Human Rights Officer at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the United Nations' global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life for themselves. It provides expert advice, training and grants support to developing countries, with increasing emphasis on assistance to the least developed countries. It promotes technical and investment cooperation among nations.

Headquartered in New York City, the status of UNDP is that of an executive board within the United Nations General Assembly. The UNDP is funded entirely by voluntary contributions from UN member states. The organization operates in 177 countries, where it works with local governments to meet development challenges and develop local capacity.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Human Rights Officer

Job ID: 3505
Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Job Schedule: Full time
Vacancy Type: Fixed Term
Agency: Office High Comm for Human Rig
Bureau: Regional Bureau for Africa
Grade: NOB
Practice Area: Rule of Law, Security and Human Rights
Contract Duration: 1 Year with Possibility for extension
Required Languages: Fluency in oral and written English
Vacancy Timeline: 2 Weeks
Mobility required/no mobility: no mobility required

Position Purpose

• PROMIS Project team, counterparts, other officers and technical staff of OHCHR and UNODC field offices and Headquarters and other relevant UN agencies and offices, specialized agencies, funds and programmes, representatives and officials of national governments, international and regional organizations, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, experts, consultants.

Results Expected:

• Provides well-researched and sound analysis and advice on crime prevention and criminal justice related developments, in the specific area of smuggling of migrants, with special focus on law enforcement and prosecution/criminal justice; and on migrants’ rights and migration-related issues.
• Delivers outputs in a timely manner;
• Effectively implements and supports programme activities implemented in Nigeria;
• Effectively disseminates best practices and methodologies;
• Organizes and participates in field missions.
• Delivers effective substantive and technical assistance in the organization and delivery of legislative assistance and trainings;
• Liaises effectively and in a timely manner and interacts with colleagues and concerned parties internally and externally.

Key Duties and Accountabilities

• Functions as the main focal point for all actions implemented in Nigeria under the PROMIS project on trafficking in persons, smuggling of migrants, migration and human rights issues.
• Participates in the development, implementation and evaluation of the PROMIS project at large, and of the activities in Nigeria, specifically monitoring and analyzing project development; identifies problems and issues to be addressed and proposes corrective actions.
• Liaises with relevant parties, including national counterparts, civil societies and other international/regional organizations. Assists in identifying and building relationships with relevant authorities and actors at the national and local level, including community-based organizations.
• Performs consulting assignments, in collaboration with the national counterparts, by planning and facilitating workshops, and assists in developing the action plan together with the relevant national counterpart.
• Provides technical expertise and logistical support to design and implement the project activities in Nigeria in consultation with national counterparts, including the collection and compilation of relevant background data and information and logistical organization of activities foreseen as part of the project.
• Contributes to the development of project tools, including capacity-building and awareness raising tools.
• Collects data, reviews relevant documents and reports; conducts interviews, analyzes findings and supports the conduct of substantive research and analysis, including recommendations related to the protection and promotion of migrant’s rights, and corrective actions related to trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants.
• Prepares various written outputs, e.g. draft background papers, analysis, sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications, web stories, etc.
• Organize meetings with selected pilot local communities, national authorities, national human rights institutions and other key actors and promote awareness to ensure the meaningful, effective and informed participation of all people, especially women, in the discussion about human rights of migrants.
• Build the capacity of key actors to effectively address human rights challenges in the context of migration.
• Raise awareness and provide technical support to national authorities and regional bodies, including relevant ministries and national assemblies, in order to strengthen migration policies as well as anti-human trafficking and migrant smuggling instruments through a human rights-based and gender-sensitive approach.
• Assists in policy development, including the review and analysis of issues and trends on trafficking in persons, smuggling of migrants and migrants’ rights in Nigeria, preparation of impact evaluation or equivalent studies, etc.
• Provides substantive support to consultative and other meetings, conferences, etc. in Nigeria, including proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations, etc.
• Participates in or lead field missions, including provision of guidance to external consultants, government officials and other parties and drafting mission summaries, etc.
• Contributes to activities related to project management (submission of progress reports, financial statements, etc.) and prepares related documents (workplan, activity budgets, etc.).
• Performs other related duties as required.

Requirements
Education:

• Advanced University Degree (Masters level) in Law, Political Science, International Relations or related areas of Social Sciences or Humanities, preferably with a human rights specialization. 
• A First-level University Degree or equivalent academic education, in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience, Knowledge, and Skills:

• A minimum of two (2) years of progressively responsible experience in criminal justice, human rights, law or related area is required. 
• Knowledge of human rights issues in one or more countries of Africa is an asset. Internships and voluntary work may be considered at 50% if deemed relevant.
• Experience in project or programme management or related field is required.
• Technical expertise on human rights, trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants is required.
• Familiarity with project formulation, implementation and monitoring, and exposure to international development cooperation is highly desirable.

Languages:

• Fluency in English

Competencies
Core:

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies:

• Business Management – Communication: Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels.
• External Relations & Advocacy - Relationship management: Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding
• Business Direction & Strategy - Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP's objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities; linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions. Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP
• Legal - Legal research: The ability to identify and retrieve information to support legal positions and corporate decision making from all relevant sources. In the UNDP context, this skill includes, amongst other things, proactive seeking of information in anticipation of the different angles that any given issue may present.
• Legal – Negotiation: The ability to lead efforts to work with others to conclude or settle a matter. These are often soft skills and include abilities such as communication, persuasion, planning, strategizing and cooperating. In the UNDP context, this skill includes working closely with the client to understand the parameters of an acceptable solution, and assisting business units in resolving commercial disputes, and working with staff members or their legal representatives to resolve a grievance, claim or issue. Negotiation often involves working with colleagues of differing views to arrive at an acceptable corporate solution.
• Legal - Managing client relations: The ability to interact with different levels of management and across different agencies and offices to obtain information, develop legal approaches and resolve issues, this skill includes liaison with counterparts and determining the best sequence in which to pursue an issue, where information, particularly for UNDP, may be across different independent UN agencies.
• Business Development - Integration within the UN: Ability to identity, and integrate capacity and assets of the UN system, and engage in joint work; knowledge of the UN System and ability to apply this knowledge to strategic and/or practical situations

Application Closing Date
14th May, 2022, 04:59 AM.