Senior Human Resources Policy Officer

UNRWA, the largest United Nations operation in the Middle East with over 30,000 staff working across five areas of operation, is looking for highly committed personnel wishing to make a change. If you are looking for a rewarding opportunity to make a tangible difference for one of the most vulnerable communities in the world, UNRWA would like to hear from you. The Senior Human Resources Policy Officer reports to the Chief, HR Policies and Administrative Law Division.

- Works consultatively and in close cooperation with HR colleagues in Headquarters and the Fields; reviews proposed, new or revised policies, and advises on feasibility, soundness, legality and compatibility with existing rules and guidelines and on impact on other functional areas in HRD and other Departments; previews all HR policy related correspondence drafted for the signature of the Director of Human Resources (DHR). - Establishes clear priorities for HR policy development and ensures compatibility of HR policies with each other as well as with strategic priorities and initiatives taking place within the Agency and the UN Common system. - Provides interpretation and guidance in the application of UNRWA’s HR policies and practices and the UN Staff Rules and Regulations to HR senior management group and staff on the basis of formal rules and guidelines, exceptions and precedents, rulings and opinions of the Legal Department. - Provides advice and assists DHR’s Office on Human Resources Management policies and procedures within the context of the organization’s HRM goals, systems, strategies and direction, decisions of the UN General Assembly (GA), the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) as well as internal reform efforts; supports inclusion of procedures into Personnel Directives, Staff Rules and Staff Regulations; monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of new or revised policies and undertakes research or studies on the Agencies policies and HR strategy. - Develops new and innovative solutions to address issues in the Human Resources Management area that are consistent with best practice, tailored to the unique needs of the Agency and meet the needs of major stakeholders in different Fields and functional areas. - Prepares position papers on HR issues for discussion or presentation at inter/intra organizational fora, such as HR Network & ICSC (International Civil Service Commission); represents HR on UNRWA working groups or task forces set up to review HR policies and their links to other functional areas. - Contributes to the effective roll-out and implementation of new or revised HR policies by conducting/participating in HR policy briefings, communications and awareness-raising activities, including visits to HR teams in the Fields.

UN Core Values of Integrity, Professionalism and Respect for Diversity, and Core Competencies of Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results apply by default. - Formulating Strategies and Concepts - Managing Complexity and Change - Creating and Innovating - Persuading and Influencing - Applying Technical Expertise

Advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) from an accredited educational institution in human resources management, public or business administration, law, or a related social or behavioral science field is required.

Not available.

A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in human resources policy development is required. Unless already serving as an international staff member in the UN Common System, a candidate for an international post must have at least two continuous years of relevant international experience outside UNRWA, and outside the country(s) of which the candidate is a national or holds citizenship, a passport or a national identity number is required. Experience in UN administrative law is desirable.

Excellent command of spoken and written English is required.

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

This is a UN Regular Budget post. Type of Contract and duration: 2 years, with the possibility of further extension. The incumbent will be required to travel in the Agency’s area of operations. Only applications that have been fully completed in UNRWA's online e-recruitment system Inspira will be considered and no late applications will be accepted. The Personal History Profile (PHP) should be completed with full work experience under the experience tabs as per the requirements in the Job Opening. All university degrees must also be stated, where applicable. UNRWA personnel must ensure adding their contract type and grade level. Providing incorrect or misleading information on an application form will result in the immediate disqualification of the candidate. The Agency disqualifies applicants whose name appears on the UN Sanctions List, or a UN database of staff separated for reason of misconduct or of staff who separated while a misconduct process was pending. UNRWA shares investigation and misconduct information with other UN Agencies, and past and prospective employers about staff members who have been separated for misconduct, or who have separated while an investigation and/or disciplinary process for misconduct is underway; and those individuals may be prohibited from employment with the United Nations. A roster may be created from the selection exercise, and successful candidates may become eligible for appointment to the same post or a similar post, when the need arises. UNRWA welcomes applications from qualified candidates with disabilities. Join our eco-friendly organization dedicated to environment sustainability and targeting to be plastic free by 2025. Equivalency: A first level university degree in combination with additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree. NB: work experience alone or formal qualifications with no relevant work experience are not considered an acceptable combination. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions from UN member states, regional bodies, business foundations and individual contributions. The mission of UNRWA is to help Palestine refugees achieve their full potential in human development under the difficult circumstances in which they live. For more details on UNRWA, please visit: https://www.unrwa.org/

Staff members are subject to the authority of the Commissioner-General of UNRWA and to assignment by him or her. UNRWA is committed to achieving gender parity at all levels of staffing under the current UN-wide gender agenda and strongly encourages applications from qualified applicants from under-represented groups. At UNRWA, 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. UNRWA is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. UNRWA Considerations UNRWA staff are expected to uphold the highest standards of efficiency, competence, neutrality, impartiality and integrity. This includes respect for and commitment to human rights, diversity and non-violent means of dealing with all kinds of conflict. Only persons who fully and unconditionally commit to these values should consider applying for UNRWA jobs. Candidates will not be considered for employment with UNRWA 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. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. The Agency may disqualify applicants who have separated for reason of misconduct, who left a UN Agency while misconduct processes were pending, or who appear on the UN Sanctions List. UNRWA is a non-smoking work environment. 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.

THE UNITED NATIONS RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY FOR PALESTINE REFUGEES IN THE NEAR EAST (UNRWA) DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE OR REQUEST MONEY FROM CANDIDATES AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT AND ONBOARDING PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING, ONBOARDING). UNRWA DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.