Tiered Approach

In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:

  • Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
  • Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
  • Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
  • Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.

Background

Lao PDR has achieved impressive growth rates for two decades. Poverty rates declined significantly from 33.5 percent in 2002-2003 to 23.2 percent in 2012-2013 and 18.6 percent in 2018-2019.  Lao PDR's Human Development Index value increased by 52.0 percent between 1990 and 2022, reflecting significant progress in life expectancy, expected years of schooling, mean years of schooling and GNI per capita. Sustained socio-economic progress enabled Lao PDR to meet the criteria for graduation from Least Developed Country status with graduation scheduled in November 2026. However, progress, while significant, also masks underlying development challenges which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Following prolonged periods of currency depreciation and high inflation rates in the last three years, the Government has been able to stabilize the Lao Kip and inflation rates with tightened monetary policy measures. Lao PDR’s economy is also recovering, with projected GDP growth around 4 percent for 2025, mainly driven by services including tourism and logistics sectors. In 2023, Lao PDR’s Human Development Index score was 0.622, placing the country in the medium human development category. However, when adjusted for planetary pressures (carbon dioxide emissions per person -production-based-, and material footprint per capita), Lao PDR’s score falls to 0.580, reflecting the environmental cost of development gains.

To support Lao PDR’s vision of becoming a self-reliant economy – a central theme of the Tenth National Socio-Economic Development Plan 2026-2030, and its smooth graduation from Least Developed Country status, UNDP Lao PDR provides technical assistance and capacity building aimed at systems strengthening, including national planning and financing processes, trade promotion, and Micro-Small and Medium Enterprises ecosystems. As the global development financing landscape undergoes major disruption and transition, UNDP will support Lao PDR to test and scale innovative financing instruments and policies to achieve climate resilience and sustainable development. More importantly, UNDP will expand its work with the private sector, recognizing its role as a driver of inclusive growth, to help align private capital with national and global sustainable development goals, ensuring that private investments generate positive social and environmental impacts while yielding financial returns.

UNDP Country Office is currently designing its next country programme for Lao PDR which will cover the period 2027-2031. The next country programme will be aligned with UNDP’s Strategic Plan 2026-2029 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for Lao PDR 2027-2031, also under preparation.  

UNDP focuses on expanding people’s choices for a fairer, sustainable future, as envisioned by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: a future where no country has to choose between human development and the health of the planet, where prosperity and sustainability advance together, leaving no one behind. UNDP helps to reduce poverty and create prosperity by expanding opportunities for people and businesses to access productive assets, decent jobs and livelihoods and to build human capital; and by enhancing protection from shocks, crises and multidimensional vulnerability, through risk reduction measures, access to essential services and social protection. 

Prosperity for all must include enhancing women’s economic opportunities and overcoming barriers to their full economic participation, including limited access to property rights, financial services and equal pay.
The Human Resources (HR) unit provides support to Country Office (CO) management in ensuring that the office is appropriately staffed with high quality and engaged personnel who receive the guidance, feedback, and development they need to fully contribute to the CO’s agenda and Sustainable Development Goals.  The HR team applies strategic human resource management policies, procedures, programs and solutions – that leverage both technology and analytics – to promote a strong people management culture and high performing, diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace. 

Position Purpose

Under the overall guidance of the Operations Manager the HR Associate ensures execution of transparent and efficient HR services in the CO. The HR Associate promotes a collaborative, client-oriented approach and supports the maintenance of high staff morale.

The HR Associate may supervise and lead clerical and support staff in the HR Unit. The HR Associate works in close collaboration with the Programme, Operations, and project teams in the CO, UNDP HQ OHR Business Partners, and staff in GSSC and other UN Agencies to exchange information and resolve complex HR-related issues.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Duties and Responsibilities

Ensure effective administration and implementation of HR strategies and policies. 

  • Ensure full compliance of records and reports with UN rules, regulations, and UNDP policies, procedures, and strategies; effective implementation of the internal controls; and proper functioning of the HR management system and practices.
  • In consultation with the direct supervisor and office management, support CO HR business processes mapping, and provide input to content elaboration and update of internal HR Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) where needed in CO to supplement SOPs issued by GSSC/OHR. Adapt processes and procedures where necessary to meet the needs of CO. 
  • Provide information to management and personnel on the implementation of HR policies, corporate strategies, rules and regulations, HR business processes, and proper use of contractual modalities. 
  • Collect information and support to UNDP’s participation in inter-agency exercises and surveys, such as comprehensive and interim local salary survey, hardship, and place-to-place surveys, in coordination with the direct supervisor. 
  • Collect information on the risk management of Country Office HR activities to proactively manage and mitigate the risk. 
     

