Human Resources Assistant, (GS-4), LACRO, Panama City #43719

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

Title: Human Resources Assistant

Reports to: Regional Chief of Human Resources

Job Level:GS-4

Type of Contract: Fixed-Term

Location: Panama City, Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Office (LACRO)

Date of Entry: 15 November 2019

UNICEF works in some of the world's toughest places, to reach the world's most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, a Champion

Provide administrative, procedural and operational support and assistance to the efficient implementation of a broad range of Human Resources functions for all categories of staff in his/her office, ensuring accurate and timely delivery that is in compliance with UNICEF HR rules and regulations.   

We are looking for a dynamic Human Resources Assistant to support UNICEF's LAC Regional Office in the following areas

General office support

1. Support to business partnering

• Support the business partners in developing initiatives to encourage employee well-being and employee recognition schemes
• Support the management of change processes by advising clientele on changes to HR processes under the guidance of HR Business Partner
• Support the business partners in assisting clientele in using HR systems such as talent management, agora and achieve.

2. Support in processing of entitlement and benefits

• Initiates the processing of a wide range of personnel actions in accordance with UNICEF rules and regulations, by ensuring all relevant forms and actions are completed by staff and forwarded to the GSSC.
• Maintains and prepares all personnel-related records and files, ensuring all information on each staff member is up-to-date and accurate.

3. Support in recruitment and placement

• Prepares and circulates internal and external advertisements.
• Liaises with candidates in the various stages of the recruitment process.
• Prepares formal acknowledgement, offer and regret letters.
• Initiates and follows up on reference checks and academic verifications and ensuring the completion of other background checks.
• Records and maintains recruitment files, ensuring all necessary documentation has been prepared.
• Monitors life-cycle of recruitment process to update supervisor as necessary.

4. Support in organization design and job classification

• Prepares documents to be submitted for classification to RO and NYHQ, ensuring completeness of documentation
• Monitors life-cycle of all job classification requests to facilitate recruitment and organization planning.

 5. Support in learning & capacity development

• Develops and processes contracts for institutions providing training and courses, ensuring compliance with UNICEF rules and regulations.
• Assists team in organizing and conducting courses, workshops and events by preparing and organizing distribution of materials for participants, ensuring availability of training venues and required equipment and supplies, while providing logistical and secretarial support at workshops and events as necessary.
• Tracks the performance management cycle processes, ensuring the timely distribution and enhancing the timely completion and return of appraisals.

6.  General office support

• Drafting and/or processing a variety of correspondence and other communications
• Setting up and maintaining HR files/records (electronic and paper)
• Scheduling appointments and meetings
• Maintain and generate automated databases containing HR related statistics and generating periodic reports; and performing a variety of administrative duties (e.g. leave recording, etc.).

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have:

• Completion of secondary education, preferably supplemented by technical or university courses related to the field of work.
• A minimum of 4 years progressively responsible administrative or clerical work experience required.
• Fluency in Spanish. Knowledge of English will be an asset.

Technical Knowledge

• Good knowledge of HR principles, rules, regulations and procedures within the UN.
• Good with technology. Computer literacy and the ability to effectively use standard office software tools as well as good knowledge and skill in using HR systems.
• Extremely good with data, managing websites, social media.
• Computer skills, including internet navigation and various office applications. 
• Knowledge of SharePoint and ECM will be an asset.
• Client-oriented with people's skills.
• Can grow into an appropriate HR Assistant.
• Energetic.
• Ability to extract and format data and to solve operational problems
• Experience in e-learning platform will be an asset.
• Ability to organize own work, set priorities and meet deadlines.

Interpersonal and communication

• Takes responsibility to respond to internal and external service needs promptly and proactively; takes initiative to ensure that deadlines, rules and regulations are met. Uses own discretion to address unforeseen situations.
• Demonstrates a high degree of confidentiality, initiative and good judgment.
• Demonstrates courtesy, tact, patience and ability to work effectively with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.

For every Child, you demonstrate:

Core Values

• Care
• Respect
• Integrity
• Trust
• Accountability

Core competencies

• Communication (I)
• Working with People (II)
• Drive for Results (I)

Functional Competencies

• Analyzing (I)
• Learning and Researching (I)
• Following Instructions and Procedures (I)
• Planning and Organizing (I)

View our competency framework at: http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf 

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

Remarks:

• General Service Staff are recruited locally. Candidates must be in possession of an existing work permit or resident/citizen of Panama to be considered eligible for this post. Please note that General Service (GS) staff are locally recruited staff and therefore, candidates are personally responsible for any travel and accommodation arrangements.
• UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organization.
• Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.