Human Rights Officer – Intergovernmental Affairs

About the role

The Human Rights Officer supports the Intergovernmental Affairs, Communication and Outreach Section of the OHCHR in New York. Reporting to the Chief of the Section, the incumbent monitors UN intergovernmental bodies and contributes to the development of human‑rights programmes.

Key responsibilities

• Follow, support and report on the work of UN intergovernmental bodies, treaty‑based bodies and special procedures.
• Prepare human‑rights sections of reports for the General Assembly, Human Rights Council and other UN organs.
• Draft briefing notes, political analyses and talking points for senior officials.
• Collaborate with Member States, UN agencies and NGOs to integrate human‑rights and gender perspectives into programmes.
• Maintain up‑to‑date information on substantive human‑rights issues and recommend actions.
• Liaise with other UN sectors, international organisations and governments on coordination and policy matters.
• Assist the Section Chief with staff coordination, planning and budgeting.
• Train and supervise junior staff and perform other related duties as required.

Required profile

• Strong knowledge of a wide range of human‑rights issues and the institutional mandates of human‑rights bodies.
• Ability to analyse information from diverse sources and assess its impact on human‑rights situations.
• Experience in preparing in‑depth studies, briefing notes and political analyses.
• Proven capacity to work with governments, UN entities and civil‑society organisations.
• Excellent communication and coordination skills.

Required skills