Provide HR services to the UNDP CO and other UN agencies, including recruitment and staffing.

  • Implement recruitment processes in coordination with GSSC and locally with Hiring Managers that includes drafting job descriptions, providing input to job classification process, drafting vacancy announcements, screening candidates, participating in interview panels, providing support for the submission of compliance reviews as per the actions delegated to the CO. In coordination with Hiring Managers, submit requests and appropriate documentation to GSSC for non-delegated actions.
  •  Facilitate creation and update of positions in ERP (or create positions if delegated) and association and update of positions to chart fields, in coordination with budget owners.
  • Follow up with Finance staff and GSSC on Global Payroll issues.
  • Monitor and track all transactions related to positions, recruitment, benefits, earnings/deductions, retroactivities, recoveries, adjustments, and separations through ERP and other relevant corporate platforms.
  • Process timely contract management actions, in close coordination with supervisors and senior management.
  • Provide support to process benefits and entitlements delegated to the CO, as applicable and in coordination with the direct supervisor and management, such as medical evacuations, R&R, safety and security interventions.
  • Maintain CO staffing table and local rosters where relevant.
  • Validate cost-recovery charges in ERP for HR services provided by UNDP to other Agencies. 
  • Provide assistance to the contract management, payroll, and separations in coordination with GSSC in accordance with the delegation of authority given to the CO.
  • Provide HR support and services to the UN system, including provision of information on personnel benefits and entitlements to UN agencies in line with UNDP policies and in coordination with GSSC as applicable.
  • Provide administrative support to retirees as applicable.

Ensure proper staff performance management, talent management and career development in CO.

  • Provide background information and maintain related data acting as Secretary to formal CO management groups responsible for collectively reviewing and discussing CO staff performance, talent, and development needs.
  • Provide assistance to Performance Management reporting and monitoring.
  • Provide input to the CO-wide Learning plan’s preparation in consultation with the Senior Management, HR Analyst, and Talent Development Manager.

Ensure facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the CO.

  • Organize training for the Operations and projects staff on HR issues.
  • Assist in the creation and implementation of a local onboarding plan, leveraging corporate resources.
  • Synthesize lessons learned and best practices in HR.
  • Make sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice. 

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: May supervise clerical and support staff in the HR unit.

Competencies

Core competencies:

  • Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work
  • Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking
  • Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning
  • Adapt with Agility:  LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process
  • Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously
  • Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships
  • Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making 

People Management (Insert below standard sentence if the position has direct reports.)

  • UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site. 

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Business Development    

  • Knowledge Facilitation. Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally

Business Management    

  • Working with Evidence and Data. Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision-making
  • Operations Management. Ability to effectively plan, organize, and oversee the Organization’s business processes in order to convert its assets into the best results in the most efficient manner. Knowledge of relevant concepts and mechanisms

HR    

  • Assessment and Selection. Knowledge and ability to apply various candidate assessment and selection methodologies, tools and platforms; ability to effectively align them with specific recruitment needs
  •  Payroll Management. Knowledge of and ability to apply mechanisms and tools to collect payroll data, process payroll, and manage payroll reports
  • Managing Compensation and Benefits. Ability to design compensation plans which are aligned to current and future organization needs and market conditions; knowledge of and ability to apply the ICSC compensation methodologies and principles. Knowledge of and ability to design benefits-related processes, programmes, and tools, including benefit enrolment and amendments 
  • L&D Planning. Ability to identify organizational learning priorities aligned with the business strategy using key stakeholder involvement to ensure appropriate learning and optimal return-on-investment
     

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Secondary education with specialized certification in HR is required 
  • A university degree in Human Resource, Business Administration, Public Administration, or an equivalent field will be given due consideration, but it is not a requirement.

Experience:

  • Minimum of 6 years (with high school diploma) or 3 years (with bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible HR and/or administrative experience at the national or international level is required.          
  • Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and advanced knowledge of web-based management systems such as ERP.

Required languages:    

  • Fluency in English language
  • Fluency in the national language (Lao). 
     

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Probation

For all new UNDP fixed term appointments (FTA), including for staff members being transferred or seconded to UNDP under the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan of Staff, on an appointment of more than one year, continuation of the appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Use of AI by candidates

Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection

Scam alert

UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.

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