United Nations – UN-Secretariat

Junior Professional Officer Program (JPO) Chiffre Nr. 2024-2-40

TERMS OF REFERENCE

I. General Information

Title: JPO in Human Resources Management

Sector of Assignment: Administration (Human Resources Management)

Organization/Office: United Nations / Department of Operational Support (DOS) / Office of Support Operations (OSO) / Human Resources Services Division (HRSD) / Operational Support and Advisory Service (OSAS)

Country and Duty Station: New York, USA

Duration of assignment: 2 years with possibility of extension for another year. The extension of appointment is subject to yearly review concerning priorities, availability of funds, and satisfactory performance

Please note that for participants of the JPO-Programme two years work experience are mandatory! Relevant work experience can be counted. In order to assess the eligibility of the candidates, we review the relevant experience acquired after obtaining the first university degree (usually bachelor’s degree).

II. Supervision

Title of Supervisor:

Chief, Operational Support and Advisory Service, Human Resources Services Division, Office of Support Operations, Department of Operational Support.

Content and methodology of supervision:

Establishment of a Work Plan: During the first month of the assignment, the Junior Professional Officer (JPO) will work jointly with his/her direct supervisor to finalize an agreed upon work plan. The final work plan will be discussed and mutually agreed to by the JPO and his/her supervisor.

Evaluation: The United Nations Performance Appraisal System (e-performance) will serve as a primary platform to evaluate the JPO’s performance.

The yearly evaluation would be completed after the first year of service with close performance monitoring and appraisal as required. Ongoing discussions will take place between the supervisor and supervisee throughout the reporting period regarding tasks to be performed. The JPO will be given continuous professional feedback, guidance, training, and mentoring by the supervisor. The JPO will also be expected to attend a weekly meeting with all members of the Section in addition to regular meetings with the Supervisor to discuss work assignments.

III. Duties, Responsibilities and Output Expectations

Under the direct supervision and guidance of the Chief of the Operational Support and Advisory Service, the JPO will be responsible to perform the following tasks and duties for the projects to which he/she will be assigned:

• Support the Chief of the Operational Support and Advisory Service (OSAS) to serve as the single client facing entity for advisory and operational support to all UN Secretariat entities (more than 200 clients globally), so these entities can in turn implement their mandated and programmatic activities. OSAS in particular supports clients exercising their HR delegated authorities and advises on legal and operational risks pertaining to cases under the system of administration of justice, support performance management, recruitment, and HR entitlements. 
• Support the Chief in providing specialized HR operational support to clients on request. The information received from the requests for HR assistance from various clients helps OSAS to have a high level strategic and operational visibility of all HR issues affecting the UN secretariat and to be able to guide clients through their complex HR challenges with guidance on applicable policies, best practices and risk mitigation measures.
• Support the Chief in advocating for HR policy changes that address organizational, systemic, operational and client needs. HRSD/DOS advocates for policy changes on behalf of HR operations globally because our perspective of the operational challenges associated with implementing HR policy enables us to support policy formulation by advocating with DMPSC/OHR for changes to the Staff Rules, administrative instructions (ST/AI), and bulletins (ST/SGB). OSAS in particular participates in regular and direct engagement with OHR to ensure that policies are calibrated and more responsive to the operational needs of all Secretariat entities, including in the field and update our clients by sharing with them our analysis of policy-related issues, changes proposed, and the status of implementation.  During the 2023-25 period HRSD will be focused on helping to design and implement policy changes in the areas prioritized for reform by the Secretary-General such as recruitment, contract administration, travel and non-staff personnel. 
• Support the Chief in coordinating and providing specialized HR support response to entities when they are going through a crisis or emergency management because either the client does not have the expertise to do this on their own and/or the operational environment is fast changing. Examples from the past including the security crisis in Afghanistan, Ukraine, Ethiopia, Haiti Sudan, natural disasters such as earthquake in Turkiye, Syria etc., the closure of UN mission in Mali (MINUSMA) and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Assist in other duties, as required.

IV. Qualifications and Experience

Education:

Master’s degree in human resources management, law, business or public administration, social sciences, education or related field.

Work experience:

A minimum of two years of progressively responsible experience in human resources management, administration, program management, law or related area.  Experience working in HR policy development, performance management, employee relations and/or administrative law is desirable.

Languages:

Fluency in oral and written English is required; knowledge of French is desirable.

UN competencies:

PROFESSIONALISM: 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.

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 the audience; Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

PLANNING & 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.

TECHNOLOGICAL AWARENESS: Keeps abreast of available technology; Understands applicability and limitations of technology to the work of the office; Actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; Shows willingness to learn new technology.

Workforce Diversity

The United Nations believes that an inclusive culture attracts the best talent and encourages all qualified applicants, regardless of gender, disability, sexual orientation, cultural or religious backgrounds, to apply.

V. Learning Elements

On completion of the assignment, the JPO will have:

• An excellent understanding of the UN Secretariat and its human resources support structures;
• An in-depth knowledge of the challenges of Human Resources Management in a multicultural environment of an inter-governmental organization;
• Detailed knowledge of the systems of administration of justice and performance management in the United Nations;
• A good understanding of best practices in employment dispute resolution and effective case management; and
• A comprehensive knowledge of the applicable UN regulations, rules, policies, guidelines and procedures, particularly on human resources.

VI. Background Information

Within the Department of Operational Support (DOS), the Office of Support Operations (OSO) provides dedicated advisory and operational support services to more than 200 UN Secretariat entities globally. OSO oversees three pillars covering Human Resources Services, Health Management and Occupational Safety and Health, and Capacity Development and Operational Training. This position is located in the Human Resources Services Division (HRSD), Operational Support and Advisory Service (OSAS). OSAS serves as an enabling partner to support clients in fulfilling their mandates. The key services include providing guidance to entities on the proper exercise of delegated human resource authorities, advising on the application of human resources policies and procedures, advising managers on formal and informal conflict resolution, performance management, providing inputs to developing, simplifying, and streamlining policies and procedures, and supporting clients in developing, formulating and implementing their customized entity-specific human resources strategies and plans. The Client Relations and Specialized Advisory Section (CRSAS) serves as the primary entry point for client entities seeking human resources advice and provides specialized advice in the prevention and resolution of conflict including for cases in the system of administration of justice (mainly at the MEU and pre-MEU stages).

Bitte senden Sie Ihre JPO-Bewerbung direkt an das Büro Führungskräfte zu Internationalen Organisationen (BFIO) unter Angabe der Chiffre Nr. 2024-2-40 auf dem Bewerbungsbogen

Alle Informationen finden Sie unter www.bfio.de