UNDP HUMAN RESOURCES SPECIALIST, New York

HUMAN RESOURCES SPECIALIST

Location : New York, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Application Deadline : 07-Aug-13

Type of Contract : FTA International

Post Level : P-4

Languages Required :English

Starting Date : (date when the selected candidate is expected to start) 16-Sep-2013

Duration of Initial Contract : 1 year

Background

Within the overall framework of corporate HR policy and in close collaboration with other OHR departments, the HR Specialist advises staff of BDP units on HR matters and provides HR Advisory services to support the achievement of corporate business and staff performance objectives. The HR Specialist partners with line management to analyze strategic business needs, formulates Bureau-specific HR strategies, and implements corporate human resource programmes to attract, develop, motivate and retain the most suitable talent in the organization. Through knowledge of the HQ and country office settings, matrix collaboration, and best practices of benchmarked organizations, the HR Specialist recommends changes to, and partners in the development and implementation of new HR policies to meet client needs.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of key functions:

• Implementation of HR strategies and policies.
• Strategic and Policy Advisory Services
• Advocacy and oversight functions
• Facilitation and promotion of knowledge building and sharing
• Management of BDP HR staff

Implementation and management of HR strategies and policies focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Implementation of an HR strategy in BDP, and proper design and functioning of the HR management system;
• Full compliance of HR activities with UN rules and regulations, UNDP policies, procedures and strategies;
• Interpretation of HR policies and regulations and advice to senior managers on their application, taking into account their particular needs;
• Continuous analysis of corporate HR strategy and policies, assessing the impact of changes and making recommendations on their implementation in BDP;
• Elaboration and introduction of measurement indicators, monitoring and reporting on achievement of results;
• Advice to Senior Management on new HR practices and their implementation (succession planning, career; development and transition, strategic recruitment, contract modalities, training needs, and performance evaluation)
• Recommend solutions to highly complex and exceptional cases;
• BDP HR business processes mapping and elaboration/establishment of internal Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in HR management, and control of the workflows in the HR Unit;
• Advocacy for the implementation, monitoring and compliance of the HR policies including gender and harassment, career development, and knowledge management;
• Development of procedures and practices that contribute to enhanced and improved HR management.

Strategic and Policy Advisory Services focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Assessment of the Bureau's HR needs and develops with senior management and business units targeted HR strategies and interventions to achieve business objectives;
• In close partnership and collaboration with other BAS and OHR strategic corporate units develops corporate HR plans and strategic initiatives for BDP Provides advice to corporate unit partners and clients on corporate policies on staffing and business operations
• Provides technical, and operational support and guidance on policy application and interpretation to Bureau management, staff at HQ, and liaison offices;
• Advice to management on staff career development and training needs in line with performance management discussions;
• Recommends solutions to highly complex and exceptional cases.

Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing in BDP focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Design and implementation of training for operations/programme staff on HR issues;
• Synthesis of lessons learned and best practices in HR;
• In a highly matrixed manner between BOM and BDP, ensures an integrated and coherent approach on policy implementation and services for the staff;
• Participates in corporate UNDP networks to maintain up-to-date knowledge of trends and best practices, distills best practices and comparative experiences, and proposes quality enhancements in order to maximize policy impact and relevance;
• Raises awareness of BDP business units on corporate strategic issues, plans and initiatives to maximize; utilization, implementation and reporting on results.

Oversight of Implementation focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Bridges the gap between corporate-level policy development, corporate-directed programmes, and execution at the BDP level e.g. performance and career management, workforce planning, succession planning, learning, GSS, and scorecards;
• Elaboration and implementation of the protocol for performance appraisal process and elaboration of performance evaluation indicators in consultation with the Senior Management;
• Exercising delegated authority approves exceptions and reports to senior management periodically on decisions taken. Recommends to OHR for approval those exceptions of precedent-setting nature;
• Advises on classification of posts within the established delegated authority and application of generic profiles
• Timely and appropriate selection or placement of staff taking into account organizational priorities, e.g. gender balance, geographical distribution, competencies, etc.;
• Projects BDP vacancies and staffing requirements to the appropriate corporate unit for vacancy management and succession management planning;
• Coordinates with Staff Administrative Services in Copenhagen to ensure implementation of recruitment, placement, reassignment, and separation decisions for BDP staff;
• Assesses the effectiveness of BDP-HR unit's operations against corporate performance indicators, plans and results. Recommends corrective measures to ensure of goals and objectives.

Management of the BDP HR staff focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Build capacity of BDP Human Resources staff through training, briefings, and learning programmes in accordance with UNDP's talent management and knowledge practices;
• Learning Management including establishing the unit's Learning Plans and ensuring supervised staff meet their development needs while meeting the needs of UNDP;
• Information Technology Management through leveraging Atlas functionality for improved business results, simplification of transaction and reporting processes, and improved client services as well as leveraging Portal functionality for content management, information provision and learning.

Impact of Results

The key results have an impact on the overall efficiency of BDP in human resources management and success in introduction and implementation of HR strategies and policies. Proper implementation of HR strategy and policies, and management of HR ensures client satisfaction and maintains high staff morale.

Competencies

Corporate

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favouritism.

Functional Competencies

Building Partnerships

• Effectively networks with partners seizing opportunities to build alliances;
• Displays initiative, sets challenging outputs for him/herself and willingly accepts new work assignments.

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing

• Makes the case for innovative ideas documenting successes and building them into the design of new approaches.
• Develops and/or participates in the development of mechanisms, including identifying new approaches to promote individual and organizational learning and knowledge sharing using formal and informal methodologies;
• Building staff competence, creating an environment of creativity and innovation.

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise

• Knowledge of UN Staff Regulations and Rules and Personnel Directives;
• Knowledge of UNDP HR Policies & Procedures, rules and regulations;
• Understands advanced aspects of primary area of specialization as well as the fundamental concepts of related disciplines (human resources management).
• Continues to seek new and improved methods and systems for accomplishing the work of the unit
• Keeps abreast of new developments in area of professional discipline and job knowledge and seeks to develop him/herself professionally;
• Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments;
• Demonstrates comprehensive understanding and knowledge of the current guidelines and tools and utilizes these regularly in work assignments.

Promoting Organizational Change and Development

• Performs appropriate work analysis and assists in redesign to establish clear standards for implementation.

Client Orientation

• Anticipates client needs;
• Works towards creating an enabling environment for a smooth relationship between the clients and service provider;
• Demonstrates understanding of client’s perspective;
• Building and promoting effective teams.

Promoting Accountability and Results-Based Management

• Provides inputs to the development of organizational standards for accountability and results-based management.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Masters Degree in HR, Business Administration, Management, Public Administration or other closely related field.

Experience

• 7 years of relevant experience at the national or international level providing HR advisory services;
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc).

Language Requirements

• Fluency in English is required;
• Knowledge of another UN language is an asset.

UNDP Personal History form (P11 required of all applicants at time of application):

http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/corporate/Careers/P11_Personal_history_form.doc.

Click here for important information for US Permanent Residents ('Green Card' holders).

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

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