Org. Setting and Reporting
This temporary position is located in the Operational Standards and Support Section (OSSS) in the Investigations Division (ID) of the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) in New York. The incumbent will be leading OSSS and will report to the Director of ID/OIOS. OIOS is the internal oversight body of the United Nations and assists the Secretary-General in fulfilling his oversight responsibilities in respect of the resources and staff of the Organization through the provision of audit, investigation, and inspection and evaluation services. ID/OIOS investigates reports of possible violations of rules, regulations, mismanagement, misconduct, waste of resources and abuse of authority.
Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Chief of Section, Investigations will be responsible for the following duties:
Plan, prioritize and report on the use of resources to implement effectively the responsibilities, projects and initiatives ensuring alignment with workplan goals and maximum efficiency.
Provide guidance and direction to team members fostering professional development and a positive, inclusive, ethical, and results-oriented team culture.
Lead the harmonization and continuous improvement of methodologies and workflows for intake, referral, and investigative processes, ensuring consistency in approaches, analytical rigor, and alignment with professional standards across the Division.
Ensure organizational adherence to due process, confidentiality, evidence-handling protocols, timeliness targets, and institutional standards; identifies systemic risks and recurring issues and directs implementation of corrective measures.
Serve as a focal point for complex procedural and operational guidance, fostering consistency, high-quality outputs, and adherence to OIOS investigation standards.
Lead the preparation and coordination of official communications, including Notes Verbales ensuring strategic coherence, institutional accuracy, and alignment with organizational standards.
Represent the Division in interdepartmental and inter-agency forums, including working groups and briefings, providing authoritative guidance on organizational responses to misconduct, advising on systemic trends, and advancing policy coherence across the organization.
Oversee the preparation of recurring and ad hoc analytical reports, dashboards, and briefing materials for senior management and oversight bodies ensuring coherence, strategic relevance, and availability of information to support organizational decision-making.
Lead the Division’s formal reporting function for investigation-related documentation, Annual Reports, setting reporting priorities, ensuring quality control and consistency, and overseeing timely submission of periodic reports to stakeholders, intergovernmental and oversight bodies.
Lead the collection, analysis, and visualization of investigative data, providing strategic insights on systemic trends, risks, and operational performance indicators to support evidence-based decision-making.
Oversee the production and use of analytical outputs for audits, external quality assessments, and management reviews, ensuring strategic alignment, and consistency of reporting to inform decision-making and organizational improvement.
Lead improvements to case management and tracking systems, including functionality, integration, and reporting tools, setting priorities for enhancements to strengthen usability, analytical value, and support for decision-making and risk management.
Lead the strategic development and governance of case management systems architecture, data structures, and data quality frameworks, ensuring integrity, consistency, analytical reliability, and long-term system coherence.
Provide strategic oversight of programmatic and budgetary submissions, ensuring workload analytics and performance indicators inform organizational priorities, risks, and resource planning.
Lead development and harmonization of knowledge management systems, including reference materials, databases, and lessons-learned mechanisms, ensuring methodological coherence and institutional learning.
Represent the Division in high-level internal and external forums and leads strategic capacity-building engagements with partner entities.
Foster a culture of professional excellence and continuous learning by providing senior-level coaching, mentorship, and guidance to colleagues and investigators, promoting collaboration, knowledge sharing, and consistent application of professional standards.
Competencies
PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of theories, concepts and approaches relevant to criminal and administrative investigations. Knowledge of various research methodologies and sources, including electronic sources on the Internet, intranet and other databases. Ability to identify and analyze problems/issues and participate in their resolution. Proven ability to gather evidence and interview suspects and witnesses.
Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
The ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. COMMUNICATION: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others' ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decisions, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
LEADERSHIP: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow; empowers others to translate vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; drives for change and improvements; does not accept the status quo; shows the courage to take unpopular stands.
Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing.
MANAGING PERFORMANCE: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision making authority; makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member; accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish tasks and matches tasks to skills; monitors progress against milestones and deadlines; regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff; encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative; actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff; appraises performance fairly.
Education
Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in law or a field related to investigations is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is an advantage.
Work Experience
A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in investigatory work is required. Knowledge of United Nations legal, regulatory, and accountability frameworks, including ST/SGBs, ST/AIs, disciplinary mechanisms, UN jurisprudence, GA resolutions, and internal justice processes is required. Knowledge of internal justice jurisprudence and procedural standards, including the functions and case law of the United Nations Dispute Tribunal and the United Nations Appeals Tribunal is required.
Knowledge of intake and referral processes, including admissibility criteria, preliminary assessments, triage, credibility evaluation, and case management systems is required. Ability to manage high-volume, high-sensitivity intake and referral operations, observing timeliness and quality standards is required. Ability to delegate tasks, supervise the work of others, evaluate performance fairly, and address performance issues promptly is required.
Ability to foster a culture of accountability, professionalism, collaboration, and continuous improvement within a geographically dispersed team is required. Skill in overseeing data collection, analytics, and visualization to produce strategic reports, dashboards, and briefing materials for senior leadership and stakeholders is required. Knowledge of OIOS/ID investigative standards, quality assurance methodologies, evidentiary thresholds, and requirements for legal sufficiency and methodological rigor is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. French is desirable. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details).
Required Languages
Language | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking
English | UN Level III | UN Level III | UN Level III | UN Level III
Desirable Languages
Language | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking
French | UN Level III | UN Level III | UN Level III | UN Level III
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.
Special Notice
This temporary position is financed by the regular budget of the United Nations and is available until 31 December 2026, with the possibility of an extension. The appointment, or assignment, and renewal thereof are subject to the availability of the post or funds, budgetary approval or extension of the mandate. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.
While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post. Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.
This temporary job opening may be limited to "internal candidates," who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.
The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. Pursuant to section 7.11 of ST/AI/2012/2/Rev.1, candidates recruited through the Young Professionals Programme who have not served for a minimum of two years in the position of their initial assignment are not eligible to apply to this position.
(a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and
(b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service. At the United Nations, 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.
The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.
United Nations Considerations
According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations 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.
The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions.
The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.
Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.
By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised.
This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile 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. All external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2
(a) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment without limitation and all external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2.
(c) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment limited to the entity are subject to an initial probationary period of one year under a fixed-term appointment. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.