Job Description

Tiered Approach

In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:

• Tier 0 UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
• Tier 1 Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
• Tier 2 UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
• Tier 3 or no tier indicated All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.

Background

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and the planet.

In Pakistan, UNDP is working with the Government of Pakistan, civil society, national partners, and the people of Pakistan to help find solutions to persistent development challenges. Its work derives from and contributes to four outcome areas of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2023-2027) which include: governance; sustainable, inclusive and green economic transformation; climate change resilience and environment; and gender equality and women’s empowerment. Supported by enablers, UNDP uses a portfolio approach in Pakistan, triangulating structural transformation, leaving no one behind, and building resilience.

UNDP's country programme document for Pakistan envisions that all Pakistani people are educated and healthy, their well-being promoted and protected through economic opportunities, jobs and a climate-resilient future in a country where women and girls are safe and able to exercise their rights and to put their trust in and benefit from improved governance.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

UNDP Pakistan’s Decentralization, Human Rights, and Local Governance (DHL) project is a multi-sector project aimed at strengthening federal, provincial, and local governance mechanisms against the backdrop of the 18th Constitutional Amendment (2010). DHL works to strengthen rights-based governance in Pakistan at national and sub-national levels. For this objective, the DHL project engages government entities, National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), private sector, civil society, academia, and other key stakeholders to protect, respect, and promote human rights. Furthermore, UNDP-DHL aims to empower local communities, human rights defenders, and vulnerable & marginalized populations to ensure an inclusive and participatory approach to the implementation of human rights laws, policies, and frameworks. UNDP-DHL has supported the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) to build its technical capacity at the federal and provincial levels for the fulfilment of its mandate as an autonomous national human rights institution and watchdog body since its inception. This support contributed to the NCHR's accreditation as a national human rights institution (NHRI) through the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) accreditation process. UNDP-DHL's support has included, for example, technical support for addressing human rights complaints, planning, legal review, grievance redressal mechanisms, international reporting obligations, and knowledge production. This has also included support to increase NCHR's visibility, awareness, and reach, establishing linkages with civil society organizations and regional and international NHRIs for the exchange of information and best practices. In May 2024, the NCHR was awarded ‘A status’ accreditation by GANHRI. This accreditation signifies the Commission's independence, authority, and status in the international human rights system. Achieving ‘A status’ also means the NCHR has a greater role in promoting and protecting human rights in Pakistan and requires ongoing support to strengthen its ability to fulfil its mandate and maintain its accreditation, particularly in its provincial offices.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Project Officer Human Rights will work under the direct supervision of Social Inclusion Specialist and the Chairperson, NCHR. The duty station is the NCHR.

The individual shall undertake the following duties and responsibilities:

Under the overall supervision of the Social Inclusion Specialist, the “Project Officer – Human Rights” is expected to achieve the aforementioned deliverables, working in close collaboration with the team members in the project. He/she will be responsible for ensuring effective implementation of the Project’s interventions with the NCHR under the Huqooq-e-Pakistan II project.

of Key Functions:

• Provide structured coordination and technical support to the Office of the Chairperson, NCHR, to facilitate effective implementation of interventions under the Huqooq-e-Pakistan II project.
• Strengthen coordination between NCHR headquarters and its four provincial offices to ensure coherence, consistency, and alignment of institutional and project-supported priorities.
• Establish and maintain strategic partnerships with key stakeholders to advance NCHR’s institutional mandate and initiatives under the Huqooq-e-Pakistan project.
• Facilitate effective communication, planning, reporting, and systematic follow-up on initiatives across federal and provincial levels and to the DHL team.

Coordination and technical support to the Office of the Chairperson, NCHR:

• Support the Office of the Chairperson in planning, prioritising, and tracking Huqooq-e-Pakistan II activities to ensure timely and effective implementation.
• Facilitate preparation of briefing notes, background materials, talking points, and summaries for meetings and engagements involving the Chairperson.
• Coordinate follow-up on decisions and action points arising from engagements between DHL and the Office of the Chairperson.
• Provide technical inputs to initiatives led by the Chairperson’s Office, ensuring alignment with the Huqooq-e-Pakistan II project objectives and international human rights standards.
• Support consolidation of institutional priorities into structured workplans and activity schedules in coordination with relevant NCHR and DHL focal persons.
• Maintain organised documentation of meetings, correspondence, and agreed deliverables related to DHL-supported interventions at the NCHR.

