Ethics Officer

Only candidates who are not nationals of the country of assignment are eligible to apply to this position

December 22, 2025

H (no hardship)

Family

PR3

Professional

* Staff members will not normally serve in International Professional positions in the country of their nationality. In addition, in case of a first appointment upon recruitment, the assignment must be outside the staff member’s country of nationality.

In practical terms this means that you are not eligible to apply for International Professional vacancies advertised in the country where you are national of.

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2025-12-08

Ethics Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

UNHCR, takes the lead in protecting people forced to flee wars and prosecution around the world, providing life-saving aid including shelter, food and water to ensure their basic safety, rights and dignity. UNHCR operates with a global workforce across multiple countries, working to improve the lives of millions of forcibly displaced people worldwide.

UNHCR is committed to the highest standards of integrity among its staff and other personnel as well as transparency and accountability in its programmes and management. Its core values include diversity, integrity and professionalism. The Ethics Office was established with an overall mandate of cultivating, nurturing and fostering a culture of ethics, respect, integrity, transparency and accountability, and thereby ensuring an environment of openness and fairness in UNHCR and enhancing the trust in, and the credibility of the United Nations, both internally and externally.

The Ethics Office is operationally independent, while complementing the work of other UNHCR entities which deal with addressing and redressing workplace issues. Its mandate includes:

• Providing confidential ethics advice and guidance to personnel and management;  

• Administering the protection against retaliation (PaR) policy; 

• Undertaking training, outreach and awareness raising, including through overseeing the Code of Conduct Dialogue (CoCD) Programme;

• Supporting ethics standard-setting and policy advocacy within UNHCR; 

• Managing the Financial Disclosure Programme (FDP) within UNHCR; and 

• Supporting United Nations Coherence on ethics policy and standards through participation in the Ethics Panel of the UN (EPUN) and the Ethics Network of Multilateral Organizations (ENMO).  

The Ethics Officer is a member of the Ethics Office team, and s/he will report to the Head of Ethics Office.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR’s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties

The Ethics Officer will support the mandate of the UNHCR Ethics Office to foster a culture of ethics, integrity, and accountability. Under the supervision of the Head of Ethics Office, the incumbent will perform the following duties:

• Support the development and implementation of the Ethics Office Strategy and Work Plan, including identifying emerging priorities and integrating ethics into UNHCR’s operational strategies and policy processes. Support the identification and communication of ethics-related risks and opportunities to strengthen ethical decision-making and organizational accountability.

• Provide timely, confidential advice and guidance to UNHCR employees and management on ethical issues and standards of conduct. Ensure robust tracking and documentation of all queries and cases to support effective case management, timely follow-up, and evidence-based reporting. This includes contributing relevant data and insights to the Ethics Office’s internal monitoring systems, key performance indicators, and official reporting such as the annual report.

• Review potential conflicts of interest disclosed through the annual disclosure programme, provide advice as needed, and support the effective rollout of the programme across UNHCR.

• Contribute to the design, development, and delivering of training programmes, including e-learning, train-the-trainer, and field-based sessions on ethics, values, principles, and standards of conduct.

• Participate in drafting, designing, and disseminating ethics-related policies, guidelines, training materials, and communication products, ensuring content is accurate, clear, accessible, and aligned with organizational standards. Support capacity building of ethics networks such as Code of Conduct Facilitators and Peer Advisers.

• Provide technical review and advice on UNHCR policy documents, circulars, and regulations involving ethical considerations or when requested by other departments.

• Support the review and assessment of requests for protection against retaliation, including the drafting of memos and formal responses to complainants, in line with applicable policies.

• Promote a ‘speak-up’ culture across the organization, by contributing to the design and dissemination of communication materials through internal campaigns, digital channels, and outreach initiatives.

• Contribute to the planning and implementation of Code of Conduct Dialogues, with a focus on field offices, including promotion, coordination, and support for roll-out plans.

• Enhance the visibility and engagement of the Ethics Office on UNHCR’s internal and external websites, publications, and other communication platforms.

