Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) and is based in Mogadishu. Within the limits of delegated authorities, the Human Resources Officer (HRO) reports to Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) of UNSOS and United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), and is responsible for leading a team of HR professionals in providing advice to the CHRO, mission management and staff at large, on a wide range of human resources issues in the mission, in particular on staff selection support to Hiring Managers of UNSOS and UNSOM.

Responsibilities

Within limits of delegated authority, the Human Resources Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

RECRUITMENT AND STAFF SELECTION:
• Projects and monitors vacant posts of UNSOM and UNSOS and ensures adherence to policies and procedures in filling these posts.
• Manages recruitment process including coordinating with client offices in forecasting and identifying vacancies, preparing job openings, reviewing and screening of candidates.
• Review job openings in consultation with hiring managers, ensuring that the evaluation criteria and responsibilities are in line with the approved or classified documents.
• Manages the preliminary review, prepares and submits recruitment cases to approving officials/entities.
• Conducts interviews for selection of candidates.
• Reviews recommendation on the selection of candidate by client offices.
• Participates in task forces and working groups identifying issues/problems, formulating policies and guidelines, and establishing new procedures on recruitment and staff selection.
• Coordinates and administers tests related to the recruitment of professional, general service and other categories of staff.
• Manages the recruitment and selection of national staff ensuring the development of job descriptions for approved posts, liaising with the UNHQ on the classification of such posts, advertising and guiding managers on the selection process in line with UN staff rules and regulations.

ADMINISTRATION OF ENTITLEMENTS AND BENEFITS:
• 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.
• Provides advice and guidance to managers and staff on human resources related matters.
• Reviews the recommendation of level of remuneration for consultants.
• Provides advice on interpretation, application and exceptions to policies, staff regulations and rules.
• Represents the office in joint bodies and working groups relating to salaries and other conditions of service.
• Supervises the process of knowledge/awareness building amongst the programme managers, senior management and staff members with regard to the staff rules and regulations, and related guidelines in the administration of entitlements and their strict application by the HR Section, including consistent implementation of delegated authority.
Monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of related guidelines, staff rules HR rules and regulations, practices and procedures, and recommends revisions to DOS/DMSPC through the CHRO where necessary.

PLANNING AND BUDGET:
• Contributes to the mission planning process throughout the mission life cycle by providing analysis and advice on the staffing requirements and the emerging capacity gaps in accordance with the mission’s mandate.
• Contributes to the budget development process by providing analysis and advice on the human resources requirements and organizational structure of all sections based on the DOS/DMSPC guidelines on budget review.
• Reviews and reflects recommendations of the staffing reviews into the staffing requirements for purpose of budget preparation;
• Constantly reviews and monitors staffing related costs and expenditures in UMOJA in line with funds allotment, ensuring that funds for staffing costs are available, and where necessary alerts the Chief Human Resources Officer to follow up with Finance and Budget Office to deploy funds to meet any shortfall.
• Ensures that expenditures related to staffing are within the budgeted staffing costs, coordinating with the Finance and Budget Units at both the mission and Headquarters levels to ensure availability of funds.
• Advises hiring managers on loaning of posts between sections and movement of posts and staff between locations based on the SOP on Staffing table and Post Management, ensuring the integrity of the staffing table as approved in the budget without discrepancy in sections and locations.
• Reviews and clears the documentation for submission of classification requests as well as the implementation of classification result.

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT:
• Supports the mission in the implementation of the performance appraisal system and monitors its compliance with the proper implementation of the performance management system, providing guidance and substantive support to mission components on standards for the development of service, section, unit and individual work plans.
• Coordinates with the Integrated Mission Training Center to organize training/orientation programmes in performance management and supervisory skills as well as work plans.
• Ensures full-compliance with the performance appraisal system and provides input to the establishment of Management Review Committee and Joint Monitoring Committee and Rebuttal Panel and acts as their facilitator and ex-officio member.
• Counsels staff and managers in cases of under-performance and facilitates the implementation of a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) or other remedial measures, when required.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT:
• Provides regular information on vacancies and opportunities for the generic rostering system and works with FPD through the CHRO as a conduit for headquarters initiatives and as the initiator of individual career advice and counseling.
• Advises staff on training opportunities for HR staff as well as staff in general, giving particular attention to developing and implementing career development paths for national staff members.
• Continuously assesses the skill, expertise and knowledge of the HROs and HRAs, ensuring participation of human resources staff in relevant training programmes and designing individual on-the-job and group training programmes on specific subject matters in the area of human resources management, including in the use of HR IT systems (UMOJA, Inspira, ERP etc).

ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE:
• Coordinates with interested parties such as the Staff Association(s) and the mission’s Conduct and Discipline component, CHRO, Chief of Staff and/or CMS/DMS, to address and mitigate staff grievances with the purpose of resolving them at the lowest practical level.
• Develops preventive activities such as training and sharing best practices and recent jurisprudence related to human resources management.
• In consultation with DOS/DMSPC, coordinate the mission’s responses to formal and informal requests coming from different entities under the Administration of Justice (AoJ) system and implement decisions applicable to the mission.

STAFF AND MANAGEMENT RELATIONS:
• Supports dialogue between the management and international and national staff unions (Field Staff Union and National Staff Committee respectively) to discuss HR matters and related staff issues.
• Together with the CHRO, participates in meetings with staff representatives to address issues affecting the staff and coordinate the quarterly meetings with the Head of the Mission and Director/Chief of Mission Support.
• Attends, as necessary, general or specific meetings for the staff on issues such as HR aspects of mandate implementation, status of HR reforms and other organizational change initiatives etc.

Other:
• Participates in the development of a set of actionable and targeted change management plans, including coaching and training in order to implement these responsibilities and reports on possible gaps and risks and recommends corrective action.
• Assists with the development of a communication strategy with a dedicated intranet page on HR issues and regular formal and informal meetings. Provides inputs in the context of the constant dialogue with the Heads of Operations/Administration of UN Country Teams for coordination of national staff salary surveys, cost of living surveys, and other common policies on in-country entitlements for staff.
• Perform other related duties as assigned by the CHRO.

Competencies

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.

Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; Asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; Tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

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.

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.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in human resources management, business or public administration, social sciences, education or related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven ( 7) years of progressively responsible experience in human resources management, administrative services, management and analysis or related area is required.

Practical experience with the planning and delivery of human resources services in complex, volatile, conflict and post-conflict environments is required.

Experience managing staffing, administration, and talent acquisition using enterprise resource platforms is required.

Experience working with United Nations common systems, human resources and administrative procedures is desirable.

At least three years of experience managing a recruitment team is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position fluency in English, (both oral and written) is required.

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 initially until 31 August 2023 with a possibility of extension. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.

• 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.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

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.

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.