Human Resources Associate

Background

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 direct supervision 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.

Key Duties and Accountabilities

1.)   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. 

2.)  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.

3.) 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.

4.) 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.

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 

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies 

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

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

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

Minimum Qualifications of the Successful NPSA

Minimum education requirements

• 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.

Min. years of relevant work 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 is required. 
• Experience working in an international organization and/or UN system is an advantage.

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section

• Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
• Zero tolerance for any harassment, i.e. any offensive behaviour, words and actions, including sexual and psychological harassment, bullying, etc.  

Required Language(s) 

Fluency in English and Mongolian, both spoken and written.