HR Specialist

UNOP Somalia Country Office (SOCO) exciting career opportunity as we are committed to achieving a truly diverse workforce.


UNOPS - SOCO is recruiting this position: HR Specialist.

Qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Based in the support services structure, reporting directly to the Head of Support Services and collaborating closely with IPAS HR, the HR Specialist ensures consistent application of appropriate policies, rules, guidelines, procedures and practices in service provision in the Somalia Country Office (SOCO).

Summary of Key Functions:

1. Support to policy development and  implementation

2. Advisory Services

3. Talent Acquisition and Administration

4. Team Management 

5. Knowledge Building and Knowledge Sharing

1. Support to Policy development and implementation:

• Contribute to HR policy development and corporate HR initiatives by providing data on trends, risks and opportunities and sharing local HR best practices.
• Maintain an effective level of business literacy about the office/program/unit's objectives and plans, and in consultation with Management, take the lead on the implementation of the corporate HR strategy and initiatives.
• Design and lead projects in support of HR initiatives for attainment of business objectives in line with the corporate HR strategy.  
• Partner with leadership to develop and implement workforce planning initiatives employing HR business processes mapping, to ensure efficient and effective services and work flows. Monitor workforce status and trends.
• Communicate HR policy changes and new HR initiatives to management and personnel, providing guidance as needed.
  
  

• Provide guidance on HR policy application for personnel management, assessing and anticipating HR needs to provide value-added consultative service to management on human resource-related issues.
• Define, develop, model and deliver HR services, programs, and communications to add value for prospective and current personnel, and UNOPS partners.  
• Under the guidance of IPAS HR, advise, assist and mediate, 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, providing guidance and coaching as needed. Foster the relationship between supervisors and personnel, encouraging dialogue and two-way constructive feedback.
• In collaboration with management as appropriate, encourage continuous improvement and professional growth by advising on, planning, and tracking learning and development activities.
• Collaborate with leadership to support institutional gender and diversity initiatives, providing education and advice on issues related to equity, compliance, inclusion, and diversity.
  
  

• Oversee the application and implementation of talent acquisition and management policies and processes covering Recruitment, Onboarding, Position Management, Performance Management, Learning and Development, Change Management, Job Classification, Salary and benefits administration, Contract Administration, Succession Planning and Out-processing.
• Under the guidance of IPAS HR, coordinate the efficient administration of contractual modalities, loans, exchanges, and secondments in the given geography, including oversight of engagement with relevant partners.
• In collaboration with IPAS HR, coordinate 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 coherent, well-developed plans for obtaining, developing, and managing critical talent.  Develop, utilize recruitment plans, tools and contribute to policy guidance to efficiently and effectively recruit and retain a diverse workforce to meet the needs of the business objectives.

• Facilitate the engagement and provision of high quality results and services of the team supervised through effective recruitment, work planning, performance management, coaching, and promotion of learning and development.
• Provide oversight, ensuring compliance by team members with existing policies and best practices.

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

• Lead, approve and conduct initiatives on capacity development and knowledge building for HR personnel, including network development, plans, learning plans and activities, HR practice information and best practice benchmarking.

• Oversee team’s contributions to HR knowledge networks and communities of practice including collaborative synthesis of lessons learnt and dissemination of best practices in human resources management.

• Guide team’s collection of feedback, ideas, and internal knowledge about processes and best practices and utilize productively. 

• Guide the development and maintenance of HR analytic parameters and data. 

Advanced University (Master's) Degree in Human Resources Management, Business Administration, Social or Behavioral Sciences or other related disciplines combined with five (5) years of relevant experience.

OR

A First University (Bachelor's) Degree in Human Resources Management, Business Administration, Social or Behavioral Sciences or related disciplines combined with seven (7) years of relevant experience is required.

• A minimum of five (5) years of professional-level human resources experience, including HR advisory services, in a major area(s) of human resources management (HR Contract Administration, HR Reporting, Recruitment or Organizational Design) in an international, public or corporate organization at the national and/or international level is required.

• Relevant experience in a multicultural setting is desirable.  

• Some experience in UN system organizations, preferably in a developing country, is desirable.

• Proficiency in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Office), Google Suite Applications, as well as web-based management systems is an asset.

• Experience and proven knowledge of UNOPS/UN rules and regulations in HR Management, Procurement, Finance and Administration is an asset.

• Relevant experience working in Developing/Conflict/Post-conflict countries is an asset.

• Work experience in the East Africa Region is desirable.

• Fluency in written and oral English is required. 

• Working knowledge of another, official UN language is desirable

1. Contract type: International Individual Contract Agreement (IICA)
2. Contract level ( I-ICA 2/ICS 10) and
3. Contract duration: Ongoing ICA – ‘Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.’

• 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.

• Duty Station: Mogadishu is a non-Family Duty Station

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.

Africa Region

AFR helps ensure that projects are executed to the highest standards, providing a shared knowledge base and ensuring that best practices and lessons learned are disseminated between projects across the entire region.

Somalia Country Office:

UNOPS Somalia Country Office (SOCO) has had a solid and continuous in-country expert presence successfully implementing programs since the mid-1990s, where it is currently undertaking various projects and initiatives in close collaboration with the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), Federal Member States (FMS) and partners from the global donor community. UNOPS’ projects in Somalia focus on several key sectors that include infrastructure development, institutional capacity building, project management, advisory services, and procurement services. These projects cut across multiple sectors, including education, healthcare, national security, law enforcement, immigration services, justice, transport, and public works among others. UNOPS work in Somalia is geared towards driving growth and development in the country, a process that requires developing a close relationship with the FGS and the other development partners.
  
Through its involvement in Somalia’s development process, UNOPS is providing transparent and accountable solutions in the country’s state and nation-building process. In addition, UNOPS is also committed to implementing the United Nations Strategic Framework Somalia 2017 – 2020, with the aim of helping Somalia achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. UNOPS work within the context of these commitments means that the projects it implements in Somalia are specifically designed to provide long-term solutions in the country, leading to sustainable and inclusive growth.

What drives us is a passion to fight inequalities and to provide opportunities to those most vulnerable. This means we often work in the most challenging environments, building foundations for communities to function and people to live with dignity and respect.

To succeed here, he/she need to be able to combine creativity with the organizational skills to manage numerous different projects to tight deadlines simultaneously, as well as working with the different units to meet their expectations.