Strengthen coordination between NCHR headquarters and provincial offices:

• Facilitate regular communication and information exchange between NCHR headquarters and provincial offices to ensure alignment of federal and provincial activities under Pillar 1 of the Huqooq-e-Pakistan II project.
• Support harmonisation of planning tools, reporting templates, and implementation approaches across provincial offices.
• Consolidate inputs, progress updates, and reports from provincial offices for submission to NCHR leadership and the DHL team.
• Coordinate provincial-level consultations, workshops, and capacity-building activities in collaboration with designated provincial focal persons.
• Identify coordination gaps and propose practical mechanisms to improve information flow between federal and provincial offices.
• Support tracking of provincial-level implementation milestones and ensure alignment with the NCHR’s workplan with DHL under the Huqooq-e-Pakistan II project.

Maintain strategic partnerships with key stakeholders:

• Support the development and maintenance of working relationships with relevant government departments, civil society organisations, academia, private sector, and development partners.
• Support the development of strategic partnerships with the private sector to strengthen NCHR’s role in protecting and promoting human rights in business activity, in line with the UN Guiding Principles (UNGPs) on business and human rights.
• Facilitate stakeholder engagement in consultations, policy dialogues, and institutional strengthening initiatives supported under the NHRIs Pillar of the Huqooq-e-Pakistan II project.
• Support mapping of key stakeholders relevant to NCHR’s mandate and coordinate the implementation of engagement strategies.
• Participate in and contribute to technical and coordination meetings and provide briefings to NCHR leadership and the DHL team as required.
• Ensure that engagement efforts are aligned with NCHR’s institutional priorities and DHL’s strategic objectives.

Facilitate communication, planning, reporting, and systematic follow-up:

• Support the preparation and monitoring of annual workplans, activity plans, and implementation schedules related to NCHR interventions under Pillar 1 of the Huqooq-e-Pakistan II project.
• Track progress against agreed outputs and indicators, ensuring timely identification of implementation bottlenecks.
• Compile and analyse data required for results-based reporting and donor submissions, including compliance with donor visibility requirements.
• Draft narrative progress reports, briefing notes, and knowledge products in coordination with the DHL team.
• Track implementation of key GANHRI recommendations and promote south-south cooperation between the NCHR and its regional peers.
• Facilitate the sharing of regional and international good practices in access to grievance redressal mechanisms in line with business and human rights principles
• Ensure systematic follow-up on agreed priorities and action points at both federal and provincial levels to ensure accountability and implementation of initiatives.
• Contribute to documentation of lessons learned and best practices emerging from federal and provincial engagement.

Facilitate Gender Mainstreaming, Knowledge Sharing and Other Responsibilities

• Ensure gender aspects are integrated into all existing and new project proposals.
• Assist in ensuring equal opportunities for female staff within the project.
• Support adherence to UNDP policies, procedures, and social and environmental standards.
• Identify, synthesize and document best practices and lessons learned that are generated from the project and implementing partners.
• Undertake any other activities assigned by the Social Inclusion Specialist or senior management.
  
  The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
  

Competencies

Core competencies:

• 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

• Partnerships Management. Build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and
  
  others in line with UNDP strategy and policies
• UNDP Representation. Ability to represent UNDP and productively share UNDP knowledge and activities; advocate for UNDP, its values, mission and work with various constituencies
• Monitoring. Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and programme performance and results

2030 Agenda: Prosperity

• Inclusive Growth. Job/ Employment /Decent work Promotion

Partnership Management

• Private Sector Engagement. Ability to identify, conduct outreach, and manage relationships with the private sector and government partners

2030 Agenda: Peace

• Rule of Law, Security and Human Rights. Human Rights
  

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in International Relations, Political Sciences, Public Administration, Business Administration, Operations, Social Sciences, or related field is required, or 
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the above fields in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree
  

Experience:

• Applicants with a master’s degree (or equivalent) in a relevant field of study are not required to have professional work experience. Applicants with a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) are required to have a minimum of two (2) years of relevant professional experience in project implementation, monitoring, coordination, and engagement with stakeholders

Desired Skills

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications
• Strong communication (spoken and written) skills and ability to articulate ideas in a clear, concise style.
• Experience and a good understanding of government structures and procedures at the federal government level.
• Experience in report writing, briefs, and analytical skills
• Prior working experience with National Human Rights Institutions in the areas of human rights, business and human rights, coordination and/or partnership development.
• Strong knowledge of the Paris Principles, and of global and regional networks for NHRIs such as the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) and the Asia Pacific Forum

Required Language(s)

• Fluency in English and Urdu is required.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Use of AI by candidates

Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection

Scam alert

UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.