Senior Human Rights Officer at United Nations

Responsibilities

• Within delegated authority, the Senior Human Rights Officer will be responsible for the following duties:
• Formulates human rights strategies, including from a gender equality perspective;
• develops a vision or direction for the work of the human rights Unit and creates the conditions for implementing that vision or direction.
• Advises the High Commissioner and Regional Representative on human rights matters in Kenya.
• Represents the High Commissioner on matters of human rights related to Kenya, including in the United Nations Country Team, Humanitarian Country Team and other inter-agency fora.
• Proposes policy directives and plan of action to appropriate United Nations bodies for immediate and long- range solutions to human rights problems in general and specific geographical areas.
• Supports the UNRC and the United Nations Country Team and Humanitarian Country Team (UNCT/HCT) 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/HCT capacities to apply a human rights-based approach to their programmes and activities.
• Designs, develops and implements significant policy and programme changes to address regional or global human rights issues, including their gender dimensions.
• Formulates the programme of work, budget and medium-term plan of the unit and participates in the overall formulation and approval of the programme of work, and administrative matters concerning the country programme.
• Prepares human rights reports on key sectors or key regional developments.
• Develops and maintains relations with officials at the highest levels of Government and advises them on human rights issues and policies.
• Coordinates and oversees human rights research initiatives.
• Manages, coordinates, organizes and supervises other human rights officers or organizational segments as assigned.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM:

• Knowledge of and exposure to a range of human rights issues including approaches and techniques to address and advise on highly sensitive and complex problems in their political, ethnic, racial, gender and socio-economic dimensions.
• Knowledge of institutional mandates of human rights organizations, prevailing policies and procedures.
• Ability to evaluate and integrate information from a variety of sources and assess impact on the human rights situation in the region or country of assignment, including the political environment and legal statutes as they pertain to human rights.
• Ability to complete in-depth studies and reach conclusions on possible causes and solutions to human rights problems in specific societies and systems.
• Ability to relate and advise on human rights issues and perspectives, including their gender equality dimensions, to political, social, economic and humanitarian programmes in affected countries and areas.
• 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.

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.

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.

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 improvements; 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 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) in law, political science, international relations, social sciences or related area.
• 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

• A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in human rights, political affairs, international relations, law or related area is required.
• Out of the ten (10) years, a minimum of five (5) years of experience working within international or regional organizations is required.
• Experience working on human rights mainstreaming in development and/or humanitarian programming in a field context is required.
• At least three years of experience in managing small teams (at least 7 persons) is required.
• Experience working on human rights issues related to the African region or similar field contexts is desirable.