Org. Setting and Reporting

In its Resolution A/RES/72/279, the United Nations General Assembly endorsed the transformation of the Development) as a stand-alone coordination office within the United Nations Secretariat, namely the Development Coordination Office (DCO). DCO now assumes managerial and oversight functions of the resident coordinator system under the collective ownership of the members of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG). This position is located in the United Nations Development Coordination Office (DCO), in the Business Management Branch, New York. The Human Resources Assistant reports to the Team Lead Administration team.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Human Resources Assistant will be responsible for the following duties: Administration of entitlements: • Manages assigned HR Partner portfolio from A-Z, from onboarding in Inspira, employee life-cycle events, to separation including separation payments, in Umoja. • Reviews and processes requests for entitlements and exceptions to the Staff Rules and Regulations, as well as administrative transactions in Umoja such as preparation of personnel actions, processing of contracts and maintenance of staffing tables. • Coordinates with HR Partners from regional and global service providers on any relevant HR Partner actions, for timely completion. • Reviews and processes data pertaining to staff conditions of service. • Supports with DCO non-staff onboarding and ensures timely processing of purchase orders. • Reviews and monitors DCO non-staff and stays current with any changes to non-staff conditions of service. • Provides regular reports and analysis, as requested, on staff and non-staff movements and follows trends of the same. Staff development and career support training: • Supports the development of career-related initiatives within DCO. • Assists in the organization and briefing sessions, courses and workshops on HR topics. • Supports sessions by taking notes, creating action points/summaries, and providing statistical data on participation and compliance (with mandatory training, performance management, leadership dialogues, etc.). • Support HR projects within the larger HR team, such as the creation and maintenance of the SharePoint/knowledge management DCO HR page. Recruitment and placement: • Supports as needed the selection of candidates for secretarial, clerical and related categories positions, including evaluating and screening applications of such candidates, preparing profiles of candidates, and conducting preliminary interviews, and conducting roster searches for vacancies and identifying short-lists of candidates. • Assists in the filling of posts for all categories, including initiating and following-up on reference checks and academic verifications, ensuring the completion of the pre-recruitment formalities, calculating salaries and related benefits, and preparing and dispatching offers of appointment and Statement of Emoluments. • Provides input into policy development for the HR policies of staff in the General Service and related categories. • Oversees the maintenance and tracking status of job openings, onboardings, extensions and separations. • Advises staff on visa and travel matters, processes and documentation. General data and administration support: • Supervises the maintenance of automated databases and the centralized reference and Human Resources filing systems. • Undertakes research on a range of HR-related issues, prepares notes/reports, and provides advice on exceptions to policies, regulations and rules in the context of the new delegation of authority framework. • Contributes to the preparation of reports based on organizational needs and requirements for reporting and analysis. • Contributes to the preparation of data sets, being responsible for the acquisition and initial cleaning of data from primary and secondary data systems and documents data sets used. • Provides general office support services; processes, drafts, edits, proofreads and finalizes for signature/approval, a variety of correspondence and other communications; sets up and maintains files/records (electronic and paper); schedules appointments/meetings, monitors deadlines, etc. • Prepares written response to general queries concerning HR-related matters. • Trains and provides supervision to new and lower-level staff in the unit, as needed. • Performs other tasks as assigned.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of human resources policies, procedures and practices and ability to interpret and apply them in an organizational setting. Understanding of the HR policy framework of a large organization. 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. Commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of work. 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. PLANNING AND 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. TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent is required.

Job – Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in human resources management, administrative services or related area is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to five (5) for candidates who possess a first-level university degree or higher. Experience using ERP systems for HR administration actions, such as Umoja, is required. Experience in HR Data Management using MS Excel, HR databases, or similar tracking programs is desired. Experience using recruitment platforms such as Inspira or similar is desired.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage. “Fluency equals a rating of “Fluent” in all four areas (read, speak, write and understand) and “Knowledge of” equals a rating of “Confident” in two of the four areas.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

This position is temporarily available for a finite period of 364 days. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment. 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. This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. All staff in the General Service and related categories shall be recruited in the country or within commuting distance of each office, irrespective of their nationality and of the length of time they may have been in the country. A staff member subject to local recruitment shall not be eligible for the allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment. Further, if the selected candidate/staff members are not in the country or within commuting distance of the office, the selected candidates/staff members will be responsible for any costs related to their travel and relocation in the context of onboarding to report for duty. If the selected candidate/staff member does not already have the right to work in the duty station, appointment is contingent on issuance of a visa from the local authorities. 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. Internal Applicants: When completing the form, ensure ALL fields, ALL professional experience and contact information are completed and up-to-date. This information is the basis for the hiring manager to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position and to contact you. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply on-line as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. Online applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. In such cases, please resubmit the application, if necessary. If the problem persists, please seek technical assistance through the Inspira “Need Help?” link. NOTE: While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post. Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station. This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15. Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply. Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation. Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as “retirement.” Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.

United Nations Considerations

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. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile 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.

No Fee

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.