Preferred location
Brussels, Belgium (or a timezone with sufficient overlap with Central European Time working hours)
About the employer
Mr. Olivier De Schutter is the United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights. Special Rapporteurs report to the Human Rights Council and to the UN General Assembly and are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. As an independent expert, the Special Rapporteur conducts fact-finding missions and monitors the situation of people in poverty around the world. His unique approach to this mandate focuses on fulfilling the promise of SDGs 1 and 10 by making social protection floors universal, advancing social justice within planetary boundaries, and harnessing the voices of people in poverty through their active participation in the design and implementation of innovations contributing to the eradication of extreme poverty.
Job description
The Special Rapporteur is seeking a motivated Senior Researcher to join his team. This role entails supporting the mandate’s research efforts with a view to informing and advancing the Special Rapporteur’s thematic reports, special reports and country missions. This job includes occasional travel. The ideal candidate will begin work on 1 November 2022. Remuneration is competitive and based on qualifications and years of prior professional experience.
Responsibilities
- Conduct primary and secondary research in preparation of thematic reports, special reports and country missions;
- Support the team by producing internal memoranda, briefing notes and web content, including time-sensitive advocacy materials related to the priorities of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur;
- Assist the Special Rapporteur in fact-finding missions, including conducting and coordinating preparatory research, drafting mission reports, liaising with government authorities and civil society organizations, and carrying out follow-up to the implementation of recommendations;
- Support fundraising, budgeting and grant reporting;
- Support the coordination and organization of events and consultations throughout the year in support of the Special Rapporteur’s reporting obligations and other priorities.
Qualifications and experience
- Education: A doctorate (PhD) or master’s degree in social sciences, economics, or a related field is desirable.
- Experience: Minimum 3 years of relevant work experience in the fields of human rights, poverty eradication or social policy is required.
- Required and desirable skills:
- Prior experience leading empirical research on inequality and/or poverty issues is required.
- Prior experience leading transdisciplinary or participatory research is highly desirable.
- Excellent oral and written skills in English are required; excellent oral and written skills in French are preferred. Other languages, especially UN official languages, would be an asset.
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work well under pressure while juggling multiple tasks are required.
- Excellent computer skills, including proficiency with MS Office applications, are required.
How to apply
Interested candidates should send a cover letter describing their qualifications and interest in the job, along with a CV and a writing sample in English (published research report or other publication preferred), to jobs@srpoverty.org. Please send three separate PDF files with the format “LAST NAME, Name_Cover letter/CV/Writing sample”.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until 1 October 2022. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.