Org. Setting and Reporting
This position is located in the Human Resources Section, Executive Office of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The post will be located in New York. OCHA is the part of the United Nations Secretariat responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies. OCHA also ensures there is a framework within which each actor can contribute to the overall response efforts.
OCHA's mission is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors in order to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies; advocate the rights of people in need; promote preparedness and prevention and facilitate sustainable solutions. This temporary job opening is being advertised for the position of Human Resources Officer located in New York. The incumbent will report to the Human Resources Officer/Team Lead, Talent Acquisition and Outreach Management in Istanbul, Türkiye.
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 data and statistics using Inspira and existing dashboard for reporting purposes for client offices.
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 activities.
Support the Junior Professional Officer (JPO) programme including liaising with the relevant stakeholders.
Prepares data and statistics using Inspira and existing dashboard for reporting purposes for client offices.
Supports the Head of Unit by monitoring recruitment status.
Provides advice on staff selection system in accordance with internal policies and in line with relevant rules and regulations. Other duties
Prepares in coordination with offices classification of jobs in Professional and General Service and related categories as needed.
Provides guidance to programme managers on the application of classification policies and procedures.
Assists in preparing staffing related policy papers, position papers and briefing notes on issues related to examinations and tests.
Collects and analyzes data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.
Performs other duties as required
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. Able to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management.
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
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.
Work Experience
A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in human resources management, administration or related area is required. Experience in recruitment and talent sourcing, including screening of applications, is required. Experience with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems or People Soft platforms, such as Inspira or equivalent is required. Experience in organizing outreach activities, events or campaigns, including digital engagement and stakeholder co-ordination is desirable. Experience in providing advice and guidance on human resources policies related to recruitment is desirable. Experience in working in the UN Common System or comparable international organizations is desirable.
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 competency-based interview.
Special Notice
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.
(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. 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.
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.