The UNOPS Global Portfolios Office (GPO) unites the New York Portfolios, including the Peace and Security team (PSC); the Geneva Office; and the Vienna-based Water, Environment and Climate (WEC) teams, to maximize global impact, foster efficiencies and streamline global programmes. Leveraging our collective expertise and networks, GPO supports UNOPS' strategic priorities and the SDGs across over 130 countries. We deliver project management, fund management, advisory services, project implementation, and HR services, working closely with major global partners. Our thematic focus includes sustainable development, climate action, health, peace & security, and humanitarian action.

Not Required - part of GPO/NYPO

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners' peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world.  UNOPS supports partners to build a better future by providing services that increase the efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of peace building, humanitarian and development projects.  Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organizations.  

The Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC) supports diverse partners with peacebuilding, humanitarian, and development operations. It was formed by combining the following portfolios: Grants Management Services (GMS), UN Technology Support Services (UNTSS), Development and Special Initiatives Portfolio (DSIP). It provides Services to partners' programmes that are designed, structured, and managed with a global perspective and primarily serving partners headquartered in New York. The SDC has a footprint of approximately 125 countries.

UNOPS has signed a Global Agreement with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to operationally support the implementation of their mandate through the provision of Human Resources services.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1997 to assist member states in their efforts to combat illicit drugs, crime, and terrorism, is one of the partners under UNTSS. 

Headquartered in Vienna, Austria, UNODC operates globally to support the development and implementation of policies and programmes that address a wide range of issues, including drug trafficking and abuse, organized crime, corruption, human trafficking, migrant smuggling, cybercrime, and terrorism prevention. Through research, policy advice, capacity-building, and technical assistance, UNODC works to strengthen justice systems, promote international cooperation, and uphold the rule of law and human rights in the fight against transnational threats.

Under the direct supervision of the functional supervisor and the overall direction of the HR Advisor, the Human Resources Officer delivers high-quality and consistent delivery of effective HR services (recruitment, contract and performance management of talent) to the client office, ensuring full compliance with UN rules and regulations, UNOPS policies and procedures and internal Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in HR management.  Under the guidance of the supervisor, the HR Officer provides solutions to a wide spectrum of complex HR issues in a collaborative, client-oriented manner. 

The incumbent will be a personnel of UNOPS under its full responsibility.

Important Considerations:

• These Terms of Reference are generic and indicative. Not all tasks listed may be required, and additional duties may be assigned as appropriate and consistent with the scope of services. 

• The focus of the HR Officer’s functions will vary based on the Unit’s needs, emphasizing either recruitment activities with secondary support to contract administration, or contract administration with secondary support to recruitment.

• This recruitment aims to fill an ongoing, full-time position. Depending on actual needs, the hiring unit may decide to recruit endorsed qualified professionals for contracts with different working conditions (short/long term, part/full-time, retainer, regular or ongoing positions).

• *THIS IS A LOCALLY RECRUITED POSITION FOR WHICH ONLY APPLICANTS WHO ARE COLUMBIAN NATIONALS OR APPLICANTS WHO POSSESS A VALID RESIDENCE AND WORK PERMIT IN COLOMBIA ARE ELIGIBLE FOR CONSIDERATION*
  

  
  

• Support to policy development and implementation 

• Advisory Services

• Talent Acquisition and Administration

• Team Management 

• Knowledge Building and Knowledge Sharing

1. Support to policy development and implementation 

• Contribute to HR policy development and corporate HR initiatives by compiling and maintaining data on trends, risks and opportunities and sharing local HR best practices.

• Provide technical or administrative services in support of HR initiatives for attainment of business objectives in line with the corporate HR strategy.  

• Generate strategic and operational workforce data for planning, including related statistical summaries and movements of UNOPS personnel within the relevant business unit/s. 

• Communicate HR policy changes and new HR initiatives to management and personnel, providing guidance as needed.

1. Advisory Services

• Provide guidance on HR related systems and processes including but not limited to Recruitment, Contracts, Position Management, Benefits and Entitlements consistent with UNOPS rules and procedures.

• Provide advice and answers to personnel on routine cases for HR services such as the performance appraisal process, learning & development activities, contracts, benefits, entitlements and remuneration and career development.

• Assist to provide guidance as needed on sensitive matters including grievances, potential violations in code of conduct, harassment, abuse, workplace disputes, performance improvement plans, complex employee relations matters, etc.

• Encourage line management responsibility for implementation of HR policies and effective team management, encouraging dialogue and two-way constructive feedback.

• Collaborate with leadership to support institutional gender and diversity initiatives, providing education and advice on issues related to equity, compliance, inclusion, and diversity. 

1. Talent Acquisition and Administration

• Implement talent acquisition activities in line with UNOPS policies and processes covering Recruitment, Onboarding, Performance Management, Learning and Development, Change Management, Salary and Benefit administration, Contract Administration, Succession Planning and Out-processing.

• Administer contracts, entitlements, loans, exchanges, and secondments. Inform and advise UNOPS personnel, consultants, partners and project personnel on their conditions of service and entitlements according to their contract modality, expediting actions to facilitate their efficient, timely, and client-focused onboarding.

• Support recruitment processes ensuring best practices are used for effective and efficient talent acquisition in line with UNOPS policy.   Utilize and maintain recruitment plans, tools and policy guidance to efficiently and effectively recruit and retain a diverse workforce to meet the needs of the business objectives. Maintain personnel rosters.

• Provide technical inputs into, and organize straightforward components of, regional and national personnel realignment exercises, including job fairs, to ensure timely competency elaboration, sourcing, selection, placement of required talent and transitions as well as due process. 

• Identify key talent areas and provide elements of coherent, well-developed plans for obtaining, developing, and managing critical talent.  Utilize recruitment plans, tools and policy guidance to efficiently and effectively recruit and retain a diverse workforce to meet the needs of the business objectives. 

• Liaise with UNOPS’ HR related groups on personnel administration matters.

• Guide business units in engagement and work enrichment initiatives and development of annual training plans.  

1. Team Management

• Supportefficient planning and management of the HR unit, including drafting annual recruitment plans, implementing designated projects in line with the corporate HR strategy, overseeing personnel file systems as well as provision of related statistical summaries and tracking movements of UNOPS personnel within relevant business unit/s. 

• May supervise other personnel members in the provision of HR client services by assigning work, facilitating work planning, managing performance, motivating, developing and coaching team members to deliver high quality results and services.

1. Knowledge building and knowledge sharing

• Organize, facilitate and/or deliver training and learning initiatives for personnel and other personnel on HR-related topics.

• Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice by synthesizing lessons learnt and dissemination of best practices in human resources.

• Substantively contribute to the planning and development of the HR components of the office annual report.

• Collect feedback, ideas, and internal knowledge about processes and best practices and put them to use productively. 

Required: 

• A first-level university degree (e.g. Bachelor) in Human Resources, Business Administration, Social or Behavioral Sciences or related fields with 2 years of relevant experience is required.

Desired: 

• An advanced university degree (e.g. Masters) in Human Resources, Business Administration, Social or Behavioral Sciences or related fields is desirable.

Required:

• Relevant experience is defined as professional-level  recruitment and/or HR generalist services in an international, public or corporate organization is required.

• Proficiency in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Office or Google Workspace) and experience in the use of Candidate Tracking Systems is required.

Desired:

• Experience in UN system organizations preferably in a developing country is desirable.

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
• Please note that UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. 
• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments. 
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 
• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities. 
• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here. 
• For more details about the contract types, please click here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda. 
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.