United Nations

Org. Setting and Reporting

The post is located in the Human Rights Treaties Branch (HRTB), Human Rights Council and Treaty Mechanisms Division (CTMD) within the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The incumbent reports to the Director, CTMD.

Responsibilities

Under the general guidance of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the direct supervision of the Director of the Human Rights Council and Treaty Mechanisms Division, the incumbent: Provides substantive, technical, and administrative support to the human rights treaty bodies, the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture (UNVFVT) and the United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery: • Directs and supervises preparations and the substantive servicing of the meetings of the human rights treaty bodies including the meeting of Persons Chairing Human Rights Treaty Bodies, the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture and the United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund on Cotemporary Forms of Slavery. • Directs and supervises the timely preparation of all reports of the Secretary-General, the High Commissioner and treaty bodies and the UNVFVT, as well as the participation of treaty body experts in meetings of the treaty bodies. • Defines the needs and coordinates resources allocated for the preparation and holding of such meetings, in coordination with the United Nations Office at Geneva and other United Nations organizational entities and the host country, as required. • Monitors the proceedings, deliberations, and other decisions of the human rights treaty bodies and the UNVFVT, identifying their political and policy implications for OHCHR and the United Nations system as a whole, facilitates interaction among treaty body experts, States parties, United Nations entities, NGO and other components of civil society, with a view to assisting the treaty bodies in their monitoring function and the progressive development of human rights law in support of the promotion and protection of human rights. • Ensures follow-up on the progressively emerging results of the treaty body strengthening process, notably through the biannual Secretary General report on the state of the treaty body system and the annual meetings of the chairpersons of treaty bodies. • Represents the High Commissioner for Human Rights at meetings of the human rights treaty bodies and the UNVFVT. Develops methods of work for the human rights treaty bodies, the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture and the United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery: • Advises on the functions and methods of work of the treaty bodies, their reporting, complaints inquiry and visiting mechanisms with a view to harmonizing working methods as well as on their implementation and proper application in a cost-effective rationalized manner, providing legal and procedural advice to the chairpersons of the human rights treaty bodies and other mechanisms, as required. • Directs and supervises the development of methodological tools to ensure coherence, consistency and effectiveness in servicing of the human rights treaty bodies and the UNVFVT. • Determines and supervises the correct application by HRTB staff of harmonized working methods at the level of the secretariat of the human rights treaty bodies and the UNVFVT. • Ensures the constant development and effective implementation of an integrated approach to all human rights mechanisms, with a view to optimize their collaboration and enhance the coherence of human rights law jurisprudence across the board, with particular emphasis on the relationship between the treaty body and the special procedures system. • Directs and supervises substantive input into meetings of the human rights treaty bodies by defining main orientations and coordinating with partners within and outside the United Nations system. • Directs and supervises substantive input from the human rights treaty bodies into the Human Rights Council, in particular into the Universal Periodic Review process. • Directs and supervises the development of enhanced engagement and partnership with civil society actors and academic institutions in respect of the development of human rights law through the jurisprudence of treaty bodies and related soft law. • Directs and supervises the capacity building program with a special focus on ensuring that OHCHR delivers the best quality of capacity building services at field level and implementing the integrated approach to human rights mechanisms through the platforms developed by the capacity building program. Raises awareness about and promotes follow up to activities on and by human rights treaty bodies • Draws to the attention of the Director of the Human Rights Council and Treaties Division, High Commissioner, the Deputy High Commissioner, Assistant Secretary-General, other parts of the Secretariat and the UN system as well as the relevant Branches of OHCHR all pertinent information and recommendations emanating from the human rights treaty bodies. • Directs and supervises the dissemination of the human rights treaty body outcomes in the framework of efforts to enhance human rights protection systems at national level, including the provision of training on all aspects of the human rights treaty system. • Oversees the follow-up and implementation of the treaty bodies decisions by other OHCHR organizational units; coordinates and liaises, as required, with other United Nations bodies and entities as well as with national actors such as the national human rights institutions in this regard. • Oversees the dissemination of information on all aspects of the human rights treaty bodies and the UNVFVT activities and decisions of States parties, to inter-governmental organizations, United Nations specialized agencies, funds and programmes, NGOs and other civil society entities. Leads and manages the Human Rights Treaties Branch: • Ensures the preparation of the programme budget components pertaining to the mandate and activities of the branch, ensuring consistency with other parts of OHCHR; ensures the preparation of periodic cost plans and financial implication statements for treaty body decisions; defends the Branch's resource requirements before United Nations legislative bodies and with Member States, as required; monitors expenditures against allotments. Evaluates achievement, recording operational experience and incorporating learning into programme budget. • Implements the programme of work, ensuring that it is carried out in an efficient and timely fashion, in accordance with legislative mandates, High Commissioner's directives and established United Nations policies and procedures. • Manages the human resources allocated to the Branch with a view to ensuring their most effective use and the delivery of high quality output, assigning responsibilities, training, coaching and setting performance objectives for staff of the branch, undertaking regular reviews of performance including the PAS, recognizing good performance and taking appropriate action to address inadequate performance and fostering teamwork and communication among staff of the unit and across organizational boundaries; manages Branch vacancies, including through the interview and evaluation of candidates. • Manages the preparation of, and leads, meetings, briefings and seminars for States Parties, Member States, other United Nations entities, NGOs and civil society organizations, OHCHR organizational units, etc. on substantive and organizational issues relating to the activities and responsibilities of the Branch. • Represents OHCHR in consultations of States Parties, Member States, inter-organizational and other meetings dealing with treaty body-related issues.

Competencies

• Professionalism: Knowledge of the substantive field of work in general and of specific areas being supervised. Ability to produce reports and papers on technical issues and to review and edit the work of others. Ability to apply UN rules, regulations, policies and guidelines in work situations. 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; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing. • 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. • Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be "clients" and seeks to see things from clients' point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients' needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients' environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client. • Empowering Others: Delegates responsibility, clarifies expectations, and gives staff autonomy in important areas of their work; encourages others to set challenging goals; holds others accountable for achieving results related to their area of responsibility; genuinely values all staff members’ input and expertise; shows appreciation and rewards achievement and effort; involves others when making decisions that affect them. • Judgement/Decision-making: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines that the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.

Education

Advanced University Degree (Master or equivalent) in law, political sciences or international relations. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job - Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of fifteen (15) years international experience in human rights or closely related field is required. At least 7 years of experience managing teams working with UN or regional expert bodies is required. Experience leading a large team of professionals (15 or more) is required. Experience with the UN system is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English and French, (both oral and written) is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage. .

Assessment

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

Special Notice

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. For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or under-represented in the UN Secretariat as of 29 Feb 2024, are strongly encouraged to apply: Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, China, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Germany, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Libya, Liechtenstein, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Monaco, Nauru, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu. 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. 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.