Job Description
Lead global HR initiatives, shaping recruitment, policy, and people strategies to foster excellence in diverse international environments.
The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. UNOPS supports partners to build a better future by providing services that increase the efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of peace building, humanitarian and development projects. Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organizations.
On 24 February 2022, the military of the Russian Federation invaded Ukraine, with strikes across the territory of Ukraine. Since then, Russia’s invasion imposes a severe humanitarian and socio-economic toll, global energy and food crisis, large-scale destruction of the country’s infrastructure, and disruptions in the provision of critical services and degradation of social fabrics and communities’ ties, triggering one of the world’s most significant forced displacements.
Severe attacks on energy and critical infrastructure facilities leave millions of people without electricity, water or heating supply, struggling to access water, food, health services, materials to repair homes, among others. The continued attacks cause substantial damage to the country’s economy and agricultural production, and also affect the poorest countries worldwide.
UNOPS support to partners spans the humanitarian-development nexus from emergency response to building back better, across the housing, health, education, transport, energy and mine action sectors, through infrastructure, procurement and technical assistance / project management interventions, with the ultimate aim of supporting the country on its EU accession and in its achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The position of HR Officer is advertised for internal candidates only.
The HR Officer ensures the consistent application of UNOPS HR policies, rules, and procedures across assigned countries/ geographic areas of operation. The role supports the effective management, implementation, and oversight of key HR service lines - such as recruitment, contract administration, policy interpretation, learning, and personnel realignment - in close coordination with stakeholders in the Regional Office and HQ, and in alignment with client needs.
Policy Development and Implementation Support
- Contribute to HR policy development and corporate initiatives by providing data-driven insights on workforce trends, risks and opportunities, and by sharing country-specific best practices.
- Maintain a strong understanding of the Office’s financial and operational priorities, and, in consultation with management, lead the implementation of corporate HR strategies and initiatives.
- Design and lead HR projects and initiatives that align with corporate HR strategy and support the achievement of organizational goals.
- Collaborate with leadership to develop and implement workforce planning initiatives that promote efficient service delivery and optimized workflows; monitor workforce status and emerging trends.
- Communicate changes in HR policies and the rollout of new initiatives to both management and personnel, offering guidance and support as needed.
- Maintain, or oversee the maintenance of, HR analytics and data parameters to support informed decision-making within the Office.
HR Advice
- Provide strategic guidance on the application of HR policies in people management, proactively assessing and anticipating HR needs to deliver value-added, consultative support to management on personnel-related matters.
- Design, deliver and model HR services, programmes and communications that enhance the experience of prospective and current personnel, as well as UNOPS partners.
- Collaborate with corporate HR teams to advise, support and mediate on sensitive and complex issues, including grievances, potential code of conduct violations, harassment, abuse, workplace disputes, performance improvement plans, and other personnel relations matters.
- Promote line management accountability in the implementation of HR policies and effective team leadership, providing coaching and guidance to strengthen supervisory capabilities and foster constructive, two-way communication between managers and their teams.
- In collaboration with management, support continuous improvement and professional development by advising on, planning, and monitoring learning and development activities.
- Partner with leadership to advance institutional gender and diversity priorities by offering education and guidance on equity, compliance, inclusion, and diversity-related matters.
Talent Acquisition and Management
- Oversee the implementation of talent acquisition and management policies and processes, including job classification, recruitment, onboarding, performance management, learning and development, fee/ salary and benefits administration, and contract administration.
- Coordinate the effective administration of various contractual modalities, including loans, exchanges and secondments, ensuring smooth engagement and collaboration with relevant partners.
- Collaborate with corporate HR teams to lead personnel realignment exercises, such as job fairs, ensuring timely competency mapping, sourcing, selection, placement and transition of talent.
- Identify critical talent needs and develop comprehensive, forward-looking plans to attract, develop and retain key talent. Leverage workforce planning tools and recruitment strategies to ensure timely and inclusive hiring aligned with organizational goals.
Team Management
- If the most senior HR lead, may oversee the Office HR team to ensure the effective delivery of high-quality HR services and results across the assigned countries/ geographic areas of operation.
Knowledge Building and Sharing
- Support the organization, facilitation and delivery of training and learning sessions on HR topics.
- Participate in knowledge-sharing initiatives and Communities of Practice (CoPs), contributing insights and lessons learned from HR project implementation,
- Conduct research on HR-related topics and contribute to the drafting of reports, summaries and briefing notes.
