Human Resources Associate

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. 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. With more than 6,000 personnel spread across 80 countries, 

Our mission is to help people improve their lives and countries achieve peace and sustainable development. UNOPS's three priority areas correspond to:

(i) Sustainable Infrastructure: UNOPS designs, builds, repairs, and maintains infrastructure in some of the world's most challenging environments. Its activities focus on transport, education, and health infrastructure development, among other areas.

ii) Public Procurement: UNOPS is a central procurement resource for the United Nations system and governments. It emphasizes efficient, transparent, and sustainable delivery of goods and services.

(iii) Project management: UNOPS manages more than one thousand humanitarian, development and peacebuilding projects per year for different partners, ensuring quality, efficiency, and results that meet the highest standards. 

UNOPS in Costa Rica, Panama, and the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean (Multi-Country Office, PAMCO) develops initiatives in strategic sectors such as road infrastructure, water, and sanitation infrastructure projects, vertical infrastructure, procurement projects, among others, providing its capabilities in the management of complex projects, technical advice, and procurement, with a focus on sustainability and resilience. In all cases, applying the human rights approach and gender perspective, where UNOPS has been expanding its planning, implementation, and monitoring of Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

Under the direct supervision of the Human Resources Senior Associate, and the overall direction of the Head of Support Services, as well as the technical guidance of IPAS HR, the HR Associate, is responsible for administering and implementing services, plans, and processes covering the array of Human Resources Management service lines for optimal employee and talent management, i.e. recruitment, learning, performance management, transition, organizational development, and contract management. S/he serves as the first contact for internal and external clients in resolving questions on processes and procedures and provision of guidance and information related to HR initiatives and services to a wide range of UNOPS clients

Functions / Key Results Expected

1. Support to policy development and implementation 

2. Advisory Services

3. Talent Acquisition and Administration

4. Team Management

5. Knowledge Building and Knowledge Sharing

• Completion of Secondary education is required. 

• First University Degree, preferably in Human Resources Management, Business Administration, Public Administration, Social Sciences or equivalent disciplines is desirable and may substitute some years of required experience.

• Knowledge of  UN policies, procedures and practices highly desirable

Experience

• Minimum of 6 years of relevant experience (or less according to educational degree level) in providing HR advisory or recruitment, and/or HR-generalist services.

• Some experience in UN system organizations is desirable

• Proficiency in computers and office software packages (Gsuite) and experience in handling web-based management systems is required.

• Experience in use of HR information systems, Enterprise systems including OneUNOPS is desirable.

Language

• Full knowledge of Spanish is required

• Full knowledge of English is required.

• Knowledge of another official UN language is an asset.

Contract type: Local Individual Contractor Agreement 

Contract level: LICA 6 (ICS 06)

Work life harmonization: UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options.

UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate with special needs upon request

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• 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.

Terms and Conditions 

• 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. For more information on a retainer contract 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.