| Posting Title: | SENIOR HUMAN RIGHTS ADVISER, P5 |
| Job Code Title: | SENIOR HUMAN RIGHTS ADVISER |
| Department/Office: | Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights |
| Duty Station: | MASERU |
| Posting Period: | 04 May 2020 – 02 June 2020 |
Org. Setting and Reporting
This position is located in the Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator (UNRC), Maseru, Lesotho. The incumbent reports to the UN Resident Coordinator and to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights through the Chief of the Africa Branch, Field Operations and Technical Cooperation Division, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in close cooperation with the Regional Office for Southern Africa in Pretoria.
Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the UN Resident Coordinator (UNRC), and the functional support and guidance of the OHCHR, the Senior Human Rights Adviser (HRA) will be responsible for the following duties:
– Supports the UNRC and the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in integrating human rights into their programmes and activities, in particular the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) and other key strategic planning tools, including by building UNCT capacities to apply a human rights-based approach to their programmes and activities, conducting situational assessments and a mapping of UNCT capacities and needs, facilitating country level coordination and acting as a resource person in programme activities implemented by the UNCT;
– Advises the UNRC and the UNCT in developing strategies and programmes to build and strengthen national capacities and institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights, based on assessment of national context, capacities and priorities and facilitate access to specific human rights expertise, including by drawing from human rights resources and tools available;
– Supports the UNRC and the UNCT in promoting human rights as a common UN value and upholding international norms and standards through advocacy and awareness-raising;
– Where applicable, advises on integrating human rights in the humanitarian response and post-crisis recovery under the direction of the RC/Humanitarian Coordinator, should a humanitarian emergency be declared in the country of assignment and provision of support and advice to the Protection Cluster as requested;
– Supports the UNRC and UNCT and national partners in their engagement with international human rights mechanisms such as the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), Treaty Bodies and Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council, as well as those under relevant international instruments of specialized agencies, including by supporting the dissemination and sharing of information, coordinating or facilitating the UNCT’s contributions and programmatic follow up to the recommendations of these bodies, and helping the UNCT to provide timely and effective support to relevant country missions of Special Procedures mandate holders and other UN mechanisms;
– Upon request, and under the direct supervision and guidance of the UNRC, provides advice, training and technical assistance to the Government and other national stakeholders with a view to further catalyzing coordinated UN responses in order to strengthen national capacity for the promotion and protection of human rights, including follow up to recommendations from the human rights mechanisms;
– Performs other related duties as required.
Competencies
PROFESSIONALISM: Comprehensive knowledge of and exposure to a range of human rights issues, including: approaches and techniques to address sensitive and complex issues; very good knowledge of institutional mandates, policies and guidelines related to human rights including the human rights mechanisms and treaties; operational activities for development, peace and security and humanitarian affairs and good knowledge of and experience in development programming. Comprehensive knowledge of the region or country of assignment, including its human rights and political situation, as well as its culture, history and traditions; demonstrated ability to complete in-depth analysis and reach conclusions on possible causes and solutions to human rights issues; good political judgment and advocacy skills and the ability to understand and respond to sensitive and complex political and social events; ability to describe human rights issues and perspectives, including gender issues. 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.
COMMUNICATION: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
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.
LEADERSHIP: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow; empowers others to translate vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; drives for change and improvement; does not accept the status quo; shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and 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.
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’s degree or equivalent), preferably in law, political science, international relations or other related field. 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.
Work Experience
At least ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience at the national and international levels in the field of human rights, with development and/or humanitarian experience is required.
Human rights experience in the Africa region is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required.
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 funds.
Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.
Staff members of the United Nations Secretariat must fulfil the lateral move(s) requirements, or geographical to be eligible to apply for this vacancy. Staff members are requested to indicate all qualifying lateral or geographical move(s) in their Personal History Profile (PHP) and cover note.
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.
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.
Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side 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.