The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is recruiting a Driver in Pretoria, South Africa, within its Regional Office for Southern Africa (ROSA). The position requires a high school diploma or equivalent, a valid driver’s licence, and at least two years of professional, continuous driving experience with a proven safe driving record.
The vacancy has a 16 September 2026 closing date and is subject to local recruitment, meaning applicants must be authorized to work for the United Nations at the Pretoria duty station.
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OHCHR Driver Job — Key Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Organization | Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) |
| Office | Regional Office for Southern Africa (ROSA) |
| Job Title | Driver |
| Location | Pretoria, South Africa |
| Duty Station | OHCHR Pretoria |
| Recruitment Type | Local recruitment |
| Education | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Driving Requirement | Driver training and valid driver’s licence |
| Experience | Minimum 2 years of professional, continuous driving experience |
| Language | English |
| Required English Level | UN Level II in reading, writing, listening and speaking |
| Closing Date | 16 September 2026 |
| Assessment | Assessment exercise may be followed by a competency-based interview |
The Driver reports to the Regional Representative or a designated official.
What Does the OHCHR Driver Do?
This is more than a straightforward driving position. The role combines transportation, vehicle care, official deliveries, airport assistance and a range of administrative and information-support duties.
A major part of the job involves safely transporting authorized personnel. The Driver may also collect and deliver parcels, diplomatic pouches and documents between the UN office and institutions such as ministries, embassies and permanent missions. The position can involve collecting goods from customs, making minor purchases and handling payments for goods when required.
Airport duties are another important element. The Driver may meet official personnel at the airport and assist with immigration and customs formalities, while dealing tactfully with officials and visitors.
The position also carries responsibility for assigned vehicles. Duties include checking oil, water, battery, brakes and tires, keeping vehicles clean, carrying out minor repairs and arranging other necessary repairs. Official trips, mileage, fuel consumption and maintenance activities must also be logged.
Interestingly, the source also includes some information-related responsibilities. The Driver may assist with collecting and analyzing data, preparing presentations and reports, responding to queries, supporting knowledge management and helping with visualizations or updates to information materials such as web pages and brochures.
Who Is Eligible to Apply?
Applicants need a high school diploma or equivalent, along with driver training and a valid driver’s licence. The vacancy also requires at least two years of professional and continuous driving experience backed by a proven safe driving record.
Experience driving different makes and models, including vans and other motorized vehicles, is specifically required. The employer lists several additional areas of experience as desirable rather than mandatory:
- Providing driving services to senior officials, diplomats or VIPs
- Defensive driving
- Diplomatic protocol
- First aid
- Working with UN entities, diplomatic missions or similar organizations
The distinction matters: the first group represents the stated requirements, while the latter experience areas are described by OHCHR as desirable.
English Language Requirement
English is required for this position at UN Level II across reading, writing, listening and speaking. English and French are the working languages of the UN Secretariat, but the vacancy specifically identifies English as the required language for this job.
Applicants should therefore pay attention to the UN Language Framework level specified in the vacancy rather than assuming that general English proficiency alone is sufficient.
What Competencies Does OHCHR Look For?
The vacancy emphasizes three main competency areas: professionalism, teamwork, and planning and organizing.
Professionalism includes knowledge of driving rules, local roads and highways, security and safety awareness, vehicle maintenance procedures and UN procedures relating to vehicle use. The role also calls for calmness under pressure, accountability and good judgment.
The professionalism competency also extends beyond driving. OHCHR expects the successful candidate to be able to support data analysis, modeling and interpretation for decision-making and to incorporate gender perspectives into the work.
Teamwork means working collaboratively, valuing colleagues’ expertise, sharing responsibility for results and supporting agreed group decisions. Planning and organizing involves setting clear goals, prioritizing assignments, managing time and resources, anticipating risks and adjusting plans when circumstances change.
Local Recruitment: An Important Point for Applicants
The vacancy is explicitly subject to local recruitment under UN Staff Rule 4.4. Applicants for General Service and related categories must be authorized to work for the United Nations in the duty station where the position is located. Candidates selected from outside Pretoria are responsible for expenses associated with relocation to the duty station.
The source also states that staff recruited locally are not eligible for allowances or benefits that apply exclusively to international recruitment. This makes the recruitment classification particularly important for anyone considering the position from outside the duty station.
How Will Candidates Be Assessed?
Qualified candidates may be required to complete an assessment exercise, followed by a competency-based interview. The source does not state that every applicant will necessarily go through both stages, so candidates should not assume a particular selection sequence beyond what is specified in the vacancy.
Applicants should also provide complete and accurate information in the UN’s online recruitment platform, inspira. The UN states that submitted applications cannot be amended, added to, deleted, revised or modified after submission. Candidates under serious consideration may undergo reference checks to verify information provided in their applications.
Before Applying
For this particular Driver position, applicants should make sure their application clearly reflects the requirements that OHCHR has actually specified:
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Driver training
- Valid driver’s licence
- At least two years of professional, continuous driving experience
- Proven safe driving record
- Experience with different vehicle makes and models, including vans
- Required English proficiency at UN Level II
- Authorization to work for the UN at the Pretoria duty station
Applicants should follow the instructions provided through inspira and the applicable Applicant Guide. The UN also advises candidates to ensure that all personal-profile and qualification information submitted is complete and accurate.
Application Deadline and Recruitment Notice
The closing date for the OHCHR Driver position in Pretoria is Wednesday, 16 September 2026. Job openings advertised through the UN Careers Portal are removed at 11:59 p.m. New York time on the deadline date.
The appointment’s extension is subject to extension of the mandate and/or availability of funds.
The UN also states that it does not charge applicants a fee at any stage of recruitment, including application, interview, processing or training. It does not request applicants’ bank-account information as part of recruitment.