Chief of Service, Human Resources Management

The Office of Human Resources (OHR) is seeking a highly motivated and dynamic individual for this position, which is located in the Disciplinary and Accountability Service (DAS) of the Administrative Law Division (ALD) of the Office for Human Resources (OHR) in the Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance (DMSPC). DMSPC provides policy leadership in all management areas through a clear, integrated global management strategy and policy framework and through strengthened monitoring, evaluation and accountability mechanisms that oversee the exercise of delegated authorities in an environment of decentralized management. It contributes to a culture of continuous learning and accountability and promotes innovation in business models throughout the Secretariat. OHR fosters a dynamic, adaptable, mobile workforce with the highest level of competence and integrity to effectively and efficiently serve the mandates of the Organization. OHR develops the regulatory human resources framework, strategies, policies, and directives, to ensure the Secretariat is better equipped to carry out its functions both at Headquarters and in field offices. The Office provides policy leadership in organizational human resources management areas including strategic workforce planning, talent management, organizational and staff development (including career planning), performance management, Organization-wide mobility, and appropriate duty of care, for all Secretariat staff. ALD is responsible for the implementation of the United Nations (UN) standards of conduct for all categories of personnel across the UN Secretariat. ALD provides client-focused, strategic, policy and legal advice on internal justice matters and represent the Secretary-General before the United Nations Dispute Tribunal. DAS handles disciplinary matters relating to all Secretariat staff members, represents the Secretary-General in appeals involving disciplinary matters before the United Nations Dispute Tribunal (UNDT), advises on critical matters involving high risk to the reputation of the Organization, and works to support UN Secretariat managers in the exercise of their responsibilities to address conduct and discipline matters. The Appeals Section assists in the preparation of written and oral submissions in connection with representation of the Secretary-General in proceedings before the United Nations Dispute Tribunal as well as identifies trends, patterns and causal relationships in organization-wide data sets related to appeals and makes recommendations for policy changes and modifications. DAS comprises the Appeals Section, the Disciplinary Section, and the Critical Incident Response Section. The Chief of DAS reports to the Director of ALD. The position is located at the Nairobi duty station.

Within delegated authority, the Chief of Service, Human Resources Management, will be responsible for the following: • Formulates and implements the substantive work programme of DAS under his/her supervision. Oversees the management of activities undertaken by the DAS, ensures that programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion and co-ordinates work in the different areas both within ALD and OHR and with other entities of the UN Secretariat and organizations of the United Nations System, as appropriate. • Leads, supervises and carries out the work programme of the Service under his/her responsibility. Co-ordinates the work carried out by different work units under DAS. • Coordinates, with the chiefs of section, the handling of matters referred for appeal and/or disciplinary action involving staff members. Identifies cases for informal dispute resolution in partnership with relevant Secretariat entities. • Provides strategic leadership to the Legal Officers who represent the Secretary-General on appeals as well as disciplinary related appeals before the UNDT. Facilitates implementation of tribunal judgements. • Coordinates and oversees the preparation of reports, including the annual practice report regarding disciplinary matters, for presentation to intergovernmental bodies, such as the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budget Questions, the General Assembly and other policymaking/monitoring organs, such as Board of Auditors and the Joint Inspection Unit, as appropriate. • Undertakes the development of policies and guidelines related to disciplinary process and the critical incident response process; and provides input and advice on other priority organizational guidelines and policies. • Coordinates the review of existing policies and processes, documents the end-to-end process (including enforcement of accountability) under the current legal framework, for handling cases where the Organization has suffered a financial loss due to possible misconduct. • Ensures that the outputs produced by DAS maintain high-quality standards; and that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data. • Assists the Director of ALD in preparing the Division’s work programme, determining priorities, and allocating resources for the completion of outputs and their timely delivery. Provides strategic response to EOSG matters and guidance to senior leaders on risks related to misconduct. • Undertakes or oversees the programmatic/administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of DAS, including preparation of budgets, reporting on budget/programme performance, evaluation of staff performance, participation in selection processes, and preparation of inputs for results-based budgeting. • Leverages available technology and IT tools, including where applicable, AI, to support data-driven approaches towards the delivery of programme mandates efficiently.

• PROFESSIONALISIM: Knowledge of the substantive field of work in general and of specific areas being supervised. Ability to produce reports and papers on technical issues and to review and edit the work of others. Ability to apply UN rules, regulations, policies and guidelines in work situations. 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. • PLANNING & 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. • ACCOUNTABILITY: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable. • LEADERSHIP: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow: empowers others to translate vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; drives for change and improvements; does not accept the status quo; shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing. • JUDGEMENT/DECISION-MAKING: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines that the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.

An advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in law, business or public administration or related area is required. A first-level university degree (Bachelor's degree or equivalent) in combination with two additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Not available.

A minimum of fifteen years of progressively responsible professional experience in administrative law is required. A minimum of seven years of experience in litigation and/or supervision of litigators is required. Experience in a senior leadership role managing multidisciplinary teams and delivering programme, policy or oversight outputs in areas related to law within the United Nations system or other international organizations is required. Experience in information analysis and problem solving in administration, human rights or legal contexts in large organizations is required. Experience in advancing the use of technology and data-driven approaches is required. Experience with policies, rules, regulations, and inter-governmental legislative machinery of the UN System or other comparable international organizations is desirable. Experience with digital solutions development [including Artificial Intelligence (AI)] is desirable.

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

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Required Languages

Language

Reading

Writing

Listening

Speaking

English

UN Level II

UN Level II

UN Level II

UN Level II

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

This position is financed by the Regular Budget. 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. 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 of the United Nations Secretariat must meet the applicable geographical or lateral move requirements to be eligible to apply for this vacancy, taking into account that selection to the post may itself constitute a qualifying move, in accordance with the relevant administrative issuances. Staff members are encouraged to ensure that all qualifying geographical or lateral moves are accurately reflected in their applicant profile. Please refer to ST/AI/2025/2 on the Staff selection system for more details. Staff members appointed to the current position are required to submit a financial disclosure statement upon assignment or appointment and annually thereafter. For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or under-represented in the UN Secretariat as of 28 February 2026, are strongly encouraged to apply: Afghanistan, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, China (People's Republic of), Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Grenada, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Monaco, Nauru, Oman, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu. Individual contractors and consultants (Affiliate Personnel) who have worked within the UN Secretariat in the last six months, irrespective of the administering entity, are ineligible to apply for professional and higher temporary or fixed-term positions and their applications will not be considered. Applicants who have reached the mandatory age of separation are not eligible to apply for job openings 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.

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.

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.