information on civil, cultural, economic, social and/or political rights, including the right to development, to support early warning, accountability and informed decision-making, identifying gaps and ensuring the proper handling and sharing of human rights data, including from gender and leave no one behind perspectives. - Lead the coordination and conduct of human rights monitoring and field verification missions, including assessments and early-warning exercises, in accordance with UN methodology, gender indicators and victim/witness protection standards, and ensure comprehensive reporting on findings and recommendations. - Coordinate and lead fact-finding or investigative missions to document violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, ensuring technical adherence to victim and witness protection standards and managing cross-component collaboration as necessary. - Lead and coordinate the production and substantive review of human rights reports, briefings and other communications, with legal analysis as appropriate, and prepare analytical papers to inform strategies, policies, programmes, crisis management, guidance and decision-making, with attention to gender integration and leave-no-one-behind perspectives. - Lead and conduct collection, verification and analysis of multi-source information relevant to the human rights thematic and/or country-specific situation, ensuring data quality and methodological compliance, including from a gender perspective, leaving no one behind. - Lead the provision of substantive advice and technical support to national and/or regional counterparts to strengthen their human rights systems, institutions and frameworks, including complaints mechanisms, victim and witness support services, and engagement with human rights mechanisms, including reporting and implementation of recommendations. - Advise UN leadership and UN partners on the integration of human rights into protection, rule of law, economic policy, transitional justice and accountability leading substantive advisory inputs within assigned areas of responsibility. - Lead and coordinate substantive support to treaty bodies, special procedures, the UPR and/or commissions of inquiry through research, coordination and follow-up. - Manage and coordinate fundraising and resource mobilization activities to advance the Office’s goals, including planning initiatives, engaging donors and partners, and ensuring effective implementation within assigned areas of responsibility. - Collect and analyse data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables, and report using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation, and reporting. - Maintain confidentiality and integrity and handle sensitive information with discretion, ensuring compliance with the UN data privacy, security requirements, and standards. - Manage and coordinate the activities of the team, including hiring, training, assigning tasks and responsibilities, and ensuring that deadlines are met. - Plan and manage required resources to implement the responsibilities, projects, and activities. - Provide guidance to team members to promote professional development and a positive team culture.

Competencies

Professionalism: Knowledge of international human rights law, norms, and standards. Knowledge of human rights monitoring, documentation, analysis, research and reporting methodologies, including planning, coordinating and conducting field missions. Skills in drafting human rights reports, policy and other documents. Knowledge of regional and international human rights mechanisms. Ability to conduct legal analysis. Knowledge of the application of human rights in humanitarian contexts. Skill in collecting, processing, and analysing large volumes of unstructured and structured data. 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. Able to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings. Planning& Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates 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.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in human rights, law, political science, international relations, social sciences, economics, public policy, sustainable development, humanitarian affairs or related field. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying

Experience

may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job - Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work

A minimum of 7 years of

in human rights or related areas is required. Relevant

may include, but is not limited to political affairs, public affairs, international relations, law, social sciences, economics, development, humanitarian affairs, or other related areas. Knowledge of international human rights law, norms, and standards is required. Knowledge of human rights monitoring, documentation, analysis, research and reporting methodologies, including planning, coordinating and conducting field missions is required. Skills in drafting human rights reports, policy and other documents is required. Knowledge of regional and international human rights mechanisms is required. Ability to conduct legal analysis is desirable. Knowledge of the application of human rights in humanitarian contexts is desirable. Skill in collecting, processing, and analysing large volumes of unstructured and structured data is desirable. Project management skills are desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. Either French or Spanish is desirable. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details).

Required Languages

Language

Reading

Writing

Listening

Speaking

English

UN Level III

UN Level III

UN Level III

UN Level III

Desirable Languages

Language

Reading

Writing

Listening

Speaking

French

UN Level I

UN Level I

UN Level I

UN Level I

Spanish

UN Level I

UN Level I

UN Level I

UN Level I

Assessment

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

Special Notice

Extension of the appointment is subject to extension of the mandate and/or the availability of the funds. 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.

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.

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Job Overview

Negotiable

Vacancies

1

25 Sep 2026

Job Type

Full-time

Geneva, Switzerland

Apply on Company Site

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Create a free account

About the Employer

United Nations (UN)

International Affairs / Development

· 501-1000 employees

The United Nations in Ghana is the country-level presence of the UN system, working with the Government of Ghana and partners to advance the Sustainable Development Goals and national development priorities. Its work spans coordinated programmes and partnerships in areas such as poverty reduction, health, education, climate resilience, livelihoods, governance, peace and security. For job seekers, roles may sit within the Resident Coordinator’s Office or across the wider UN Country Team and its agencies operating in Ghana.

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