Human Resources Advisor

The New York Portfolios Office (NYPO) leads the organization's New York-based portfolios to successfully deliver project and programme management as well as procurement, human resources, and financial management services for its partners with global mandates, ranging from the UN Secretariat to UN funds, programmes, and agencies, and ultimately to UN Member States. 

NYPO aims at strategically positioning UNOPS with New York-based partners with global mandates and initiatives, at ensuring an even greater collaboration to leverage strengths in the pursuit of UNOPS’s growth aspirations, and at capitalizing on its unique in-house portfolio expertise in global portfolio design and implementation.

 NYPO provides support and expertise to achieve the broader Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 2030 Agenda to UNOPS’ largest partner, the UN Secretariat, alongside other New York-based UN partners with a global outreach, as well as UN Member States. 

NYPO supports partners’ global portfolios to successfully deliver their project management and transactional services. NYPO includes the Peace and Security Cluster (PSC) and the Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC). PSC provides the coordination and execution of projects focused on explosive threat management, overseeing specific programs and portfolios, particularly those managed by the UN Secretariat, UNDP, and other partners. SDC collectively provides a range of important operational support services to the UN Secretariat, its initiatives, programmes, and conferences, as well as the whole UN System in New York.

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Head of Support Services, the Human Resources (HR)  Advisor provides advice to senior management on the transparent implementation of HR strategies,  effective delivery of HR services, and management of the HR Unit in New York serving over 1,000  personnel worldwide, ensuring high quality, accuracy and consistency of work. S/he assesses client  needs, interprets and applies HR policies, rules and regulations, establishes internal procedures and  provides solutions to a wide spectrum of complex HR issues. The HR Advisor provides operational and  strategic HR guidance, including local and corporate best practices, establishment and provision of HR  advisory support to projects/funds, and recruitment. S/He promotes a collaborative, client- oriented approach consistent with UNOPS rules and regulations and contributes to the maintenance of  high staff morale. 

1. Stakeholder Management 

2. Project Based Recruitment

3. Roster Management 

4. Team Management 

5. Strategic and Advisory Services 

6. Training Design, Delivery, and Planning 

7. HR Management of New York Office 

8. Management of In-Kind Personnel 

Stakeholder Management: 

• Establish and develop solid working relationships with clients and key stakeholders, including but  not limited to, Client Representatives, HR field focal points, and New York based portfolio team members, ensuring their awareness on key HR activities, issues, policy  updates, procedures and best practices. 

• Keep clients apprised of UNOPS HR policy developments and advise on the impact of policy on  UNOPS’ ability to service stakeholders and implement projects. 

• Interpret stakeholders’ HR needs and develop internal procedures and processes to enhance the efficient and effective management of HR services. 

• Supervise the collection and synthesis of relevant procurement data and statistics that would  feed into the client’s strategic and operational plans.  

• Lead internal quarterly assurance reviews for human resources activities. 

• Brief Senior  Management on performance against KPIs, key challenges and lessons learned. 

Project Based Recruitment

• Develop and implement large-scale recruitment strategies for project-based roles aligned with organizational goals.

• Collaborate with senior project managers and key clients to understand and address recruitment needs.

• Lead coordination of recruitment initiatives with partner organizations to foster strong strategic alliances and streamline processes.

• Establish and monitor recruitment KPIs, preparing performance reports for executive leadership.

• Oversee and ensure compliance with the G4 Visa application process, managing high-level escalations as needed.

• Build and sustain strategic relationships with senior stakeholders.

• Act as the executive point of contact for recruitment inquiries.

• Ensure compliance with policies 

• Oversee the maintenance of accurate and detailed recruitment records, ensuring data integrity and strategic accessibility.

Roster Management 

• Lead the analysis of short-term field programme needs and long-term trends in mine action and make recommendations on the establishment or replenishment of roster. 

• Ensure strategic approach to roster management by designing and  implementing evidence-based 12-month roster replenishment plans on an annual basis. 

• Oversee all roster replenishment/establishment recruitment activities carried out by recruitment focal points including conducting quality review on work stages and ensuring  activities follow proper SOPs and corporate HR policy.  

• Strengthen the roster recruitment process through establishment and development of SOPs,  guidance materials, tools, and promotion of best practices. 

• Oversee recruitments from the roster by all programmes, ensure evaluation and selection  process is proper and consistent with internal and corporate procedures. 

• Supervise usage and maintenance of the rosters, including membership expiry/renewal, document management of individual member profiles (e.g. ASB approvals, educational  credentials, references, etc.), track roster deployments and membership expiry dates,  processing vacancy notices for field positions, and submitting candidates to hiring managers. 

• Work with the client and develop a strategic career advancement plan for roster members. 

Team Management 

• Manage NYPO regional HR team 

• Formulate and implement strategies to develop local HR personnel capability across the cluster. 

• Develop mechanisms to monitor HR activities and local HR personnel performances of local  programmes. 

• Build and maintain a formal network of HR focal points at field level to facilitate consistent  implementation of HR strategy.  

• Facilitate quality and efficiency outputs through performance management, coaching and  promotion of learning and development. 

• Foster a sense of empowerment by providing personnel with the space to act autonomously  (within their respective scopes of authority) and manage their own work.  

