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Director, (D-2), Division of Human Resources, New York, USA (readvertisement)

New York City

  • Organization: UNICEF - United Nations Children’s Fund
  • Location: New York City
  • Grade: Senior Executive level - D-2, Director - Internationally recruited position
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Human Resources
    • Senior Leadership Vacancies
    • Managerial positions
  • Closing Date: Closed

The Director, Division of Human Resources (DHR) provides overall leadership to ensure that UNICEF is attracting, retaining, and nurturing the best human talent available to help realize the rights of the word’s children. S/He is responsible for establishing and implementing an overall people management vision, strategy and action plan to make UNICEF the best place to work for all its employees. S/He leads, negotiates, and directs continuous learning and improvement across the entirety of UNICEF’s human resources function, working to ensure the workforce is aligned with the UN’s and UNICEF’s core values and mandate in development and humanitarian contexts. S/he drives continual innovation-driven reform to increase the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of how UNICEF attracts, retains, and appreciates its people. This is particularly relevant in light of the COVID pandemic and the impact on future human resource management approaches. The Director serves as the senior HR policy advisor to the Executive Director, Deputy Executive Directors, Global Management Team (GMT) and other senior managers across the Organization while championing the core values of care, respect, integrity, trust and accountability, for the Organization. The Director represents UNICEF in high-level inter-agency UN forums such as the HR Network, and others. While the post reports to the Deputy Executive Director, Management, the Director, DHR maintains direct working relations with the Executive Director for the purposes of strategic guidance.

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 fulfil 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, dedication

The Director, Division of Human Resources (DHR) provides overall leadership to ensure that UNICEF is attracting, retaining, and nurturing the best human talent available to help realize the rights of the word’s children.

S/He is responsible for establishing and implementing an overall people management vision, strategy and action plan to make UNICEF the best place to work for all its employees.  S/He leads, negotiates, and directs continuous learning and improvement across the entirety of UNICEF’s human resources function, working to ensure the workforce is aligned with the UN’s and UNICEF’s core values and mandate in development and humanitarian contexts. S/he drives continual innovation-driven reform to increase the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of how UNICEF attracts, retains, and appreciates its people.  This is particularly relevant in light of the COVID pandemic and the impact on future human resource management approaches. The Director serves as the senior HR policy advisor to the Executive Director, Deputy Executive Directors, Global Management Team (GMT) and other senior managers across the Organization while championing the core values of care, respect, integrity, trust and accountability, for the Organization. The Director represents UNICEF in high-level inter-agency UN forums such as the HR Network, and others.

While the post reports to the Deputy Executive Director, Management, the Director, DHR maintains direct working relations with the Executive Director for the purposes of strategic guidance.

 

How can you make a difference?

The Director’s key functional accountabilities include:

 

Representational Activities/External Relations

  • Serves as UNICEF’s principal representative with the International Civil Service commission (ICSC) and the CEB/HLCM/HR Network, contributing to the development of optimal conditions to attract, develop and retain the best talent in the UN system; helps develop creative, new HR initiatives UN system-wide and resolve emerging issues or problems before they become systemic. 
  • Manages UNICEF’s relationships with the UN Sustainable Development Group and the UN Development Coordination Office for the development of the Resident Coordinator System and the recruitment of RCs through participation in the Inter-agency Advisory Panel (IAAP).
  • Supports UNICEF’s mandate, goals, objectives and directions through strategic discussion with the stakeholders of the Organization as required, conducts strategic staffing and recruitment discussions with government, NGOs, and private sector partners.  Guides the searches for talent for the most senior positions.

Management of HR Operations

  • Provides strategic leadership and management direction to the full range of human resources activities in DHR/NYHQ in support of the HR needs of the offices around the world – particularly country offices.  Resolves complex and sensitive HR issues in collaboration with relevant business units as needed
  • Provides strategic guidance to the Director of the Global Shared Services Centre on matters related to HR administration and payroll, and to Regional Chiefs of HR in regional offices.
  • Facilitates and supports the implementation of UN Common System Staff Rules and Regulations, while advocating for equity-based reforms of the same
  • Develops, and monitors the adequacy of, HR policies and procedures through monitoring reports, audits, etc. aiming to systematically simplify policy and procedures for maximum agility and flexibility of the HR function in support of accelerated results for children and a more values-based organizational culture
  • Provides leadership and direction to the development of DHR’s quadrennial and annual planning and budget and reporting exercises, utilization of DHR resources.
  • Advocates within the organization for resources required to effectively and efficiently implement the HRM strategy.