• Provide analysis and drafting support for reports, including the Ethics Office’s annual report, operational plans, and other strategic documents highlighting the Office’s achievements and impact.

• Build and maintain effective relationships and collaboration within UNHCR and with external partners, including other UN agencies and Geneva-based organizations, to ensure alignment and knowledge exchange on ethics initiatives.

• Lead risk assessments and discussions with team(s) to proactively manage risks and seize opportunities impacting objectives. Ensure that risk management principles are integrated in decision-making both at strategic and operational levels. Allocate resources for planned treatments with resource requirements in Strategic Plans. Ensure that risks are managed to acceptable levels and escalate, as needed. If a Risk Owner, designate the Risk Focal Point and certify that the annual risk review is completed and ensure that the risk register is updated during the year, as needed.

• Perform any other duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level

For P3/NOC - 6 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 5 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 4 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education

Administrative law,             Philosophy and Ethics,       Public Administration,               Human Resources Management,

Social Sciences,                or other related fields.

(Field(s) of Education marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Certificates and/or Licenses

International Administrative Law;

Human Resources Management;

(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience

Essential

Progressively responsible professional experience in the areas of ethics, compliance, administrative law, or related fields, preferably within an international or multilateral organization.

Demonstrated experience in the implementation or management of conflict-of-interest frameworks, including the review and resolution of disclosed interests and provision of advisory services to staff and management.

Proven experience in the design, administration, or oversight of financial disclosure programmes or similar compliance tools.

Strong understanding of organizational accountability frameworks, ethical risk identification, and the principles governing ethical conduct in institutional settings.

Experience managing sensitive staff issues based on ethical standards and ensuring case tracking, documentation, and reporting for accountability and performance monitoring.

Demonstrated integrity, sound judgment, discretion, and the ability to apply ethical principles in high-pressure or complex situations.

Desirable

Professional experience in the development or revision of compliance policies, including standards of conduct, codes of ethics, and procedures related to disclosures or recusal.

Experience delivering ethics or compliance training and guidance to diverse staff populations.

Familiarity with the UN internal justice system, staff rules and regulations, and ethics-related policies.

Strong analytical and drafting skills, including experience writing case assessments, policy inputs, and formal responses to staff queries.

Ability to listen attentively and engage empathetically with individuals seeking advice or protection under ethics frameworks.

Functional Skills

Administrative Law

HR-Managing ethical dilemmas

MG-Experience in corporate ethics design, standards, policies, and compliance programmes

CO-Cross-cultural communication

(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements

For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.

For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.

For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

Competency Requirements

All jobs at UNHCR require six core competencies and may also require managerial competencies and/or cross-functional competencies. The six core competencies are listed below.

Core Competencies

Accountability

Communication

Organizational Awareness

Teamwork & Collaboration

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Client & Result Orientation

Managerial Competencies

Empowering and Building Trust

Managing Performance

Judgement and Decision Making

Cross-Functional Competencies

Analytical Thinking

Policy Development and Research

Political Awareness

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination, and abuse of power.

As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.

In addition to the essential qualifications and experience outlined in the Job Description, the ideal candidate will bring sound judgment, and the interpersonal maturity required to operate effectively within UNHCR’s independent Ethics Office. The role requires strong advisory skills, the ability to handle multiple lines of work simultaneously, and the flexibility to shift between analytical, advisory, training, outreach and policy-support tasks as operational needs evolve. The position requires excellent legal drafting and administrative law analysis, the ability to translate complex legal and policy concepts into clear accessible, non-legalistic communications and training materials, strong analytical capacity, political and cultural sensitivity, and the ability to manage multiple workstreams under tight deadlines in a dynamic HQ environment. The role requires a high degree of autonomy, adaptability and professionalism in handling sensitive and often time-critical matters.

