Board of Inquiry Officer

Details

Mission and objectives

Concerned with the security, humanitarian, human rights and political crisis in the Central African Republic and its regional implications, the Security Council authorized in April 2014 the deployment of a multidimensional United Nations peacekeeping operation, MINUSCA, with the protection of civilians as its utmost priority. Its other initial tasks included support for the transition process; facilitating humanitarian assistance; promotion and protection of human rights; support for justice and the rule of law; and disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation processes. The newly established mission subsumed the UN Integrated Peace building Office in the Central African Republic (BINUCA). MINUSCA current uniformed personnel levels stand at 11,650 military personnel and 2,080 police personnel, and are tasked with the strategic objective of creating the political, security and institutional conditions conducive to sustainably reducing the presence of — and threat posed by — armed groups. See http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/minusca/.

Context

Expected results/outputs:
– Successful completion, within set deadlines, of tasks detailed in the “Task Description” section;
– Updates to the database are accurate and done in a timely manner to reflect the actual status of assigned cases;
– Follow-up with relevant sections are completed to obtain outstanding documentation to avoid delays with progress of assigned cases;
– Unit Supervisor and/or Section Chief are kept abreast of status of cases, inclusive of issues that may challenge progress of assigned cases.
Assignment is renewable on an annual basis (1 July – 30 June) up to a maximum of 4 years. Contract renewals are granted based on Mission mandate, availability of budget, operational necessity and satisfactory performance.
Duty station can change in the course of an assignment based on operational necessity; UN Volunteers may be required to work and travel anywhere in the area of operations of the host organization, including in remote locations.

Task description

Under the direct supervision of the Chief, Board of Inquiry Office, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:
– Become fully conversant with the Standard Operating Procedures for Board of Inquiry (BOI), Department of Field Support Policy Directive on BOI, and the relevant UN authorities;
– Liaise with relevant offices in the civilian, police and military component for Investigation Reports and pertinent documentation;
– Establish a rapport with related counterparts/clients (i.e. Force Provost Marshal, Chief Military Personnel Officer, Chief Force Police Unit, Office of the Force Commander, Military Legal Advisor, Chief Conduct and Discipline, Chief Security Advisor, Chief Medical Officer, Chief Military Personnel Officer);
– Prior to convening a Board of Inquiry, review the Investigation Report and/or all relevant documentation to the case to identify the grey areas, missing information, gaps, discrepancies and contradictions which requires to be addressed; identify parties forming subject matter of the action and/or witnesses to be interviewed for clarification purposes;
– Confirm the availability of nominated Board members from the Roster, avoiding conflict of interest;
– Draft BOI Convening Order and ‘case-specific’ Terms of Reference for review/approval from the Supervisor, Section Chief, the Office of Legal Affairs and the Convening Authority: the Head of Mission;
– Ensure that Board members receive all relevant documents to the case for review well in advance before the first Board meeting;
– During the proceeding, keep the Supervisor periodically informed on issues to the case for guidance and feedback;
– Ensure the Board members receive Legal and Administrative Briefing; administer Undertaking of Confidentiality;
– Throughout the proceedings, act in an advisory role to the Board and provide guidance in accordance with the Terms of Reference and the applicable UN rules/regulations/directives/administrative instructions etc., and ensure the Board is focused on the issues before them;
– Provide adequate clerical, logistical and communications support to the individual Boards during proceedings;
– Participate in on-site visits and take notes of all observations on the ground;
– Locate and arrange for interview of witnesses beforehand allowing the parties to be prepared and/or to refresh the facts of the case;
– Obtain Witness Attestations, take statements ensuring relevant questions addressed; if not, advise the Chairman. Type and forward completed Statements for review, amendments and/or obtain signatures;
– Monitor progress on the case, keeping in mind the deadline for submission of the final report according to the Standard Operating Procedures for BOI;
– Specific to the BOI report, ensure findings and methodology possess the requisite integrity and merit, that all avenues to the inquiry have been exhausted, that writing is format compliant and structure is clear and unambiguous in its expression;
– Ensure that the recommendations are practical, feasible and implementable;
– Forward the draft BOI Report to the Legal Office for their review, comments and/or approval;
– If applicable, forward the comments and concerns by the Legal Office back to the Board members for their further consideration;
– After obtaining approval from the Legal Office, compile the BOI case file, complete with annexes and the signed Final BOI Report for review, comments and/or approval by the Chief BOI Officer, the Chief of Staff, Office of Legal Affairs and the Head of Mission;
– On behalf of the SRSG, draft Transmittal Memorandums for the Under Secretary-General Department of Field Support summarizing the facts of the case, ensuring accuracy , paying close attention to spelling, grammar, language, coherency, chronology, tone, style and format; draft Transmittal Memorandums to relevant sections, indicating how the Board arrived at the recommendations and requesting its implementation;
– Follow up with relevant offices to ensure the recommendations have been implemented as requested by the Head of Mission;
– Scan the finalized BOI case files to the various databases, including BOI Tracker;
– Should misconduct on a case be established on a BOI, inform Conduct and Discipline Unit;
– Monitor and record movement of BOI case files in circulation;
– Maintain a proactive and dynamic approach to problem solving related to the assigned case portfolio and the unit’s workload;
– Provide back-up support during colleagues’ absence;
– Ensure timely, professional and effective response to enquiries;
– Any other related duties as may be required.