Ethics Officer

Job Posting Organization:
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is the largest United Nations operation in the Middle East, established to provide assistance and protection to Palestine refugees. With over 30,000 staff members, UNRWA operates in five areas of operation, focusing on delivering education, health care, social services, and emergency assistance to some of the most vulnerable communities in the region. The agency is committed to helping Palestine refugees achieve their full potential in human development despite the challenging circumstances they face. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions from UN member states, regional bodies, business foundations, and individual contributions. For more information about UNRWA, please visit their official website at https://www.unrwa.org/.

Job Overview:
The Ethics Officer plays a crucial role in developing and improving the ethical framework within UNRWA. This position involves contributing to the creation of policies, directives, guidelines, and procedures that support a culture of ethics and compliance. The Ethics Officer is responsible for drafting the annual Ethics Office strategy and work plan, suggesting activities aligned with the overall strategy, and keeping abreast of new developments and best practices in ethics. The role also includes designing and delivering training and outreach programs to raise awareness of ethical issues among staff, managing the Ethics Focal Points Network, and providing confidential ethics advice to management and personnel. The Ethics Officer will also conduct assessments of retaliation cases and support the development of key ethics risk indicators, ensuring effective risk management practices are in place. This position requires a proactive approach to promoting adherence to high ethical standards across the organization.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Ethics Officer's duties include:

• Developing and improving policies, directives, guidelines, and procedures to support an ethical framework.
• Reviewing and providing input on policies and practices related to ethics and compliance.
• Drafting the annual Ethics Office strategy and work plan.
• Designing and delivering training and outreach programs to increase awareness of ethical issues.
• Managing the Ethics Focal Points Network and providing support to its members.
• Administering and proposing amendments to the annual conflict of interest disclosure for international staff.
• Providing confidential ethics advice and guidance on workplace issues, conflicts of interest, and outside employment.
• Supporting the Case Management System by analyzing trends and recommending improvements.
• Conducting assessments of retaliation cases and drafting assessments for the Chief of Ethics Office. 1
• Supporting the development of key ethics risk indicators and ensuring effective risk management practices. 1
• Drafting the Ethics Office annual report and other relevant documentation. 1
• Participating in inter-agency discussions and forums related to ethics.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess at least five years of progressively responsible experience in managing ethics issues and integrity training, including areas such as law, corporate compliance, employee relations, and staff misconduct investigations. A minimum of two continuous years of relevant international experience outside UNRWA and the candidate's country of nationality is required unless the candidate is already serving as an international staff member in the UN Common System. Candidates must also indicate their involvement in any outside activities, as this is a requirement for the application process. Knowledge of Arabic is desirable, and familiarity with the UN system and its regulations is also preferred.

Educational Background:
An advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) from an accredited institution in law, international law, public administration, human resources management, behavioral sciences, or a related field with a focus on ethics is required. A first-level university degree in combination with additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree. All university degrees must be stated in the application, where applicable.

Experience:
Candidates should have a minimum of five years of relevant experience in managing ethics issues and integrity training. This experience should include work in law, corporate compliance, employee relations, and investigations of staff misconduct. Additionally, candidates must have at least two continuous years of relevant international experience outside of UNRWA and their country of nationality unless they are already serving as an international staff member in the UN Common System.

Languages:
English is required for this position, with a minimum proficiency level of UN Level III in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Arabic is desirable, with a minimum proficiency level of UN Level I. Familiarity with French is also beneficial, as it is one of the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat.

Additional Notes:
The contract duration for this position is one year, with the possibility of extension based on the availability of funds. The incumbent may be required to travel to other locations within UNRWA’s area of operations. Applications must be fully completed in UNRWA's online e-recruitment system, and late applications will not be accepted. UNRWA is committed to achieving gender balance in its workforce and encourages applications from qualified candidates with disabilities. A roster may be created from the selection exercise, and successful candidates may become eligible for appointment to the same or similar posts when the need arises. UNRWA does not charge any fees during the recruitment process and is committed to maintaining a non-smoking work environment.