Human Rights Officer – Protection of Civilians Specialist

About the role

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Amman is seeking a Human Rights Officer to lead the integration of human‑rights principles into protection‑of‑civilians planning and response. Reporting to the Head of the Occupied Palestinian Territory Office, the incumbent will work closely with UN agencies, NGOs and civil‑society partners.

Key responsibilities

• Coordinate human‑rights components, mission protection bodies, UN agencies, humanitarian NGOs and civil‑society actors to embed human rights in civilian protection strategies.
• Develop and implement mission‑wide and local protection action plans in consultation with affected communities.
• Chair Protection Working Groups and ensure human‑rights mainstreaming in coordination mechanisms.
• Facilitate information sharing with UN stakeholders and integrate findings into mission databases and early‑warning systems.
• Identify drivers of harm, risk factors and emerging threats to civilians, feeding analysis into decision‑making.
• Provide legal and policy advice on international human‑rights, humanitarian and criminal law, producing analytical products focused on accountability.
• Contribute to the formulation of UN protection‑of‑civilians policies, guidance and programmes.
• Advise on gender‑ and age‑sensitive, victim‑centred protection policies.
• Ensure compliance with UN protection policies and drive continuous improvement.
• Manage the team’s activities, including hiring, training, task assignment and performance evaluation.

Required profile

• Professional knowledge of conflict‑related sexual violence, child protection and protection‑of‑civilians frameworks.
• Understanding of the application of human‑rights law in humanitarian contexts.
• Experience working with UN protection bodies, NGOs and civil‑society partners.
• Ability to produce authoritative analytical products and policy recommendations.
• Strong commitment to gender perspectives and survivor‑centred approaches.

Required skills

• Knowledge of international human‑rights, humanitarian and criminal law.
• Expertise in protection‑of‑civilians planning and coordination.
• Proficiency in stakeholder engagement and information‑sharing mechanisms.