Technical and functional expertise

• Proven experience providing confidential ethics or administrative-law advice on complex matters, including conflicts of interest, gifts and hospitality, outside activities, post-employment restrictions, whistleblower protection/PaR issues, or the ethical dimensions of workplace concerns.

• Strong understanding of accountability frameworks, standards of conduct and integrity risks in humanitarian, multilateral or otherwise complex organisational settings, coupled with the ability to translate these into practical guidance for personnel.

• Experience developing or contributing to ethics-related policies, guidance, training materials or awareness initiatives, ideally across multicultural and geographically dispersed environments.

• Ability to analyse and synthesise complex fact patterns, identify ethical and organisational risks, and formulate balanced, well-reasoned recommendations under tight timelines.

• Demonstrated ability to contribute to culture-change and trust-building efforts, including Code of Conduct Dialogues, ethics training, outreach and other awareness-raising activities.

• Capacity to manage sensitive information with discretion, apply sound judgment in

ambiguous or high-risk contexts, and maintain impartiality and confidentiality at all times.

• Flexibility and resilience to operate across multiple workstreams—advice, policy support, training, outreach, reporting and case review—within a fast-paced HQ environment.

• Strong drafting skills, including the ability to prepare clear, accessible written products such as advisory notes, training content, outreach materials, briefings and reports for senior management and governing bodies.

• Ability to remain current with evolving UN system ethics standards, administrative jurisprudence and good practices, and to represent the Ethics Office effectively in inter-agency fora when required.


Behavioural and interpersonal competencies

· High level of discretion, tact and emotional intelligence, with proven ability to manage sensitive information and interact with personnel at all levels with impartiality and respect.

· Strong communication and drafting skills, with the ability to present ethical concepts clearly and translate policy requirements into practical guidance for managers and workforce members.

· Ability to collaborate constructively with internal stakeholders (e.g., Ombuds, IGO, LAS, DEP and risk management) while safeguarding the independence and confidentiality of the Ethics Office.

· Proven ability to build and maintain trust, encourage open dialogue, and contribute to a respectful and accountable workplace environment, especially when personnel face uncertainty or vulnerability.


Specific expertise related to Protection against Retaliation (PaR)

· Practical experience in applying interpreting or administering protection-against-retaliation policies, whistleblower protection frameworks, or comparable staff relations / employee relations mechanisms—including the analysis of grievances, disciplinary matters, appeals or administrative law claims—in the UN system or other international organisations.

· Ability to analyse requests for PaR in accordance with established criteria or to assess staff-management disputes and grievance patterns using administrative

law principles, assess credible risks of retaliation, and offer appropriate advice on interim protection measures, safeguards and referral pathways.

· Familiarity with good practices across the UN system regarding “speak-up” culture, reporting of misconduct, the safeguarding of personnel who cooperate with duly authorised oversight bodies, and broader practices related to conflict resolution, staff welfare, and safe reporting channels.

· High degree of discretion and sound judgment when interacting with individuals who may feel vulnerable, uncertain or at risk, including in the context of grievance review, conflict-resolution processes or administrative appeals ensuring impartial handling and strict confidentiality.


Relevant experience and exposure

· Prior UNHCR or UN system experience in contexts involving high operational complexity or workforce welfare concerns is an asset.

· Familiarity with behavioural or organisational approaches that help reinforce ethical decision-making and support culture change is an advantage.

· Experience facilitating training, Code of Conduct Dialogues or sessions on integrity, ethics or workplace conduct in multicultural environments.

Languages

· Excellent command of English is required.

· French or Spanish is highly desirable given the Ethics Office’s engagement with francophone and Spanish-speaking operations and global outreach.

· Knowledge of additional UN languages is an asset.

Professional conduct, judgement and interpersonal effectiveness

· Resilience, political and cultural sensitivity, strong service orientation and the ability to balance competing priorities under pressure.

· Commitment to UNHCR’s values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

· Ability to communicate clearly and impartially on sensitive issues with personnel and managers at different levels, while maintaining trust and strict confidentiality.

