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

UNDP, as an integral part of its mission to fight poverty and improve the lives of people around the world, is committed to being open, transparent and accountable. As part of this commitment, UNDP adopted International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) and established a Global Shared Service Center (GSSC) to provide IPSAS transactional recording (in the areas of revenue, expenses and fixed assets), procurement, advisory and support services to UNDP Offices worldwide, and to provide training to UNDP Offices where needed. Human Resources services within the GSSC was set up earlier in 2003 in Copenhagen and it provides customized service packages to more than 40,000 UN personnel from agencies, funds and programmes across the UN System. GSSC-HR in Copenhagen has established a legacy as a major Human Resources administration center within the United Nations and is recognized as a center of excellence. The Global Shared Service Center (GSSC) is part of the Bureau for Management Services (BMS).

In the area of Human Resources, the GSSC supports both staff and management in UNDP offices and units, with the full cycle of HR services ranging from recruitment, talent management, learning and development, HR policy and advisory services, benefits and entitlements management, payroll and banking transactions. 

Position Purpose

UNDP uses an integrated Oracle Cloud ERP (Quantum) in support of its administrative and management functions, including HR Administration and Payroll. The Global Payroll Services Team (GPS), located in Copenhagen, Denmark, is primarily responsible for the oversight and payroll processing of locally recruited Staff, UNV Volunteers, Personnel and Service Contract holders worldwide, and for the payroll processing for International Staff, for UNDP and partner agencies. The GPS consists of four units: Regional Payroll, International Payroll Management, Local Payroll Team and Technical Team.

The Payroll Technical Specialist is part of the GPS Technical Team and will work under the supervision of the Manager of the GPS Technical Team and very closely with the Regional Payroll Associates, International Payroll Associates, Local Payroll Team, Local & International Benefits and Entitlement Services, and the PSA Administration team in the key functions described below, to ensure an effective global payroll service.

The incumbent should possess a strong background and experience in Enterprise Human Resources, Payroll application support, and business intelligence, specifically in Oracle Cloud and Microsoft Power BI. As data-driven decision-making becomes central to GPS operations, the Payroll Technical Specialist will play a critical role in integrating Oracle Cloud data with Power BI to deliver dynamic, real-time reporting solutions. The incumbent must be an effective communicator and be able to share knowledge within the team and to the organization.

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 to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Duties and Responsibilities

1- Implements technical development processes within the ERP independently to ensure that enhancements to the application will be undertaken in a carefully planned manner and include the following sub-processes

  • Defines and documents business requirements. 
  • Executes changes to the application including design, development, testing, and signoff. 
  • Configures application (including payroll element configuration).
  • Develops and maintains native ERP reports for regular and ad hoc operational needs.
  • Implementation of changes in line with the corporate change management procedures.
  • Unit, system, User Acceptance, and integration testing.

2- Designs and implements Power BI Reporting integrated with Oracle Cloud to support strategic and operational data needs

  • Extracts and transforms complex HR and Payroll data from Oracle Cloud into optimized Power BI datasets using APIs, OTBI, or BI Publisher extracts.
  • Designs, builds, and deploys interactive Power BI dashboards to provide GPS leadership and partner agencies with actionable insights.
  • Establishes secure, automated data pipelines between Oracle HCM/Payroll and Power BI, ensuring high data integrity and adherence to UN data security standards.
  • Maintains and scales reporting architecture to accommodate new business analytics requirements.

3- Anchors the Payroll and HR data track performing Accelerated data load enabling business to achieve significant savings on the transaction process time

  • Identify and develop tools and programs in automating the data loads of several HR and Payroll business areas.
  • Act as custodian in maintaining and enhancing these programs to keep the fit-for-purpose up to date to the constantly changing UNDP and agency needs.
  • Effectively deploy and use the existing bulk scripts, HDLs (HCM Data Loaders), APIs, and other programs available and achieve high quality data and quicker turnaround times.

4- Responsible for ongoing Issue Resolution Processes with responsibility for the following areas

  • Incident management – create, update, and independently work on production issues providing technical and functional support for users, including fixing immediate problems as well as looking for longer-term system improvements.
  • Tracks recurring issues with a view to providing longer-term solutions.

5- Ensure facilitation of knowledge building and sharing 

  • Synthesize lessons learned and best practices in payroll management. 
  • Provide 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: None

Competencies

Core Competencies

Achieve Results -  LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact  
Think Innovatively - LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems  
Learn Continuously - LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences 
Adapt with Agility - LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands  
Act with Determination - LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results 
Engage and Partner- LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration 
Enable Diversity and Inclusion - LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity 
 

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies 

Business Direction & Strategy - System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.
Business Development - Knowledge Facilitation: Ability to animate individuals and groups, internally and externally, and to design and facilitate activities, to share and exchange knowledge, information and ideas. Knowledge of tools and approaches to stimulate active participation,
contribution, and exchange. 
Business Management - Portfolio Management : Ability to select, prioritize and control the organization’s programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity. Ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimizing return on investment. Knowledge and understanding of key principles of project, programme, and portfolio management
Business Management - Customer Satisfaction/Client Management: Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers' needs. Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests. Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.

Information Management & Technology -  Applications Management: Ability to set-up, develop, support, and maintain applications.
Expertise in Oracle Cloud, ServiceNow, SalesForce.com and Microsoft technology and assets. 

Information Management & Technology - Programming: Knowledge in programming concept, developing software program and management of application lifecycle. Knowledge of Oracle VCBS, Microsoft tools and equivalent an asset.

HR -Compensation/remuneration  - Payroll Management: Knowledge of and ability to apply mechanisms and tools to collect payroll data, process payroll, and manage payroll reports

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in Information Technology, Data Science, or related field is required; or
  • A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas stated above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

  • Minimum 5 years (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant IT experience at the national or international level in developing and supporting HCM/Payroll applications, including extensive experience in business intelligence reporting is required.
  • Experience in Microsoft Power BI, including DAX, Power Query, and advanced data modelling, is required.
  • Proven experience in integrating Power BI with Oracle Cloud ERP (extracting data, utilizing REST APIs, or OTBI/BIP integrations) is required.
  • Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and advanced web-based management systems such as ERP is required.
  • Proven experience with ERP Payroll configuration is required.
  • Experience with ERP Report development is required.
  • Strong SQL experience is required.
  • At least two years of ERP techno-functional experience working in a large organization, preferably a mix of governmental organization and commercial sector, giving a blend of understanding of a complex organization, with a customer-focused, service-oriented approach to payroll is required.
  • Exposure to payrolls of more than one country/continent and working in a global context is desired.
  • Demonstrated experience with UN/UNDP benefits and entitlements, as well as accounting and treasury procedures and processes is desired.
  • Advanced experience with Oracle HCM/Payroll Cloud and enterprise data visualization is desirable. 

Languages:

  • Fluency in English is required.
  • Working knowledge of another UN language is desirable.

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. 

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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