Vision and HR strategy

  • Within the broad framework of UNICEF’s Strategic Plan, conceptualizes a human-centric and forward-looking vision for the Organization’s human resources management and development to make UNICEF the best place to work for all its employees. Uses innovation to constantly revitalize the HR function, and develops an HR Strategy in support of UNICEF’s current and future programme requirements and directions, and its organizational culture.
  • Ensures the overall HR Strategy as well as functional based strategies embody the core values (care, respect, integrity, trust, accountability) and principles of fairness, equity and transparency, gender/geographic balance and other forms of diversity and inclusion.  Participates in the establishment of corporate HR standards
  • Ensures that UNICEF HR policies and practices are sufficiently equitable, flexible and comprehensive to meet its HR accountabilities in both developmental and humanitarian contexts, and responsive to the changing context considering large-scale, global crises such as the Covid pandemic.

Strategic Policy Advice

  • Provides strategic advice on human resources policy and interpretations of UN staff rules and regulations to the Executive Director, Deputy Executive Directors, members of the GMT and heads of offices.
  • Provides advice and expertise to inform UNICEF’s organizational culture efforts with a focus on people management
  • Reviews and clears briefing materials for the Executive Director and Deputy Executive Director(s) in support of their participation in UN policy fora: e.g. Chief Executives Board (CEB) and High-Level Committee on Management (HLCM).

Harness innovation to foster an agile organization

  • Co-implement ongoing change processes based on a sound understanding of the strategic direction of the organization, its structure, culture and key stakeholders and opinion leaders.
  • Partner with internal (e.g. UNICEF’s Global Shared Services Center) and external counterparts (UN and Private Sector) to leverage best practices to enhance efficiencies, effectiveness and the client service experience by simplifying and streamlining policies, processes and systems to foster an agile organization.

Organizational Culture and Duty of Care

  • Contribute to UNICEF’s efforts to strive towards a healthier, safer, more respectful and caring place to work for all UNICEF employees Promote a systems approach with the HR workforce to strengthen organizational zero tolerance for harassment, sexual harassment and abuse of authority.

Talent Management

  • Design and implement a strategy and programmes that attract, measure, develop and manage, and nurture, UNICEF’s talent pools with a forward looking and people-centric perspective.
  • Evaluate and provide reports regarding the effectiveness of the organization’s talent strategies.

Counselling

  • Advises staff at all levels, on a full range of sensitive issues including career management, transition, conduct, recruitment, etc.

Staff-Management Relations

  • Establishes and maintains an open dialogue with the Global Staff Association to promote new policies and initiatives, reach final agreement on the resolution of cross-cutting issues or sensitive problems and to provide support towards the enhancement of staff morale.  Serves on the staff-management Global Joint Consultative Committee (GJCC).

Other related activities

  • The Director DHR will perform other activities as assigned by the Executive Director or the Deputy Executive Director Management.

 

To qualify as a champion for every child you will have…

 Qualifications

  • An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in human resources management, business or public administration or one of the social sciences is required. A first-level university degree in similar fields in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
  • At least 15 years of progressively responsible experience in the management of human resources/people management/organizational development is required, of which at least 8 should be with an international organization. 
  • Fluency in English is required and working knowledge of at least one other UN official language is an asset.

 

For every child, you demonstrate…

Core Values

  • Commitment
  • Respect
  • Integrity
  • Trust
  • Accountability

Competencies

  • Builds and maintains partnerships
  • Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
  • Drive to achieve results for impact
  • Innovates and embraces change
  • Manages ambiguity and complexity
  • Thinks and acts strategically
  • Works collaboratively with others
  • Nurtures, leads and manages people

 

This position is classified as “rotational” which means the incumbent is expected to rotate to another duty station upon completion of their tour of duty.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce and encourages qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

 

 

This vacancy is now closed.
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