Ethics Officer

UNAIDS DEU organization mission TBD

The Ethics Officer will serve as a member of the Ethics Office, whose mandate is to promote an ethical culture grounded in the UNAIDS core values of commitment to the AIDS response, integrity, and respect for diversity. The Office carries out its work in accordance with the WHO Staff Regulations and Staff Rules and their adaptations for UNAIDS staff members, as reflected in the Introduction to the Staff Regulations and Staff Rules for UNAIDS personnel, the Standards of Conduct for the International Civil Service, and related policies. The Ethics Office operates independently of management and all other offices, and reports to the Executive Director and the UNAIDS Board.

The Office delivers its mandate through six strategic functions: providing ethics advice; protecting personnel against retaliation; administering the declaration of interests programme; delivering ethics training and awareness activities; supporting the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse; and contributing to the development of ethical standards, policies, and principles to ensure the consistent and fair application of organizational rules.

In all its activities, the Ethics Office is guided by the principles of independence, impartiality, and confidentiality in its interactions with personnel, management, and external collaborators.

Under the direct supervision of Head of Ethics Officer,Ethics Officer will:

1.1 Promote Ethics, Integrity, and UNAIDS Core Values

• Promote the values and principles of UNAIDS, including integrity, professionalism, respect for diversity, accountability, and zero tolerance for misconduct.
• Provide ethics advice and guidance to personnel, managers, implementing partners, and other stakeholders on ethical issues and standards of conduct, and ethical decision-making.
• Support the delivery of ethics awareness activities, training programmes, and communications to strengthen an ethical workplace culture.
• Raise awareness of the Standards of Conduct for the International Civil Service and relevant UNAIDS policies and procedures.
• Identify emerging ethical risks and contribute to measures that protect the integrity, credibility, and reputation of UNAIDS.
• Serve as a trusted and confidential resource for ethics-related consultations and concerns.

1.2 Conflict of Interest and Transparency

• Support the implementation of conflict of interest policies and procedures in line with UNAIDS requirements.
• Manage the conflict of interest declaration process and ensure declarations are completed and kept up to date.
• Assess actual, potential, and perceived conflicts of interest and recommend proportionate mitigation, management, or avoidance measures.
• Provide advice and guidance to personnel and managers on managing conflict of interest situations.
• Maintain confidential records of conflict of interest disclosures, assessments, and decisions.

1.3 Support Compliance with UNAIDS Policies and Standards

• Promote compliance with applicable UNAIDS staff regulations and rules, policies, administrative instructions, and ethical standards.
• Develop, maintain and disseminate ethics-related guidance, tools, reference materials, and communication resources.
• Contribute to the review and enhancement of ethics-related policies, procedures, and frameworks.
• Monitor ethics and compliance trends, identify systemic risks, and recommend measures to strengthen policy implementation, awareness and organizational accountability.

1.4 Support Prevention and Response to Misconduct

• Encourage ethical conduct and foster confidence in speaking-up mechanisms, including reporting concerns in good faith.
• Support awareness and implementation of anti-retaliation and protection measures.
• Provide guidance on reporting channels and procedures for addressing suspected misconduct.
• Receive ethics-related concerns within the Ethics Office mandate and facilitate referrals to appropriate oversight, investigative, safeguarding, or management authorities, as required.
• Maintain confidential records related to reported concerns and actions taken.
• Monitor misconduct trends and contribute to preventive measures that reduce organizational risks and strengthen accountability.

1.5 Support Prevention of Sexual Misconduct (Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Sexual Abuse and Sexual Harassment).

• Promote awareness of and compliance with applicable sexual misconduct and safeguarding policies and standards.
• Provide guidance to personnel, implementing partners, and other stakeholders on their responsibilities and obligations related to prevention of sexual misconduct.
• Support the delivery of awareness, training, and capacity-building activities on sexual misconduct and safeguarding.
• Facilitate referrals of sexual misconduct-related concerns through appropriate reporting mechanisms while maintaining confidentiality and applying survivor-centred principles.
• Contribute to safeguarding risk assessments and the development of mitigation measures to address risks of abuse, exploitation, and misuse of power.

1.6 Foster an Ethical and Respectful Workplace Culture

• Promote a respectful, inclusive, and discrimination-free workplace aligned with UNAIDS values and principles.
• Support initiatives to prevent harassment, discrimination, abuse of authority, retaliation, and other forms of misconduct.
• Provide advice on respectful workplace practices, organizational culture issues, and workplace ethical challenges.
• Support management in strengthening accountability, ethical leadership, and a positive workplace culture.
• Analyse workplace ethics data and trends to inform continuous improvement, organizational learning, and prevention initiatives.