The Department of Operational Support (DOS) was established to provide end-to-end operational support, advisory services and other solutions to operating entities across the Secretariat, including departments, offices away from headquarters, peace operations, and regional commissions.
The Human Resources Services Division (HRSD) provides dedicated services in support of human resources requirements of client entities, from process development through service delivery. The Division establishes and manages rosters across all job families, organizes testing and examinations, provides operational support and other advisory service for clients for the full spectrum of their delegated authorities, and supports managers and business partners in the use of non-staff personnel.
The Staffing Service (SS) offers expertise in the areas of talent acquisition and innovation, testing and examinations, operational workforce planning and organizational design across UN Secretariat entities.
The Special Assessments Section (SAS) is responsible for the development and administration of various competitive examinations and assessments used for talent acquisition. The Section is responsible for the United Nations Secretariat flagship assessment, the Young Professionals Programme, and for the placement and managed mobility of Young Professionals.
This position is located in the Special Assessments Section (SAS), Staffing Service (SS) in the Human Resources Services Division (HRSD), Office of Support Operations (OSO), Department of Operational Support (DOS). The Human Resources Officer will report to the Chief of Section.
Within limits of delegated authority, the Human Resources Officer will be responsible for the following duties:
General:
• Plans, guides and leads the design, delivery of tests and other assessments tools for the Young Professionals Program (YPP) examinations.
• Leads the development and execution of general and specialized papers for large scale assessments of applicants to the YPP as well as execution of other assessment tools appropriate for selection for the YPP roster.
• Contributes to the development and implementation of new human resources policies, practices and procedures to meet the evolving needs of the Organization.
• Monitors and ensures the implementation of human resources policies, practices and procedures.
• Keeps abreast of developments in various areas of human resources.
• Prepares reports and participates and/or leads special human resources project.
• Plans, organizes, manages and supervises the work of the Unit/Section assigned.
Recruitment and placement:
• Projects and monitors vacant geographic posts at the P-2 level to help in planning of YPP examinations and identifies participating countries.
• Recommends guidelines on promotion and placement of staff.
• Oversees preparation of vacancy announcements, reviews applications and provides shortlists to substantive offices.
• Arranges and conducts interviews for selection of candidates.
• Reviews recommendation on the selection of candidate by client offices.
• Serves as ex-officio in or secretary to appointment and promotion bodies, examinations boards, and prepares and presents cases to these bodies.
• Places successful candidates on the YPP roster and communicates the information to relevant parties.
• Participates in task forces and working groups identifying issues/problems, formulating policies and guidelines, and establishing new procedures.
• Represents the Organization with full delegation of authority in discussions with senior government officials on recruitment and other human resources matters.
• Plans, organizes, develops, coordinates and administers the Language professionals examinations and other programmes and tests related to recruitment of professional, general service and other categories of staff.
Administration of entitlements:
• Identifies, reviews and implements selection testing and assessment tools and keeps abreast with new tools and systems in the testing and assessment filed.
• Develops, improves and communicates standards, tools, templates for various assessment methods to evaluate knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies for candidates to the YPP.
• Advises the Head of the Unit or Senior Human Resources Officers on the development, modification and implementation of United Nations policies and practices on entitlements.
• Reviews and recommends level of remuneration for consultants.
• Provides advice on interpretation and application of policies, regulations and rules; Reviews and provides advice on exceptions to policies, regulations and rules.
• Represents the office in joint bodies and working groups relating to salaries and other conditions of service.
Staff development and career support:
• Identifies and analyzes staff development and career support needs and designs programmes to meet identified needs; Prepares monitoring reports on staff development and career support programmes.
• Analyzes staff development and career support plans to ensure that they are consistent with the overall organizations goals, policies on staff development and career support, and the respective mandates.
• Evaluates effectiveness and impact of staff development and career support programmes and recommends ways to enhance effectiveness and impact.
• Provides advice on mobility and career development to staff at all levels in all categories.
• Provides performance management advice to staff and management; Assists supervisors and staff with understanding and using the performance appraisal system (PAS).
• Assesses training needs, identifies, designs and delivers training programmes to staff at all levels throughout the Organization.
• Formulates examination policies, and develops and prepares examination questions and
papers.
• Reviews and improves the Young Professionals Programme (YPP) examination and testing processes and workflows, recommends improvements and develops guidelines, standard operating procedures.
Other duties:
• Advises and counsels staff in respect of rights, responsibilities, code of conduct and difficulties associated with work and entitlements.
• Prepares correspondence, instructional materials and other forms of communications relevant of the YPP programme for participating member and applicants.
• Monitors staff welfare and identifies/proposes appropriate programmes and remedial action.
• Monitors, advises and acts on disciplinary matters in accordance with established policies and procedures. Mediates conflict, grievance and harassment cases.
• Supervises and monitors the work of the junior human resources officers in undertaking the full range of human resource management activities.
• Represents the management in classification appeal cases.
• Conducts and coordinates salary surveys assessing the labour market at Headquarters and in the field and establishes salaries and related allowances of locally-recruited staff.
• Prepares classification analysis of jobs in Professional and General Service and related categories.
• Provides guidance to programme managers on the application of classification policies and procedures and by undertaking whole office review.
• Coordinates duty station classification and subsistence allowance surveys.
• Conducts research in preparing policy papers, position papers and briefing notes on issues related to examinations and tests.
• Professionalism: Knowledge of human resources policies, practices and procedures and ability to apply them in an organizational setting. Ability to identify issues, formulate opinions, make conclusions and recommendations. 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.
• Planning & Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.
• Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.
• 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 a task and matches task 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.
Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent degree) in human resources management, business or public administration, social sciences, education or related field. A first-level university degree in combination with additional two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in human resources management, administration, or related area is required.
Experience in planning, developing and administering tests and assessments related to recruitment for positions in international organizations is desirable.
Experience with an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, such as Umoja or equivalent, is desirable.
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of other United Nations official languages is an advantage.
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a competency-based interview.
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.
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.
Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side 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.
Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.