Duty Station : ADDIS ABABA
Department/Office : Economic Commission for Africa
Deadline : Dec 31, 2023
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 Agenda and Agenda 2063. The mission will be guided by ECA’s five 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 position is in the Human Resources Management Section (HRMS), Division of Administration (DOA), United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). The Human Resources Officer works under the direct supervision of the Chief of Human Resources Management Section.
Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Human Resources Officer will be responsible for the following duties:
GENERAL:
• Provides advice and support to managers and staff on human resources related matters.
• Prepares special reports and participates and/or leads special human resources project.
• Keeps abreast of developments in various areas of human resources.
RECRUITMENT AND PLACEMENT:
• Identifies upcoming vacancies in coordination with client offices.
• Prepares vacancy announcements, reviews applications, and provides a short-list to those offices.
• Arranges and conducts interviews to select candidates.
• Reviews recommendation on the selection of candidate by client offices.
• Serves as ex-officio in appointment and promotion bodies, examinations boards, and prepares and presents cases to these bodies.
• Prepares job offers for successful candidates.
• Monitors and evaluates recruitment and placement related activities of client offices, and recommends changes or corrections related to procedures to these offices.
• Supervises and monitors the work of the Human Resources Assistants in carrying out all human resources administrative transactions including preparation of personnel actions, maintenance of staffing tables, and processing of contracts.
• Plans, organizes, develops, coordinates and administers the National Competitive Examinations, G to P Examinations, Language professionals’ examinations and other programmes and tests related to recruitment of professional, general service and other categories of staff.
ADMINISTRATION OF ENTITLEMENTS:
• Advises the Chief Human Resources Officers on the development, modification and implementation of United Nations policies and practices on 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.
• Reviews and recommends level of remuneration for consultants.
• Receives and reviews grievances and complaints related to entitlements and benefits, assessing and evaluating merit of each case and makes recommendation for resolution.
STAFF DEVELOPMENT AND CAREER SUPPORT:
• Identifies and analyzes staff development and career support needs and designs programmes to meet identified needs. Prepares monitoring reports on staff development and career support programmes.
• Designs and manages sabbatical/external assistance schemes.
• Provides advice on mobility and career development to staff, particularly young professionals and staff in the General Service and related categories.
• Designs, plans, monitors and provides induction orientation programme and briefing to new staff members.
• Provides performance management advice to staff and management. Assists supervisors and staff with understanding and using the performance appraisal system (PAS).
• Assesses training needs, identifies, designs and delivers training programmes to staff at all levels throughout the Organization.
OTHER DUTIES:
• Advises and counsels staff in respect of rights, responsibilities, code of conduct and difficulties associated with work and entitlements.
• Conducts and coordinates salary surveys assessing the labor market at Headquarters and in the field and establishes salaries and related allowances of locally-recruited staff.
• Prepares classification analysis of jobs in Professional and General Service and related categories.
• Provides guidance to programme managers on the application of classification policies and procedures and by undertaking whole office review.
• Assists in preparing policy papers, position papers and briefing notes on issues related to examinations and tests.
• Collects and analyzes data to identify trends or patterns and provides insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.
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.
• 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.
• MANAGING
PERFORMANCE:
Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority; makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member; accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills; monitors progress against milestones and deadlines; regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff; encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative; actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff; appraises performance fairly.
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 qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
- Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is desirable.
Work Experience
- A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in human resources management, administration or related area is required.
- Experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.
- Experience in the United Nations Common System or a similar international organization is desirable.
- Experience in using Umoja or a similar Enterprise Resource Planning System (ERP) is desirable.
Languages
- English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat.
- For the post advertised, fluency in English is required.
- Knowledge of French is desirable.
- Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable.
Assessment
- Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a competency-based interview.
Special Notice
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.
The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. Pursuant to section 7.11 of ST/AI/2012/2/Rev.1, candidates recruited through the young professionals programme who have not served for a minimum of two years in the position of their initial assignment are not eligible to apply to this position. For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or underrepresented in the UN Secretariat as of 30 June 2023, are strongly encouraged to apply: Afghanistan, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Djibouti, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Monaco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu.
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.
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.