Chief, Recruitment – P5  

Background

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP:  we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
 

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is a global organization that is part of the broader United Nations System, dedicated to promoting sustainable development. Established in 1965, UNDP plays a pivotal role in supporting nations in their efforts to eradicate poverty, reduce inequality, and advance socio-economic development. With a focus on inclusive and equitable growth, UNDP provides technical expertise, mobilizes financial resources, and delivers policy and other services to support the formulation and implementation of effective development strategies and solutions that align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP operates in over 170 countries and territories, collaborating with local partners, governments, and other stakeholders to build resilient communities and foster sustainable development. UNDP’s initiatives span a wide range of areas, including climate change, gender equality, governance, and crisis response, embodying its commitment to creating a better and more sustainable future for people across the globe.

The Office of Human Resources (OHR) is part of the UNDP Bureau for Management Services (BMS) of UNDP. It is the anchor of the global HR function for UNDP, providing strategy and policy setting, guidance, and oversight. In addition, BMS/OHR provides a broad range of HR advisory and talent management services enabling UNDP to deliver fully integrated development solutions and its workforce – to deliver more and better results. BMS/OHR aims to be at the leading edge of HR in the international development sector by developing high quality and innovative human resources solutions and driving transformation across UNDP.

In line with its mandate, one of the key areas of focus for BMS/OHR is recruitment. The scope of this area of work includes the development of strategies, approaches, policies, methods, and tools applied across UNDP in relation to recruitment of staff and non-staff personnel at all levels, as well as provision of oversight regarding their consistent application. In addition, BMS/OHR is responsible for the delivery of centrally managed recruitment services to HQs and select other UNDP units. Over the last several years, significant changes have taken place in this area, including the clustering of recruitment services from business units into the BMS/Global Shared Service Centre (GSSC), adoption of the new cloud-based recruitment platform, and work on a new assessment and selection framework. Full implementation and continuous optimization of the recruitment policies, processes and mechanisms remains a key priority.  
 

Duties and Responsibilities
Chief, Recruitment plays a pivotal role in BMS/OHR and the organization more widely through leading UNDP’s corporate recruitment function. The primary objectives of this position is leading the development and implementation of effective UNDP-wide strategies, policies and processes to select and recruit top talent across all contract modalities; ensuring the delivery of efficient, effective, objective, fair, transparent and inclusive recruitment services centralized in BMS/OHR and enabling as well providing oversight of the delivery of such services by BMS/GSSC and Business Units, including Country Offices; as well as fostering a positive candidate experience and aligning recruitment efforts with the organization’s broader goals and objectives. 

UNDP has adopted a portfolio approach to effectively respond to changing business needs and leverage relevant synergies and linkages to achieve its strategic goals. This is in recognition of the interconnected nature of development challenges that the world is facing and that call for assembling multidisciplinary teams for an integrated and systemic response. Therefore, all UNDP personnel are expected to work across issues, units, functions, teams and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

1) Lead the design and enable the effective implementation of policies related to recruitment and selection in UNDP, and respective business processes and procedures

• In line with the UNDP people strategy and best practices, leads the development of UNDP recruitment strategies and policies, business processes and procedures.
• Responsible for overseeing the correct and consistent implementation of UNDP’s recruitment policies and procedures. 
• Ensures periodic reviews and periodic revisions of UNDP recruitment policies, business processes and procedures, in line with best practice.
• Engages in relevant inter-agency and external fora to acquire and share good practices and as required, leads or engages in relevant inter-agency initiatives.

2) Drive and guide the development and wider roll-out of sound assessment and selection methodologies, mechanisms and tools to enable effective talent acquisition and deployment

• Leads the development and implementation of assessment and selection methodologies, mechanisms, and tools which ensure quality, validity, reliability and efficiency of recruitment processes.
• Ensures ongoing monitoring and analysis of the fitness for purpose, quality, validity, reliability and efficiency of assessment and selection methodologies – including psychometric monitoring of assessment tools.
• Ensures and drives collaboration with internal stakeholders as well as external partners, practice leaders and experts to gather insights and requirements for improving assessment and selection processes.
• Ensures that HR professionals, hiring managers, and other relevant personnel understand and are able to consistently and properly apply assessment and selection methodologies. 
• Leads the development of plans for the wider roll-out of the improved assessment and selection methodologies, mechanisms, and tools across the organization. Defines timelines, communication strategies, and implementation steps to ensure smooth adoption and integration into existing processes.

3) In close collaboration with BMS/Information and Technology Management (ITM) team, ensure identification and implementation of high-quality technology solutions and platforms to enable efficient and effective recruitment services, maximizing the automation of processes

• Based on solid understanding of the crucial role of technology in driving recruitment processes, ensures that the necessary IT tools and platforms are in place
• Leads the development of business requirements for IT systems and tools to enable and support effective recruitment in UNDP.
• Engages with vendors and internal IT teams on the acquisition, roll-out and usage of relevant IT systems and tools.
• Ensures effective support to relevant stakeholders in the use of the IT systems and tool used in talent acquisition and deployment, with a focus on recruitment.

