Human Resources Officer at United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON)

This post is located in the Human Resources Management Service (HRMS) within the Division of Administrative Services of the United Nations Office at Nairobi and reports to the team leader of the RCS team in the Staff Pay and Benefits Section.

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

Responsibilities

• GENERAL:
  • Advises human resources assistants on staff pay and benefits, including the on-boarding of selected candidates.
  • Provides advice and support to managers and staff on human resources related matters.
  • Keeps abreast of developments in various areas of human resources.
  • Supervises the work of the human resources assistants in carrying out human resources administrative transactions, including preparation of personnel actions, maintenance of staffing tables and processing of contracts.
  • Oversees the maintained of filling systems
  • Provides advice and support to managers and staff on human resources related matters.
  • Prepares special reports and participates and/or leads special human resources projects.
  • Keeps abreast of developments in various areas of human resources.
• ADMINISTRATION OF ENTITLEMENTS:
  • Provides advice on interpretation and application of policies, regulations and rules. Reviews and provides advice on exceptions to policies, regulation and rules.
  • Administers and provides advice on salary and related benefits, travel, and social security entitlements.
  • Determines and recommends benefits and entitlements for staff on the basis of contractual status.
  • Reviews policies and procedures and recommends changes as required.
• OTHER DUTIES:
  • Advises and counsels staff in respect of rights, responsibilities, code of conduct and difficulties associated with work and entitlements.
  • Perform other related duties as assigned.

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.
•  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.

Education

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

Work Experience

• A minimum of five years of relevant experience, of which three at the international level, in human resources and personnel administration is required.
• Work experience analyzing HR data and preparing reports to a targeted audience is desirable.
• Work experience using and trouble-shooting complex cases in Enterprise Resources Planning (ERP) systems is desirable.
• Work experience in administering entitlements and benefits for geographically dispersed staff members is desirable.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the UN Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required. Fluency of French and Spanish is desirable. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.

NOTE: 'Fluency' equals a rating of 'fluent' in all four areas (speak, read, 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 will be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice
Appointment against this post is for an initial period of one year and may be subject to extension. 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.

The United Nations is 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 PHP, 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.

Individual contractors and consultants who have worked within the UN Secretariat in the last six months, irrespective of the administering entity, are ineligible to apply for professional and higher temporary or fixed-term positions and their applications will not be considered.

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. On-line 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. If the problem persists, please seek technical assistance through the Inspira "Need Help?" link.

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.

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.

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