General
Description of assignment title
Sustainable Environmental Management Specialist
Assignment country
Ethiopia
Duty stations
Addis Ababa
Work location
On UN premises
Expected start date
14/09/2026
Expected end date
31/12/2026Long-term benefits and allowances
Sustainable Development Goal
13. Climate action
Host entity
OHCHR
Modality
Onsite
Type
National
Volunteer category
Specialist UCoS from Apr2026
Work schedule
Full-time
Number of Assignments
1
Details
Mission and objectives
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) represents the world’s commitment to universal ideals of human dignity. OHCHR has the mandate to promote and protect all Human Rights for all. The High Commissioner for Human Rights is the principal Human Rights official of the United Nations. The High Commissioner heads OHCHR and spearheads the United Nations’ Human Rights efforts. OHCHR offers leadership, work objectively, educate, and take action to empower individuals and assist states in upholding Human Rights including human rights protection. The Office’s priorities expected accomplishments and strategies are set out in the OHCHR Management plan 2024 – 2027, which guides the Office’s engagement across all pillars and strategic directions, including early warning and prevention, human rights mechanisms, equality and non-discrimination, accountability, and the integration of human rights across the UN system. The Office also supports the work of the United Nations Human Rights mechanisms, including the Treaty Bodies established to monitor State Parties’ compliance with the core international Human Rights treaties and the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. We promote the right to development, coordinate United Nations Human Rights education and public information activities, and strengthen Human Rights across the United Nations system. We work to ensure the enforcement of universally recognized Human Rights norms, including through promoting both the universal ratification and implementation of the major Human Rights treaties and respect for the rule of law.
Context
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) East and Southern Africa Regional Hub (ESARH) supports the promotion and protection of human rights across the region, including economic, social and cultural rights. As part of this work, the Hub is strengthening its engagement on the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment (R2HE), recognizing the growing human rights impact of climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss and environmental degradation. These issues also affect the enjoyment of rights including life, health, food, water, housing, culture and development particularly for communities and groups in vulnerable situations. Aligned with the UN Sustainability Strategy (2020–2030), OHCHR’s Organizational Effectiveness Action Plan (OEAP) on Deepening Sustainable Environmental Management (SEM) 2024–2027, this United Nations Volunteers (UNV) assignment supports OHCHR ESARH in its efforts to implement sustainable environmental management practices to reduce OHCHR’s environmental footprint across operations and programming. By taking more effective sustainability action now, OHCHR has the opportunity to influence broader, potentially more impactful UN Secretariat wide and business practices. In addition, this United Nations Volunteers (UNV) assignment supports ESARH in advancing R2HE through research, monitoring, analysis and reporting, and by supporting the integration of R2HE considerations into its programming on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR), with particular focus on R2HE. Through action at the regional level and active coordination with the SEM Group and OHCHR HQ, this assignment will contribute to: • Advancing OHCHR’s work on R2HE, including through research, reporting, awareness raising, engagement with human rights mechanisms, and coordination with stakeholders. • Implementation of the OHCHR’s environmental sustainability policy in the Regional Office and its country presences and sustainable environmental management practices (environmentally sustainable procurement, travel and facility management including energy, waste and water management) among the staff of ESARH. • Supporting coordination and reporting efforts under the UN-wide Greening the Blue initiative, engagements with government actors and civil society to promote environmental rights and build inclusive green initiatives. More information: • OHCHR Environment and Climate Change Work • Greening the Blue
Task description
Under the overall supervision of the Regional Director of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) East and Southern Africa Regional Hub, or delegated responsibility, and the direct supervision of the Program Management Officer, the UN Volunteer will be assigned to: • Advance the implementation of OHCHR’s environmental sustainability policy through engagement with staff, capacity building, and awareness-raising activities on sustainable environmental management. • Support greenhouse gas (GHG) data preparation, collection, and reporting for OHCHR East and Southern Africa Regional Hub (ESARH) and its country presences through the Greening the Blue initiative, in compliance with the United Nations (UN) Sustainability Strategy 2020–2030. • Support office-wide advocacy related to sustainable environmental management (SEM) and human rights, including coordination of environmental assessments, audits, and the establishment, implementation, and monitoring of green initiatives to enhance environmental action. • Research and collect information pertaining to the Right to a Healthy Environment (R2HE) and its impact on human rights from a variety of data sources (e.g., communications, publications, the press) to keep abreast of issues and events, providing up-to-date information; assist in the analysis of this information. • Assist in drafting a variety of reports and correspondence relating to R2HE, environmental sustainability, and their impact on human rights. • Support regional mapping, comparative analysis, and identification of cross-border environmental human rights trends across East Africa. • Support engagement with government counterparts, the African Union Commission and its human rights organs, UN partners, development actors, and civil society working on climate, clean air, environmental, and social governance. • Assist in supporting engagements by the human rights mechanisms, including treaty bodies, special procedures, and the universal periodic review.
Eligibility criteria
Age
18 – 80
Required experience
3 years
Nationality
Candidate must be a national, legal resident or hold refugee status in the country of assignment.
Assignment requirements
Relevant experience
3 years
Languages
English, Level: Fluent, Required
Required education level
Bachelor’s degree in Law and Human Rights, Environmental Sciences, Political Sciences, International Relations, Social Sciences or any related field.
Competencies and values
• Accountability • Adaptability and flexibility • Creativity • Judgement and decision-making • Planning and organising • Professionalism • Self-management • Respect for Diversity • Working in Teams
Skills and experience
• 3 years of experience in human rights and activism, climate change, sustainability, or related fields. • Experience in human rights, environmental policy, environmental assessment and audit, research, monitoring, advocacy, or related fields. • Strong analytical and organizational skills; attention to detail and accuracy in producing written outputs. • Proven ability to work collaboratively and inclusively in multicultural teams, with sensitivity to diverse cultural, gender, and social perspectives. • Self-motivated, proactive, and able to work independently with minimal supervision and under tight deadlines. • Familiarity with the United Nations (UN) system, sustainable development agenda, and/or the Greening the Blue initiative is desirable. • Interest in human rights activism and environmental protection. • Computer proficiency, including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), email, and internet-based collaboration tools.
Area(s) of expertise
Communication, advocacy, public information, Community development, Legal affairs
Driving license
–
Other information
Volunteerism is understood as a wide range of activities undertaken of free will, for the general public good, for which monetary reward is not the principal motivating factor.
Living conditions and remarks
As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging their own housing and other living essentials. National UN Volunteers are covered by the CIGNA insurance plan. You can check full entitlements at the duty station at https://app.unv.org/calculator. The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/cos.
Inclusivity statement
United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.
Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements
Selected candidates for certain occupational groups may be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) in line with the applicable host entity policy
Scam warning
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