Human Resources Assistant

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Umoja HR Support Team, Strategy and Policy Development Service, Global Strategy and Policy Division, Office of Human Resources, Department for Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance, New York.

The Global Strategy and Policy Division of the Office of Human Resources serves as the central strategic authority for all matters pertaining to the management of human resources. It ensures that the Organization has the strategies, policies, frameworks and tools to attract, develop and retain a talented and diverse global workforce. It nurtures a culture of engagement, leadership and results. It provides policy, strategic and thought leadership, innovations and solutions for the end-to-end management of talent: from strategic workforce planning; talent acquisition; organizational and staff development and growth, performance management; including Organization-wide mobility and appropriate duty of care, for all Secretariat staff.

Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Umoja HR Support Team Lead, the Human Resources Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:

Provide day-to-day Umoja HR global service desk (tier 2b) support to client entities escalated through the tiered support model by:
• Responding to service requests received by providing functional, substantive and technical support for Umoja related HR issues
• Providing guidance to lower tiered support desks on the resolution of common and routine cases
• Escalating significant system-related errors to higher tiered support desk

Contribute to Umoja HR change management, communication, and training activities related to operational and production support by:
• Identifying trends observed in service requests received and making recommendations to address errors
• Liaising with other relevant stakeholders to develop appropriate solutions to recurring mistakes or issues
• Making recommendations and helping to draft global communications related to Umoja HR support topics and various initiatives or exercises
• Providing HR subject matter expertise, in cooperation with relevant offices, for the development of training activities and associated training materials
• Participating in business process improvement initiatives aimed at streamlining and automating processes
• Making recommendations for the simplification and development of new HR policies to support policy and system alignment
• Reviewing pain points in business processes in particular related to the need for system changes
• Participating in key activities related to new Umoja HR functionality which may include: reviewing and contributing to functional specifications, developing and/or executing test cases and participating in coordination of testing efforts.

Provide operational support for Umoja HR activities by:
• Generating, maintaining, and distributing regular reports related to Umoja HR operational aspects such as reports related to payroll inclusion, step increments, rental subsidy, education grant, etc.
• Generating operational reports identifying processing errors to flag for correction and to identify patterns
• Engaging with key stakeholders and entities to carry out recurring annual exercises such as for dependency benefits or annual time certification
• Developing and producing ad hoc reports as needed

Support Umoja HR roles management by:
• Maintaining reference materials related to role definitions
• Evaluating and making recommendations for the creation of new roles or modifying existing roles
• Performing global role and user access provisioning for non-UNHQ entities
• Reviewing requests to delegate HR functional approver roles
• Updating the user access system

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of human resources policies, procedures and practices and ability to interpret and apply them in an organizational setting. Demonstrates use of initiative and makes appropriate linkages in work requirements and anticipates next steps. Shows pride in work and in achievements. Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter. Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results. Is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns. Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of work.

CREATIVITY: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services. Offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs. Promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas. Takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks "outside the box." Takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things. Is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.

TECHNOLOGICAL AWARENESS: Keeps abreast of available technology. Understands applicability and limitations of technology to the work of the office. Actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks. Shows willingness to learn new technology.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent is required.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in human resources management, administrative services or related area is required.

Experience in the use of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, such as Umoja or similar, is desirable.

Experience in the application of United Nations' or similar international organization's rules and regulations in an operational environment is desirable.

Experience in the use of a talent management system, such as Inspira or similar, is desirable.

Experience contributing to business process improvement initiatives is desirable.

Experience with reporting tools and Microsoft Excel is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French is desirable. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a competency-based interview.

Special Notice

This job opening is advertised to fill a one year position financed from temporary funding. Appointment of the successful candidate on this position will be limited to the initial funding. Any further extension is subject to budgetary approval.

This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. Applicants for positions in the General Service and related categories must be authorized to work for the United Nations in the duty station where the position is located. Eligible applicants selected from outside the duty station are responsible for any expenses in connection with their relocation to the duty station. Staff members subject to local recruitment are not eligible for allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment.

Passing the Global General Service Test (GGST) is a prerequisite for recruitment consideration in the General Services and related categories in the United Nations Secretariat. Applicants who have not passed the GGST at the time of application may be invited for the test after submitting an application. Staff members who were granted a fixed-term, continuing or permanent appointment as a result of having passed a predecessor test recognized by the Office of Human Resources, and who have continuously held such appointments, are not required to take the new test.

At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.