Human Rights Officer – Victim Support & Research

About the role

The Independent Institution on Missing Persons in the Syrian Arab Republic (IIMP) seeks a Human Rights Officer to lead victim‑centered engagement, research and policy support. Based in Geneva with possible relocation to Damascus or other operational sites, the role contributes to the Institution’s mandate to address missing‑person cases and uphold human‑rights standards.

Key responsibilities

• Coordinate engagement with victims, survivors and families, integrating their views into IIMP activities and communications.
• Develop and maintain referral networks with legal, psychosocial and service providers.
• Implement participation and feedback mechanisms, including consultations and documentation of inputs.
• Prepare reports, guidance materials and analyses to ensure victim‑centered approaches.
• Plan and coordinate thematic and country‑specific human‑rights mandates, incorporating gender perspectives.
• Conduct substantive research, collect and analyse human‑rights data and indicators, and produce visualised findings.
• Supervise field verification visits and follow‑up on cases verified by regional offices.
• Represent UN human‑rights programmes at working‑level meetings and lead capacity‑building efforts.
• Provide guidance to junior staff and draft reports, briefings and statements for policy‑making bodies.

Required profile

• Advanced university degree in human rights, international law, political science or a related field.
• Significant experience in victim‑centered programming, human‑rights research and data analysis.
• Demonstrated ability to work with diverse stakeholders, including NGOs, governmental bodies and affected communities.
• Willingness to relocate in accordance with UN regulations.
• Strong written and oral communication skills in English; knowledge of additional UN languages is an asset.

Required skills