Investigations Officer (re-advertised)

Org. Setting and Reporting

UNRWA, the largest United Nations operation in the Middle East with over 30,000 staff working across five areas of operation, is looking for highly committed personnel wishing to make a change. If you are looking for a rewarding opportunity to make a tangible difference for one of the most vulnerable communities in the world, UNRWA would like to hear from you. The Investigations Officer is responsible to the Chief, Investigations Division.

Responsibilities

- Undertakes or coordinates as appropriate, investigations of potential violations of rules, regulations, policies, procedures and standards including breaches of neutrality, misconduct, fraud, misappropriation, corruption and mismanagement, applying and ensuring objectivity, impartiality and fairness throughout investigative processes in accordance with generally recognized international investigative standards and Agency guidelines; - Reviews and assesses complaints and allegations; formulates investigation plans, reviews and analyses all information to determine its relevance and reliability, conducts interviews of staff and other involved parties, records interviews, obtains and analyses potential documentary and electronic evidence, conducts investigative research and determines the appropriate presentation of investigative results; - Prepares reports and ad-hoc briefs pertaining to investigations; - Prepares recommendations for corrective action and improved controls and effectiveness or efficiency of UNRWA systems and operations; - Appraises progress of investigations and assesses probable impact of investigation outcomes relative to strategies and advises colleagues accordingly; - Coordinates with local officials, governments, and outside organizations and obtains internal support such as interpreters to facilitate investigative work; reports outcomes of investigations to Chief, Investigations Division; - Supports investigations carried out in other offices in the Agency, including participation in Intake Committees, review of Terms of Reference and related plans for investigations; provides guidance on the conduct of such investigations in accordance with generally recognized international investigative standards and Agency guidelines; - Provides advice on best-practice with respect to investigations; - Provides support in the preparation of work plans and the establishment of priorities for the investigation function including the prioritization of implementation plans of investigative work in consultation with his/her supervisor; - Contributes to the development of the office's policy and procedural framework and best practices and other lessons learned from investigative work; makes recommendations and assists in ensuring that lessons learned from investigations, in particular investigations related to breaches of neutrality, are incorporated into the Agency's policies and procedures; assists in the implementation of investigators training.

Competencies

UN Core Values of Integrity, Professionalism and Respect for Diversity, and Core Competencies of Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results apply by default. Default managerial competencies may apply. - Applying Technical Expertise - Analyzing - Coping with Pressure and Setbacks - Planning and Organizing For guidance on how to prepare for competency-based interviews: https://careers.un.org/lbw/home.aspx?viewtype=AYI

Education

Advanced University degree (Master's or equivalent) from an accredited educational institution in law or a related discipline.

Job - Specific Qualification

Formal training and/or certification in various law enforcement methodologies / fraud examination or investigations is required.

Work Experience

At least five years of relevant work experience applying internationally recognized investigation techniques in criminal or administrative inquiries is required Unless already serving as an international staff member in the UN Common System, a candidate for an international post must have a minimum of 2 continuous years of relevant international experience outside UNRWA, and outside the country(s) of which the candidate is a national or holds citizenship, a passport or a national identity number is required. Knowledge of Arabic is an advantage is desirable Advanced University degree (Master's or equivalent) from an accredited educational institution in law or a related discipline is required. Formal training and/or certification in various law enforcement methodologies / fraud examination or investigations is required.

Languages

Excellent command of written and spoken English is required. Knowledge of Arabic is an advantage and desirable.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

Type of Contract and duration: 2 years, with the possibility of further extension. Applicants have to complete the Personal History Profile (PHP) in inspira in order to be considered. The PHP should be completed with full relevant work experience as per the requirements in the Job Opening, in order to be considered. A roster may be created from the selection exercise, and successful candidates may become eligible for an appointment to the same post or a similar post. UNRWA welcomes applications from qualified candidates with disabilities. Join our eco-friendly organization dedicated to environmental sustainability and targeting to be plastic free by 2025. Equivalency: A first level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree. NB: work experience alone or formal qualifications with no relevant work experience are not considered an acceptable combination. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions from UN member states, regional bodies, business foundations and individual contributions. The mission of UNRWA is to help Palestine refugees achieve their full potential in human development under the difficult circumstances in which they live. For more details on UNRWA, please visit: https://www.unrwa.org/

United Nations Considerations

Staff members are subject to the authority of the Commissioner-General of UNRWA and to assignment by him or her. UNRWA is committed to achieving gender parity at all levels of staffing under the current UN-wide gender agenda and strongly encourages applications from qualified applicants from under-represented groups. At UNRWA, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. UNRWA is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. UNRWA Considerations UNRWA staff are expected to uphold the highest standards of efficiency, competence, neutrality, impartiality and integrity. This includes respect for and commitment to human rights, diversity and non-violent means of dealing with all kinds of conflict. Only persons who fully and unconditionally commit to these values should consider applying for UNRWA jobs. Candidates will not be considered for employment with UNRWA if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. The Agency may disqualify applicants who have separated for reason of misconduct, who left a UN Agency while misconduct processes were pending, or who appear on the UN Sanctions List. UNRWA is a non-smoking work environment. Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY FOR PALESTINE REFUGEES IN THE NEAR EAST (UNRWA) DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE OR REQUEST MONEY FROM CANDIDATES AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT AND ONBOARDING PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING, ONBOARDING). UNRWA DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.