HR Officer

Before submitting an application, UNHCR staff members intending to apply to this Job Opening are requested to consult the Recruitment and Assignments Policy (RAP, UNHCR/HCP/2017/2 and the Recruitment and Assignments Administrative Instruction (RAAI), UNHCR/AI/2017/7 OF 15 August 2017.

Human Resources Officer

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

Human Resources Officer will function under direct supervision of the Representative or his/her Deputy responsible for Administration. Incumbent will manage all HR related activities within the country/ operation, through direct supervision, coaching and guidance to all staff responsible for the personnel administration and other HR related matters.  He/she will assist the Representative and provide expert input in the staffing and budget reviews, in the process of recruitment and appointment of staff, and in the performance management and staff welfare issues. Incumbent will have direct working relationship with the staff-related services in UNHCR, such as the Personnel Administration & Payroll Section (PAPS), Talent Outreach & Acquisition Section (TOAS), Assignments & Promotion Section (APS), Performance Management Unit (PMU), Career Management Section (CMS), Staff Health & Welfare Service (SHWS) and Global Learning Centre (GLC). He/she will also maintain contact and close cooperation with other UN agencies in the country.

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT

Accountability
- UNHCR adheres to the strategic approach in recruiting, placing, supporting and developing our people as defined by the People Strategy.
- UNHCR recruits, contracts and deploys staff and makes sufficient use of affiliate workforce in the country to meet its current and future operational needs and in a manner that promotes career development and respects diversity.
- The workforce in the country is aware of the Code of Conduct and acts with integrity.
- The workforce in the country is well-informed of and understands the organisation¿s human resources policies and practices.
- UNHCR¿s learning programmes and activities build the competencies of its workforce to meet the needs of the country operations and staff career goals.
- UNHCR provides a healthy, safe and respectful working environment for its workforce in the country.

Responsibility
- Implement workforce management strategy for the country operation that is in line with the regional and global strategy. Participate in the preparation of the annual operations programme review submissions.
- Ensure timely advertisement and filling of the vacancies. Facilitate the work of the local Assignments Committee (AC) and provide guidance to managers in preparing their submissions for the AC review. Ensure proper consideration is given to applicants from all layers and communities of the local society.
- Manage and directly supervise process of recruitment, assignment and reassignment of local staff for the country operation, in accordance with UN/UNHCR rules and procedures, including those related to diversity. Control the maintenance of the personnel records in the office, as well as of the attendance, overtime and leave records.
- Provide support, guidance and training to administrative staff performing personnel administration related functions.
- Participate in the review of the training needs of the staff, making appropriate proposals to meet identified needs and liaise with the GLC as required.
- Brief newly arrived international staff on related administrative formalities and ensure all arrangements are made for onward travel, if applicable. Ensure efficient processing of residence permits and other administrative formalities upon their arrival to and departure from the country.
- Maintain liaison with the support sections and divisions at headquarters, specifically with DHRM, on matters related to planning and management of staffing resources, as well as to recruitment and personnel administration support, medical and other issues of staff welfare and safety.
- Provide guidance and counselling to ensure that UNHCR¿s workforce in the country has a sound awareness of UN/UNHCR staff rules and regulations (including the Code of Conduct) and is aware of its rights and obligations as well as benefits and entitlements.
- Pursue measures to ensure cooperation and dialogue between the management and workforce within the country operation. Promote the use of calibration exercises to ensure comprehensive, impartial and objective performance appraisal of the staff in the operation.
- Ensure that all staff and dependants in the country operation can access adequate health care as per UNHCR¿s guidelines and policies. In consultation with SHWS, identify UN/HCR local physician. Manage UNHCR medical insurance plan. Ensure support to staff and dependants in case of medical evacuation.
- Act as the focal point for the HR aspect of the security evacuation plan, ensuring relocations/evacuations are managed and administered in line with the provisions of the UN Security Management System Policy. Ensure daily tracking mechanism is in place to provide accurate information on staff and families in case of emergency.
- In close cooperation with the Administrative Officer, ensure that the residential and office accommodation are managed in line with the organizational policies and any related issues are brought to the attention of the Senior Staff Accommodation Officer at HQ.
- Participate in the ICSC survey on living conditions and classification of duty stations as well as in the UN Country Team local staff salary survey and other local inter-agency HR-related fora and initiatives.
- Perform other related duties as required.

Authority
- Enforce compliance with UNHCR's human resources policies (e.g. policies on gender, disabilities, diversity, ethics and HIV/AIDS), the UN/UNHCR staff rules and regulations, as well as with the performance appraisal and management system.
- Audit MSRP/HR entries made by local staff with access to MSRP/HR module.
- Issue and extend contracts for locally recruited staff.
- Clear payments related to personnel issues such as settlement of travel claims, overtime claims, hazard pay, MIP reimbursements, medical and security evacuations, shipment costs.
- Represent UNHCR in the working groups/task forces within the UN inter-agency mechanism on coordination of salary surveys, staff safety and welfare concerns.

ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
- Undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS) in Human Resources Management/Administration, Law or similar disciplines plus minimum 6 years of previous relevant work experience in progressively responsible functions in an office that administer/manage a large number of staff, preferably within the UN. Graduate degree (equivalent of a Master's) plus 5 years or Doctorate degree (equivalent of a PhD) plus 4 years of previous relevant work experience may also be accepted.
- Good knowledge of UNHCR administrative procedures and processes and exposure to provision of support services in an international organization. Exposure to UNHCR field operations is essential.
-      Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.

***For National Officer positions, very good knowledge of local language and local institutions is essential.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES
- Knowledge of UN/UNHCR field operational realities, especially in hardship duty stations.
- Field experience with UNHCR and/or with other humanitarian organizations is an asset.
- High IT affinity and working experience of PeopleSoft/MSRP HR module, as well as with MSRP Financials and Focus.
- Knowledge of additional UN languages.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR HR Officer positions. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates. C001L3 - Accountability Level 3
C002L3 - Teamwork & Collaboration Level 3
C003L3 - Communication Level 3
C004L3 - Commitment to Continuous Learning Level 3
C005L3 - Client & Result Orientation Level 3
C006L3 - Organizational Awareness Level 3
M001L3 - Empowering and Building Trust Level 3
M006L3 - Managing Resources Level 3
M003L3 - Judgement and Decision Making Level 3
M002L3 - Managing Performance Level 3
X001L3 - Analytical Thinking Level 3
X005L3 - Planning and Organizing Level 3
X009L3 - Change Capability and Adaptability Level 3 <p>The UNHCR workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages and opinions. UNHCR seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.</p>
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See below for this postion's Operational Context
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For those people applying for High Risk Duty Stations, we strongly encourage colleagues to read the country specific security and welfare profiles which can be found on the Intranet under Support Services - Duty of Care (https://intranet.unhcr.org/en/support-services/duty-of-care.html). These profiles have been specifically designed to answer some of the key questions (on security conditions, medical provisions, staff welfare, living and working conditions) potential applicants might have before deciding to apply. Ensuring staff are better informed is part of the increased attention UNHCR is paying to Duty of Care. This project is still in the pilot phase, and as such some of the information leaflets are being produced as we speak and might not be available yet. They will be soon, so keep checking. 

The incumbent is expected to have a strong grip of HR rules and regulations, with the ability to interpret the rules and properly advise staff on different entitlements and applications. The HR Officer will also be heavily involved in recruitment and vacancy-management. The uncertainty and complexity of the operational requirements continue to drive extensive staffing reviews. Thus timely staffing submissions in line with the Resource Allocation Framework Policy is critical to the smooth delivery of the operation, be it under regular staffing and/or affiliate workforce.

The HR Officer will provide support and guidance and oversee all staffing at the Country Office in Damascus as well as the Sub/Field Offices in Syria. The incumbent of this position should possess strong technical HR knowledge, should be very familiar with MSRP, FOCUS applications. Experience in emergency operations is a plus. S/he should have advanced skills in planning and coordinating the work of the staff in the HR unit of the office. 

Great sense of initiative and leadership as well as teambuilding skills are required for this position. A Proven record of good inter-personal skills and team spirit is paramount to the nature of the culture and staff of UNHCR Syria. The incumbent of this position needs to demonstrate his/her ability to be creative in a very challenging situation and be result/action oriented.   S/he should be able to work effectively with people from all backgrounds and be comfortable in working with a large workforce. In addition, political sensitivity, effective resource management skills, performance orientation, pro activeness and maturity are crucial for effective management of the workforce and ensuring the best results in the operation. The Syria Operation continues to be one of the biggest UNHCR Operations since 2014 with two major areas of responsibilities: The response to Iraqi refugees and the emergency assistance for IDPs. 
The unstable security situation throughout the country remains the major challenging factor of the operation and therefore requires flexible administration and immediate support and assistance to all staff within the operation.

The incumbent of this position will be directly supervising the HR unit in Damascus under the leadership of the Assistant Representative (Administration). The incumbent therefore must possess strong HR experience and competencies in addition to having leadership, managerial and interpersonal skills.  Moreover, the incumbent should also have solid team building skills in order to fit the team and provide clear guidance on the way forward. The present unstable security situation in Syria creates on-going pressures at work and in daily life as priorities are frequently upended for other urgent ad hoc tasks. The incumbent should be prepared to work under such conditions and be able to manage stressful situations.
Since 12 February 2012 Syria has officially become a non-family duty station with a four-week R&R cycle (to Amman). Security phase is HIGH.

Please note that the closing date for all vacancies in the Add.4 to March 2018 Compendium is Wednesday 5 Septembe 2018 (midnight Geneva time).