Background

With the Secretary-General’s reform efforts underway and the new administration at UNDP, there has never been a more exciting time to be at the forefront of organizational change. Human resources management will be an important driver in achieving the kind of dynamic, transformational change that is called for to support the 2030 Agenda and the achievement of UNDP’s 2026-2029 Strategic Plan.

UNDP is a unique working environment and will play a forward-looking, effective and central role in delivering the development system reform. Our staff provide services to some of the world’s most vulnerable people, investing in development programmes across the globe. This working environment presents special challenges for people management.  UNDP works in over 170 country settings around the world and has a global workforce of over 23,000 personnel including staff, colleagues on Personnel Services Agreement (PSA) contracts, contractors and UNVs. We work in development, humanitarian, post disaster and multi-country programme contexts. UNDP’s national and international staff and long-term experts contribute to on the ground solutions around the world working as part of a larger UN system. 

The Bureau for Management Services (BMS) supports management for development results. It provides operational solutions, strengthens the ability of UNDP to achieve programme and development results, keeps pace with the evolving needs and expectations of development partners and at the same time safeguards the organization’s accountability vis-à-vis United Nations member states. BMS provides advisory and transactional services and support to UNDP and UN agencies in its core functional areas. BMS develops management policies, Regulations and Rules, prescriptive content, management networks, other management and strategic leadership. BMS oversees policy adherence, safeguarding UNDP and Administrator accountability. It manages cross-cutting functions linked to change management and acts as the operations unit of Headquarters, providing operational services for implementation of UN Reform initiatives.

The role of the Office of Human Resources (OHR) is to provide UNDP and its leadership with the best strategic HR advice. Leading the provision of HR business focused services, the office delivers best practice HR services and interventions that deliver results. The Office is accountable for the strategies, policies, systems and frameworks that enable UNDP to attract, develop, retain and motivate a highly skilled and diverse workforce. It shapes and cultivates a workplace that enables the organization’s staff to be productive, valued and rewarded. Headquartered in NY, and with presence in regional and distributed HQ hubs, OHR offers high quality business focused HR services across the globe.

OHR ensures the availability of a highly skilled, aligned and engaged workforce to deliver today and tomorrow. Services include workforce planning, change management, recruitment, talent development including leadership development, engagement, performance management, succession management and strategy management for all HR related services. It provides advisory and oversight services for human resources management of its global workforce.  It provides the learning and knowledge management systems to ensure that staff skills and competencies remain highly competitive for advisory and development services.  It ensures that the Human Resources architecture is aligned to support the organization’s direction. OHR administers the global workforce through its systems support and advisory services.   

Position Purpose

The Director of OHR leads OHR personnel in ensuring the provision of HR business focused services, delivering best practice HR services and the provision of interventions that deliver results. The Director, Office of Human Resources has a dual reporting line.  S/he reports to the Administrator directly on all high-level, strategic Human Resources matters (including senior workforce deployment, interagency matters impacting UNDP’s strategic plan, partnership outreach to member states on special staff funding arrangements, and critical performance data relating to UNDPs reputation and capacity for change). S/he has a direct reporting line to the Director of the Bureau for Management Services on all other areas, including HR policies and tools, delivery of HR business partnering and transactional services, interagency support, technical HR matters, day to day management of the office, partnerships and representation. The Director, Office of Human Resources, is part of the BMS senior management team.

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.

Key Duties and Accountabilities

1. Strategic and Thought Leadership

HR Strategic Contribution:

  • Defines the global vision and strategic direction of the organization’s human-resources-management practice consistent with evolving business needs and best practice and leads and drives change to achieve the identified vision.
  • Exercises thought leadership, introduces and originates methods and systems to align talent to give effect to UNDP’s strategic plan.
  • Ensures the provision of critical business reporting, information and insight to senior management on workforce trends, profile, and emerging issues to position the organization and proactively anticipate, plan and meet future workforce needs.
  • Identifies risks and ensures quality assurance for all people processes and systems, liaising with independent evaluation, ethics and other oversight bodies.

HR Technical Leadership

  • Establishes the parameters and provides strategic direction to the work programmes and strategies of the accountable areas of the Office of Human Resources (OHR) to achieve results. 
  • On behalf of the UN system, oversees the administration of the Resident Representative assessment, selection and placement processes including UNDP governance arrangements. 
  • Provides technical leadership to the HR community including HR expertise in country offices.
  • Provides crisis response as appropriate for people matters in sudden and unexpected emergency situations.

2. Integrated Talent Management

  • Oversees and directs the planning, resources provision, management, operations, activities and change priorities of the specialized team leaders in diverse disciplines for consistently high levels of performance, efficiency and engagement.
  • Approves the Office’s annual work plans. Collaboratively sets objectives, performance measurements, standards and expected results and delivers within agreed budgets and timeframes.
  • Inspires the team, cultivates engagement and ensures alignment
  • Guides and shapes the development and implementation of updated HR systems, processes, and tools, with an emphasis on e-HR and simplification. Redesign systems to improve the experience of managers and staff in using HR tools and increase productivity and efficiency for all HR activities at HQs, in regional hubs and in Country Offices.
  • Builds capability for HR expertise, within the OHR office and across the wider HR community.
  • Role models excellence in management and leadership practice.