· Capacity to navigate a complex and decentralised organisation and collaborate across functional boundaries in support of the ethics framework.

· Strong cross-cultural awareness and the ability to engage credibly with colleagues from diverse backgrounds.

· Personal credibility, maturity and sound judgement when handling sensitive information or advising on matters with organisational-risk implications.

· Ability to work autonomously while maintaining high professional standards and delivering reliable, well-reasoned outputs.

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Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit this link:

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel

Nature of Position:

About the Ethics Office

Located at UNHCR Headquarters in Geneva, the Ethics Office is an independent function mandated to cultivate and foster a culture of ethics, integrity, transparency and accountability across UNHCR’s global operations. It provides confidential advice and guidance on ethical questions, supports the implementation of UNHCR’s Code of Conduct, and helps ensure that all members of the workforce carry out their functions consistently with the highest standards of integrity required by the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules and UNHCR policies.

In recent years, the Ethics Office has seen a steady increase in requests for services, including ethics advice, Code of Conduct-related queries and workplace concerns, reflecting both heightened awareness and a more demanding operational environment. The Office leads and coordinates key areas such as ethics training and awareness-raising (including Code of Conduct Dialogues), the Financial Disclosure Programme, and the administration of the Protection against Retaliation (PaR) framework.

By supporting ethical decision-making, promoting a “speak-up” culture and administering PaR in line with UN system standards on protection against retaliation, the Ethics Office contributes directly to building and sustaining trust within UNHCR and with external stakeholders, which is essential for achieving UNHCR’s Strategic Directions 2022–2026 and implementing the Global Compact on Refugees.

Position-specific requirements

The Ethics Officer is a member of the Ethics Office team based in Geneva and reports to the Director of the Ethics Office. The incumbent contributes to the design, dissemination and implementation of policies, guidance, training materials and communication products on ethics and standards of conduct, including the Code of Conduct for UNHCR’s global workforce.

A key part of the role is to provide timely, confidential and well-reasoned ethics advice to personnel and managers on complex and often sensitive issues, including conflicts of interest, gifts and hospitality, outside activities, post-employment restrictions, and ethical dimensions of workplace concerns. The Ethics Officer also supports the administration of the PaR framework by analysing requests, advising on available protection measures, and liaising with relevant internal stakeholders to help ensure that individuals who report misconduct or cooperate with duly authorized mechanisms are protected from retaliation, in line with UNHCR’s PaR policy and good practices in the UN system.

The incumbent is expected to work collaboratively with internal stakeholders including, the Division of People Management (DPM), the Ombudsman's Office, the Legal Affairs Services, the Victim Care Officers and the rest of the PSEA/SH Office, the IGO and others, while preserving the independence, impartiality and confidentiality of the Ethics Office. The Ethics Officer may also be requested to undertake missions to UNHCR operations to provide training and outreach, support Code of Conduct Dialogues and promote ethics, integrity and accountability in diverse and sometimes high-risk operational contexts. Such missions are subject to operational needs and organizational approval and are therefore not guaranteed.

Living and Working Conditions:

Geneva is a family duty station with excellent living conditions and well-developed services. Housing is generally of a high standard, but rental costs are comparatively high. Health services are of very high quality, with well-equipped hospitals and a large network of private medical practices; most health professionals speak both French and English, and many speak additional languages. Educational facilities include public, private and international schools, though places can be competitive and early registration is advised. Switzerland consistently ranks among the safest countries in the world. Public transport is efficient and extensive, and banking and other essential services are easily accessible. 

Additional Qualifications

Skills

Bachelor of Arts: Administration Law, Bachelor of Arts: Human Resources Management, Bachelor of Arts: Philosophy and ethics, Bachelor of Arts: Public Administration, Bachelor of Arts: Social Science

Certifications

Human Resources Management - Other, International Law - Other

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Managing performance, Organizational awareness, Policy research & development, Political awareness, Teamwork & collaboration

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales

Compendium

Flash Vacancy Notice

Additional Information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance