HUMAN RESOURCES ASSISTANT, G6

Duty Stations: Addis Ababa

Department/Office: : Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)

Deadline: May 17, 2026

Job Description

Org. Setting and Reporting

ECA’s mission is to deliver ideas and actions for an empowered and transformed Africa; informed by the 2030 SDGs and Agenda 2063. The mission is guided by ECA’s five new strategic directions which are: advancing ECA’s position as a premier knowledge institution that builds on its unique position and privilege to bring global solutions to the continent’s problems and take local solutions to the continent; developing macroeconomic and structural policy options to accelerate economic diversification and job creation; designing and implementing innovative financing models for infrastructure, and for human, physical and social assets for a transforming Africa; contributing solutions to regional and transboundary challenges, with a focus on peace security and social inclusion as an important development nexus; advocating Africa’s position at the global level and developing regional responses as a contribution to global governance issues.

This post is located in the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Human Resources Management Section, Administration and Conference Management Division (HRMS, ACMD). The incumbent broadly provides experienced-level support in the administration of staff benefits and entitlements, applying established human resources rules and procedures across a broad range of cases. Processes personnel actions, maintains records, and provides guidance to staff on HR procedures, ensuring accuracy and timely service delivery.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Human Resources Assistant may be responsible for the following duties: Administration of Contracts and Staff Movements:

• Carry out on-boarding processes of selected candidates, process personnel action (PA), issue Letter of Appointments; monitor contract expiration dates and process contract extension requests.

• Process temporary and permanent staff movements and related administrative actions, including those related to inter-agency agreements.

• Process off boarding and related separation personnel actions.

• Assist staff in completing documentation for benefits, insurance, and separation-related processes by explaining requirements, providing standard forms and guidance, reviewing submissions for completeness, and following up on missing or incorrect information prior to processing.

Administration of Benefits and Entitlements

• Review reports and records and process staff benefit and entitlements. Maintain personal status of staff members and administer/monitor entitlements related to dependents.

• Responds to a range of queries on staff entitlements, providing guidance based on established policies.

• Review supporting documentation and process entitlements-related actions in Umoja. Process travel requests (home leave, family visit, education grant travel) in accordance with procedures.

• Review and approve time and attendance requests, including parental leave, sick leave, special leave etc., ensuring accuracy and completeness. Identify inconsistencies and escalate issues to the supervisor when required.

• Monitor submission of required annual declarations and follow up as needed; review and prepare submission of documentation related to health/life insurance and Joint Staff Pension fund.

Support to reporting and process coordination

• Compile and organize data and contribute to preparation of routine reports.

• Maintain tracking tools and ensure HR records are up to date.

• Updates standard information materials, including guidance notes and web content.

• Draft routine correspondence and responses to queries.

• Provide guidance to less experienced staff on established procedures.

General

• Monitor implementation and compliance with existing regulations through review of personnel actions.

• Assist with the collection and analysis of data, as well as its presentations for knowledge sharing and decision making, by extracting and reconciling data from Umoja and related systems, ensuring data integrity, preparing analytical summaries, dashboards and reports, and identifying trends, discrepancies and areas requiring management attention.

• Assists with visualizations and updating information material such as web pages or brochures.

• Participate in special human resources projects and ad hoc clean-up exercises, as needed, by independently reviewing and reconciling HR records, resolving inconsistencies, updating data in relevant systems, coordinating inputs with stakeholders, and delivering timely, accurate contributions to project outputs.

Competencies

• PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of the human resources policies, procedures and practices and ability to apply them in an organizational setting. Demonstrates use of initiative and makes appropriate linkages in work requirements and anticipates next steps. 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. The ability to perform analysis, modeling and interpretation of data in support of decision-making.

• 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

High school diploma or equivalent is required.
Training in human resources or administration is desirable.
Good knowledge of UN HR rules and procedures and HR systems (e.g. Umoja) is an advantage.
Proficiency in standard office software required.

Work Experience

A minimum of Seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in human resources, administrative services, or a related area is required.
The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to five (5) years for candidates who possess a first-level university degree or higher.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat.
For this job opening, English is required. French is desirable.

The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details).

Required Languages

Language	Reading	Writing	Listening	Speaking
English	UN Level II	UN Level II	UN Level II	UN Level II

Desirable Languages

Language	Reading	Writing	Listening	Speaking
French	UN Level II	UN Level II	UN Level II	UN Level II

Assessment

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

Special Notice

This position is available on a temporary basis. 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 job opening 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. 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. This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. Applicants for positions in the General Service and related categories must be authorized to work for the United Nations in the duty station where the position is located.

Eligible applicants selected from outside the duty station are responsible for any expenses in connection with their relocation to the duty station. Staff members subject to local recruitment are not eligible for allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. 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. 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.

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.

All external candidates recruited in accordance with section ‎2.2 (a) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment without limitation and all external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2. (c) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment limited to the entity are subject to an initial probationary period of one year under a fixed-term appointment. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

HE 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.