3. Partnerships and Representation

  • Defines the vision and establishes methods for building and maintaining strategic partnerships to support the achievement of the organization’s HR objectives and enhance the reputation of UNDP.
  • Positions UNDP as a leader in UN Human Resources reform ensuring the evolution of a modern and dynamic international civil service, actively partnering with the United Nations Common System with particular attention to the demands of field-based programmes and the challenges of staff mobility.
  • Works with HR colleagues in UN sister agencies of the whole system on people matters to ensure joined up thinking and a “one UN” approach.
  • Serves as UNDP's principal representative with the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), the HR Directors Forum and other policy making bodies.
  • Supports the management of the strategic partnership with the Staff Association to advance harmonious and effective staff-management relations.
  • Supports the Bureau for External Relations to contribute to their agenda in developing partnerships with key stakeholders.
  • Develops new partnerships for strategic alignments to advance the talent development agenda to ensure a diverse workforce in the future.

4. Policy Development

As a Leader and Senior Manager within the Bureau for Management Services and UNDP:

  • Contributes to the design and delivery of a vision for management services aligned with evolving business needs.
  • Works collaboratively with peers and colleagues to provide joined up services to clients which include collaborative and integrated reporting, developing business solution
  • Provides leadership across UNDP through participation in appropriate forums and senior management meetings.
  • Acts as a confidential and trusted advisor to the Administrator and Senior Executives surfacing the hard issues and reflecting the truth on people matters. Provides a safe haven for challenging ideas.

5. Business Partnering Role

  • Provides authoritative, forward-looking advice concerning management strategies, services and systems design and implementation
  • In line with organizational directions, identifies areas for change and supports the transformation process
  • Demonstrates a commitment to the provision of quality services to clients, both internal and external, promoting a mindset of valuing clients
  • Provides leadership to support innovation, learning and knowledge sharing towards capacity development
  • Identifies and manages risk, including at the corporate level
  • Works collaboratively with UN System and external partners as required on management systems and tools
  • Creates and promotes an enabling environment for open communication
  • Develops regional/global strategic partnerships and networks with UN agencies and other international partners in support of UNDP’s agenda

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: The incumbent oversees the entire personnel of the Office of Human Resources

Requirements:

Education

  • Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in Human Resources, Public or Business Administration, Management or related field is required.

    OR

  • A first level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the fields of study mentioned above, in combination with an additional two (2) years of qualifying experience, which will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

 Experience, Knowledge, and Skills

  • A minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible professional experience in Human Resources Management is required.
  • At least 5 years of experience managing teams in a diverse workplace in private or public international organizations.
  • Demonstrated professional expertise in Strategic Human Resources Management developed through significant experience at a senior level in large and complex organizations.
  • Demonstrated ability to advise senior leadership and contribute to high-level decision-making is an advantage.
  • Proven track record of excellent leadership, strategic thinking, and analytical skills is required. 
  • Demonstrated experience of strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to manage large multi-cultural teams and engage effectively with stakeholders including donors, staff representatives, and interagency fora is desired. 
  • Proven track record of High level of integrity, professionalism, and discretion is required. 
  • Familiarity with international development and the UN system is an advantage.
  • Fluency in the English language is required.
  • Working knowledge of another UN language is desirable

Expected Demonstration of Competencies

Core : Full list of UNDP Core Competencies can be found here 

  • Achieve Results: LEVEL 4: Prioritize team workflow, mobilize resources, drive scalable results/strategic impact
  • Think Innovatively: LEVEL 4: Easily navigate complexity, encourage/enable radical innovation, has foresight
  • Learn Continuously: LEVEL 4: Create systems and processes that enable learning and development for all
  • Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 4: Proactively initiate/lead organizational change, champion new systems/processes
  • Act with Determination: LEVEL 4: Able to make difficult decisions in challenging situations, inspire confidence
  • Engage and Partner: LEVEL 4: Construct strategic multi-partner alliances in high stake situations, foster co-creation 
  • Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 4: Create ethical culture,  identify/address barriers to inclusion 

People Management 

UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site. 

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies 

Business Direction & Strategy

Strategic Thinking

  • Develop effective strategies and prioritised plans in line with UNDP’s mission and objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, opportunities and potential risks; link the general vision to reality on the ground to create tangible targeted solutions; learn from a variety of sources to anticipate and effectively respond to both current and future trends; demonstrate foresight.

Business Direction & Strategy

Futures & Foresight

  • Ability to look at information from the past and present, identify patterns and trends and use them to inform decision making with a long-term view. Being sensitive and able to scan horizons and pick up weak signals of change, explore their potential implications and assess their impact and urgency. Using creativity and imagination to communicate insights in compelling and engaging ways to challenge current mental models; ability to develop scenarios, speculative designs to present future visions or by making it experiential.

Business Development

Human-Centered Design

  • Ability to develop solutions to problems by involving the human perspective in all steps of the problem-solving process Knowledge and understanding of human centred design principles and practices

Business Management

Results-based Management

  • Ability to manage the implementation of strategies, programmes, and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results. Knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, concepts, methodologies, instruments, and tools. 

Business Management 

Communication

  • Communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. 

HR People Strategy & Planning

Human Resources Strategic Planning

  • Ability to develop integrated HR strategies, governance structures, polices and procedures

HR People Strategy & Planning

Business Partnering

  • Strategic thinking and development of long-term plans for the organization’s human resources needs while analyzing the current environment and developing strategies to achieve long-term objectives.

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.

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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