4) Ensure effective delivery of the recruitment services centralized in BMS/OHR 

• Leads the design and ensures effective implementation of a sound service delivery model and related work processes aligned with agreed recruitment policies and business process.
• Ensures effective monitoring of performance in service delivery, through dashboards and other means; develops, creates awareness about and tracks KPIs.
• Continuously looks for and ensures operationalization of service improvements.
• Engages with clients to understand their needs, ensures their understanding of relevant standards and policies, proactively manages issues and supports high client satisfaction. 
• Provides oversight and quality assurance; spot checks for issues and proposes solutions to recurrent concerns.

5) Ensure effective capacity building and technical support to recruitment teams in Global Shared Service Center (GSSC), and business units, including Country Offices, delivering recruitment services

• Ensures development of guides and other capacity building resources to ensure that relevant stakeholders are aware of, understand and can effectively implement policies and procedures.
• Provides policy advice and guidance to recruitment teams in BMS/GSSC and other business units, including Country Offices
• Proactively shares knowledge using practice networks, briefings of HR Management, Senior Management and HR Business Partners and colleagues

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organisation.

Chief, Recruitment manages the Recruitment Unit and supervises staff directly reporting to them. 

Chief, Recruitment works very closely with the HR Business Partners, Organizational Design and Workforce Planning Team, Talent Acquisition and People Programmes (TAPP) Team, and People Performance Unit (PPU) in BMS/OHR, as well as BMS/Global Shared Services Centre (GSSC), Country Offices, hiring managers and multiple clients across UNDP.

Competencies
 

Core Competencies – UNDP Core Competencies can be found here.

• Achieve Results – LEVEL 4: Prioritize team workflow, mobilize resources, drive scalable results/strategic impact 
• Think Innovatively – LEVEL 4: Easily navigate complexity, encourage/enable radical innovation, has foresight 
• Learn Continuously – LEVEL 4: Create systems and processes that enable learning and development for all 
• Adapt with Agility -LEVEL 4: Proactively initiate/lead organizational change, champion new systems/processes 
• Act with Determination – LEVEL 4: Able to make difficult decisions in challenging situations, inspire confidence 
• Engage and Partner – LEVEL 4: Construct strategic multi-partner alliances in high stake situations, foster co-creation  
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion- LEVEL 4: Create ethical culture, identify/address barriers to inclusion  

People Management

UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Technical competencies 

• HR – Recruitment: Recruitment design and management: Knowledge of, ability to design and manage end to end recruitment processes 

Cross-Functional competencies

Business Direction & Strategy

• Business acumen: Ability to understand and deal with a business situation in a manner that is likely to lead to a good outcome; Knowledge and understanding of the operational frameworks in the organization and ability to make good judgments and quick decisions within such frameworks. 
• Strategic thinking: Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities, linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions.
• System thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.
• Effective decision making: Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority and area of expertise and resources.

Business management

• Results-based management: Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results.
• Portfolio management: Ability to select, prioritise and control the organizations programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimising return on investment.
• Customer satisfaction/management: Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to respond to real customers’ needs; Lead the development of customer service strategies; Look for ways to add value beyond clients’ immediate requests; ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needs and concerns.
• Communication: Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication means; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience; Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Human Resources Management, Organizational Development, Business Administration or other relevant field is required; Or
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the above-mentioned fields of study, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• Professional certification in human resources management is desirable.

Experience:

• A minimum of 10 years (with master’s degree) or 12 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience (e.g., general management, HR management, Operations management) in either public sector (national or multilateral, including UN), private sector, academia, non-governmental sector, corporate sector (required).
• At least 5 years of experience in recruitment and selection in public sector organisations (required).
• Managerial/supervisory experience (desired).
• Experience in managing service delivery in recruitment and/or other HR areas (desired).
• Knowledge of and experience in managing the identification and roll-out of technology solutions and platforms to enable efficient and effective recruitment process (desired).
• Experience in data analysis and use of metrics to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of business processes (desired).
• Experience of implementing data privacy and retention policies (desired).
• Proven knowledge of and experience in applying assessment and selection frameworks and methodologies (desired).
• Experience of dealing with highly sensitive confidential information (desired).

Language:

• Fluent in English (required). 
• Knowledge of other UN languages is an asset.

Please note that continuance of appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.

Disclaimer

Important information for US Permanent Residents (‘Green Card’ holders) 

Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment. 

UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Non-discrimination

UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.  

UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status. 

Scam warning

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