• Where and when appropriate, design stretch assignments for high-potential personnel. 

• Facilitate career development by providing opportunities for growth, such as participation in  training sessions (e.g. Prince2 Practitioner, P3O Foundation, HR CHRE, Pre-Clearance, Job  Classification etc.), stretch assignments, and mission travel. 

Strategic and Advisory Services

• Define and promote standardized HR practices and procedures across the cluster, especially  regarding VA design, outreach, written tests, CBI interviewing methods, recruitment process  report writing, and document filing 

• Develop approach to ensure that corporate gender (especially gender parity) and diversity  initiatives are properly understood and duly implemented at the field level 

• Advise on HR strategy development by performing analysis on trends, issues, and  opportunities 

• Manage, monitor, and enforce the use of global tracking tools to generate HR dashboards on  key dimensions, including gender balance, the number of recruitments, and the length of  recruitment processes 

• Analyze recruitment trends and statistics against key performance indicators (KPIs), to identify  areas of weakness and make recommendations for improvements in processes or procedures 

• Design templates, tools, SOP and business process maps to facilitate compliance with corporate  rules, regulations, and customs 

• Provide coaching to HR field focal points to ensure that they are aware of and understand how  to implement procedural changes stemming from PQMS updates, other corporate initiatives  (e.g. special temporary measures on gender parity, lessons learned, and audit  findings

• Oversee the provision of common cluster-wide services, such as gender parity goals, management of endorsed candidates, reclassification, global absence analysis, outreach for  international positions, LICA fee-alignment exercises, guidance on standardizing PRA/PER  objectives, provision of interview minute writers, etc. 

• Identify, codify, and promote lessons learned/best practices in recruitment and personnel  administration (e.g. production of SOPs, guidance notes, summaries of PQMS policy changes,  etc.) 

• Monitor corporate HR policy changes and ensure that portfolio teams and field counterparts are  aware of and understand how to apply new HR rules and requirements.  

• Carry out regular reviews of recruitment activities, synthesizing and disseminating lessons  learned to HQ and the field. 

• Collaborate and partner with IPAS HR to bolster oversight and drive continuous improvement of  practices. 

• In close consultation with IPAS HR, provide guidance on delicate and complex HR matters, such  as disputes, grievances, health issues, underperformance, and other sensitive issues 

Training Design, Delivery, and Planning 

• Design, organize, and deliver HR training sessions in the field to both HR and non-HR  practitioners (including CBI training). 

• Deliver training sessions on UNOPS HR systems, drafting key HR documents (e.g. written tests,  recruitment process reports, etc.), or other procedures .

• Work with senior management and key stakeholders to establish and implement a global  training and talent management strategy for personnel  

• Perform periodic global training analyses to ensure that personnel complete mandatory  training modules, as directed by HQ. 

• Ensure that training records of all personnel are up-to-date in the Learning zone. 

HR Management of New York Office 

• Collaborate with senior management to develop and implement talent management and  workforce planning initiatives. 

• Monitor all recruitment for theNY office, ensuring proper and timely completion of VA  posting, job classifications (up to ICS-10), ICS-11 shortlist review and approval, pre-clearance of  ICA contracts, step determinations, and review of RPAs. 

• Endorse technical tests, interview panel composition, and IICA fees.  

• Ensure proper work flow regarding the onboarding process for new personnel, visa and travel  arrangement, and validation of ICA payroll.  

• Develop and implement the NY office learning plan on an annual basis. 

• In close collaboration with senior management, lead, and implement talent management  initiatives to ensure that the workforce is engaged, informed, empowered, and adequately  equipped with the right knowledge and skills. 

• Manage and execute high-profile recruitment, especially programme manager posts (P4 and P5).

Management of In-kind Personnel 

• Monitor and coordinate the administration of the ‘in-kind’ personnel programme and advise  whether the experts-on-mission are a strong fit for the position and that the nature of the position  is aligned with the donor’s organizational interests. 

• Oversee and provide strategic guidance on preparation of all documentation pertaining to in kind personnel, including formal letters of requests to donors, deployment agreements for  experts-on-mission, and country specific MOUs (for Switzerland). 

• Advise field programme managers on how to formulate requests to maximize the possibility of  donor support. 

• Liaise with representatives of donor governments to stay abreast of their interests and, based  on those interests, make recommendations on the types of experts that could be deployed and  to what field missions.

• An advanced university degree (Master’s Degree or equivalent) in human resources  management, business administration, social sciences or related field with seven (7) years of  experience is required; 

• A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) with an additional two (2) years of experience may be  accepted in-lieu of the advanced university degree. 

• A minimum 7 years of relevant experience in human resources management at national or  international level is required  

• Experience in providing HR advisory services is required 

• Experience in designing and delivering training is required 

• Minimum 3 years of team management experience with supervisory responsibility is required 

• Minimum 3 years of experience conducting and/or managing recruitment is required

Language 

• Fluency in written and oral English is required.

• Knowledge of a second UN working language desired.

Contract type: International Individual Contractor Agreement 
Contract level: ICA 3 / ICS 11
Contract duration: Ongoing

• 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. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. 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.