Human Resources Assistant [Temporary]

This position is located in the Headquarters Client Support Service (HQCSS), Division of Administration, New York, Department of Operational Support (DOS). The Human Resources Assistant reports to the Human Resources Officer, DOS.

The HQCSS also provides administrative support to the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children, the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict, the Ethics Office, the Global Compact Office, the Human Security Unit, the Office of Administration of Justice, the Office of Information and Communications Technology, the Office of the United Nations Ombudsman and Mediation Services, the Office of Special Envoy for Haiti, the Office of Victims’ Rights Advocate, the Office of Special Coordinator on Improving the United Nations Response to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, the United Nations Office for Partnerships, as well as to the liaison offices of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in New York.

Responsibilities

Within limits of delegated authority, the Human Resources Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:

Recruitment and placement

• Processes applications for vacancies, including preparing and maintaining case files for candidates, ensuring and monitoring the transfer of files of candidates between offices and entering data on candidates into the automated roster.
• Assists in the filling of posts, including initiating and posting job openings and temporary job openings in Inspira and following-up on reference checks and academic verifications for all positions in NY at the Professional and above level, ensuring the completion of the pre-recruitment formalities.
• Monitor the status of all JOs/TJOs on a dynamic basis and tracks status of vacancy announcements to meet target dates.
• Coordinates with HR Operations and selected candidates on travel arrangements and visa matters.
• Prepares agenda and provides relevant documentation required for recruitment related meetings.
• Prepares personnel action related to the administration of human resources activities such as recruitment, placement, relocation, promotions and separations.
• Advises staff on visa matters.
• Provides advice and guidance to staff under portfolio with respect to human resources procedures, processes and practices, liaising with counterparts in other offices, as necessary.
• Assist in the reviewing and processing of non-staff contracts.

Administration of entitlements

• Reviews and processes requests for entitlements and claims, including home leave, special leave, maternity/paternity leave.
• Assists in the review and processing of data pertaining to conditions of service.
• Provides guidance logistics and administrative support to staff on general queries.

Classification

• Assists in reviewing and processing requests for classification.
• Provides advice and answers general queries on classification procedures and processes.

General

• Provides general office support services; drafts and/or processes a variety of correspondence and other communications.
• Sets up and maintains reference files/records (electronic and paper).
• Schedules appointments/meetings, monitors deadlines, etc.
• Undertakes research on a range of HR related issues and assists in the preparation of notes and reports through the use of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Maintains automated database containing HR related statistics and prepares periodic reports.
• Assists in the preparation of necessary documentation for distribution to various offices, departments and overseas offices.
• Performs a variety of administrative duties (e.g. leave recording, request for office supplies and equipment, etc.).
• May provide guidance/training to less experienced staff.
• Performs other duties as required.

Competencies

• Professionalism: Knowledge of the human resources policies, procedures and practices and ability to 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.
• Planning & Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.
• Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent.

Work Experience

A minimum of five years of experience in human resources management, administrative services or related area is required.

Experience working with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system such as SAP (Umoja) or equivalent is desirable.

Experience working with a recruitment module/electronic talent management system, such as inspira, or similar Oracle PeopleSoft application is desirable.

Experience in office support functions, including use of Microsoft applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint within the United Nations common system or other comparable international organization 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 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 position is temporarily available until 30 June 2022. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.
• This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. All staff in the General Service and related categories shall be recruited in the country or within commuting distance of each office, irrespective of their nationality and of the length of time they may have been in the country. A staff member subject to local recruitment shall not be eligible for the 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 Management, and who have continuously held such appointments, are not required to take the new test.
• While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post.
• Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.
• This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15.
• Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply. Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.
• Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as “retirement.” Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.
• 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.