UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, education

In the Pacific we work in Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu: These 14 Pacific island countries are home to 2.3 million people, including 1.2 million children and youth, living on more than 660 islands and atolls stretching across 17.2 million square kilometers of the Pacific Ocean, an area comparable to the combined size of the United States of America and Canada. Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu are classified as Fragile States according to World Bank/OECD criteria.

All 14 Pacific Island countries and territories have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, but only a third are on track with reporting obligations. Explore the different areas of our work here: UNICEF Pacific Islands.

How can you make a difference? 

Under the close supervision of the Human Resources Manager, the UNICEF Pacific Office in Suva, Fiji is hiring a Human Resources Associate to provide administrative, procedural and operational support and assistance to the efficient implementation of a broad range of Human Resources functions for all categories of staff in the various Pacific Offices, ensuring accurate and timely delivery that is in compliance with UNICEF HR rules and regulations.

The HR Associate position will provide support to specialized transactional HR activities pertaining to recruitment and placement, administration of entitlements, staff development and career development, job classification and/or performance management etc. The successful candidate will require in-depth knowledge of the subject matter and the capacity to carry out tasks with strong independence.

A Summary of key functions/accountabilities are as follows:

Support to business partnering

• Support the business partners in developing initiatives to encourage employee well-being and employee recognition schemes.
• Support the management of change processes by advising clientele on changes to HR processes under the guidance of HR Business Partner
• Support the business partners in assisting clientele in using HR systems such as talent management, agora and achieve.

Support in processing of entitlement and benefits

• In consultation with supervisor, analyze, research, verify, and compile data and information on cases that do not conform to UN or UNICEF’s HR Rules & Regulations, to support consistent and equitable application of decisions and implementation of agreed upon action.
• In consultation with supervisor, analyze, research and verify information for the purpose of responding to staff queries on areas related to benefits and entitlements.
• Initiates the processing of a wide range of personnel actions in accordance with UNICEF rules and regulations, by ensuring all relevant forms and actions are completed by staff and forwarded to the GSSC.
• Maintains and prepares all personnel-related records and files, ensuring all information on each staff member is up-to-date and accurate.

Support in recruitment and placement

• Prepares and circulates internal and external advertisements.
• Liaises with candidates in the various stages of the recruitment process.
• Prepares formal acknowledgement, offer and regret letters.
• Initiates and follows up on reference checks and academic verifications, and ensuring the completion of other background checks.
• Monitors life-cycle of recruitment process to update supervisor as necessary.

Support in organization design and job classification

• Participates in the review of GS positions specific JDs, ensuring effective application of ICSC methodology.
• Drafts and edits job descriptions to be submitted for classification for review by supervisor.
• Follows up and liaises with HQ and RO over status of requests to ensure timely completion.
• Prepares documents to be submitted for classification to RO and NYHQ, ensuring completeness of documentation.
• Monitors life-cycle of all job classification requests to facilitate recruitment and organization planning.
• Compiles and analyses information and statistics related to posts and staff for reports on staffing trends.
• Analyze, research, verify, and compile data which facilitates preparation of workforce planning reports for supervisor to review against benchmarks i.e. Gender and geographical balance and other recruitment related key performance indicators.

Support in learning & capacity development

• In consultation with supervisor, researches and analyses data and information to help identify training needs within his/her office for the development of learning plans and other targeted training interventions.
• In consultation with supervisor, researches, analyzes, verifies, and compiles information on external training courses available and educational institutions to help supervisor decide on learning programmes that address learning gaps in his/her country office.
• Assists team in organizing and conducting courses, workshops and events by participating in exercises which aim to build capacity of stakeholders.
• Develops and processes contracts for institutions providing training and courses, ensuring compliance with UNICEF rules and regulations.
• Assists team in organizing and conducting courses, workshops and events by preparing and organizing distribution of materials for participants, ensuring availability of training venues and required equipment and supplies, while providing logistical and secretarial support at workshops and events as necessary.
• Tracks the performance management cycle processes, ensuring the timely distribution and enhancing the timely completion and return of appraisals.

 To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

Education: 

• Completion of secondary education is required, preferably supplemented by technical or university courses related to Human Resources. A bachelor’s degree from a recognized academic institution in a relevant field may replace three years of related work experience. A master’s degree may replace an additional two years.

Experience: 

• A minimum of 6 years of progressively responsible administrative or clerical work experience is required.
• Extensive knowledge of HR principles, rules, regulations and procedures with UN is an asset.
• Computer literacy and the ability to effectively use standard office software tools as well as HR systems.
• Ability to extract and format data and to solve operational problems.
• Ability to organize work, set priorities and meet deadlines.
• Takes responsibility to respond to internal and external service needs promptly and proactively; takes initiative to ensure that deadlines, rules and regulations are met. Uses own discretion to address unforeseen situations.
• Demonstrates a high degree of confidentiality, initiative and good judgment.
• Demonstrates courtesy, tact, patience and ability to work effectively with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.

Languages:  

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of the local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

The competencies required for this post are…

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)
• Works Collaboratively with others (1)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (1)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)
• Drive to achieve impactful results (1)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

Remarks 

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

With regard to higher educational qualifications, UNICEF only considers degrees obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

Internal and external candidates are invited to apply.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.