Organizational Setting

The Human Resources Division is composed of two main clusters, namely, (i) the Integrated Talent Management, providing advice and managing position management, recruitment, mobility, staff development and training, performance management and social security; and (ii) the HR Strategy and Policy providing HR strategic guidance, policy and oversight.
The position is located in the Integrated Talent Management cluster of the Human Resources Division (CSH) and based in the Regional Office for Africa (RAF) in Accra, Ghana.

Reporting Lines
The Human Resources Officer (Emergencies and Resilience) reports to the Senior HR Officer in RAF. He/she works closely with the HR Team in the region.

Technical Focus
The Human Resources Officer (Emergencies and Resilience) supports Talent Management in the area of response operations ensuring compliance with HR policies and procedures in the humanitarian domain in RAF.

Key Results
Provision of human resource services to management and staff.

Key Functions
•    Supervises staff to ensure the timely provision of the full range of HR services to both staff and non-staff within designated service areas.
•    Monitors HR performance against established indicators and Service Level Agreements.
•    Provides guidance to staff in processing HR service requests, reviews unusual or difficult cases, interprets FAO rules, regulations, policies and procedures and makes determinations within delegated authority.
•    Responds to requests from managers, staff and non-staff, providing information and options/solutions to resolve specific problems/issues.
•    Undertakes special studies/reviews.
•    Identifies the need to modify HR servicing policies, procedures and tools and provides input into new service delivery approaches, systems and procedures to maintain and/or improve service delivery.
•    Mentors staff and promotes continuous learning and capacity development.
•    Participates in inter-agency meetings focusing on HR service issues and best practices.
•    Prepares various reports.

Specific Functions
•    Supports timely actions in the recruitment process for Professional, General Service and other categories of staff, ensuring timeliness and quality control of activities, adherence to policies and procedures, including the application of fast-track procedures for emergency positions; reviews and directs the streamlining of the process and fosters the use of modern recruitment tools.
•    Attends Level 3 Emergency Response (L3) Scale-up Coordination meetings and maintains regular contact with the Human Resources Officer (Emergencies and Resilience) at FAO headquarters to determine HR needs of country operations and ensure HR support to emergency operations.
•    Collaborates with the Human Resources Officer (Emergencies and Resilience) at FAO headquarters in the development and implementation of staffing strategies to support emergency operations.
•    Engages with key stakeholders to achieve targets for emergency positions, reducing vacancy rates; participates in selection panels, as required.
•    Supports collaboration with external recruitment sources to ensure a supply of suitable and qualified candidates, contributes to the review of candidate sourcing techniques to enhance the candidate pool, reviews the effectiveness of recruitment sources and takes action for improvement.
•    Provides advice and support to affected countries on the application of policies, procedures, systems and best practices, particularly to FAO Scale-up L3 countries requiring surge and promotes organizational targets (geographic and gender diversity, etc.).
•    Collaborates with the Human Resources Officer (Emergencies and Resilience) at FAO headquarters to research relevant regulations, rules, policies and practices of other UN entities to identify needs for changes in FAO’s recruitment procedures for emergency and resilience; contributes to the development of policies and procedures and introduces innovative approaches.
•    When required, travels to affected countries to act as a backup for HR resourcing pending mobilization of a suitable profile; collaborates with the Human Resources Officer (Emergencies and Resilience) at FAO headquarters in the review of organigrams, workflows and structures.
•    In coordination with the Human Resources Officer (Emergencies and Resilience) at FAO headquarters, supports the identification of training and learning needs, plans workshops/learning programs to enhance HR capacity in field staff and shares best practices and lessons learned among HR practitioners and other stakeholders.
•    Keeps abreast of best practices and related technological tools in the private and public sectors and participates in defining revised or new business requirements for existing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP).
•    Supports orientation briefings for new staff.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements
•    Advanced university degree in human resources, management, business administration, organizational development or a related field.
•    Five years of relevant experience in human resources management including the implementation of talent acquisition and/or talent management strategies.
•    Working knowledge (proficient – level C) of English and limited knowledge (intermediate – level B) of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

Competencies
•    Results Focus
•    Teamwork
•    Communication
•    Building effective relationships
•    Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills
•    Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions.
•    Extent and relevance of experience in human resources management, including talent management in emergency contexts.
•    Extent and relevance of experience in the development and implementation of human resources policies and procedures.
•    Familiarity with automated human resources management systems.
•    Ability to analyse complex issues.
•    Working knowledge (proficient – level C) of French is considered a strong asset.