Consultancy: HR Consultant – Senior Leadership Support Team, Division of Human Resources

Contract

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UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, a champion.

The Senior Leadership Support (SLS) team is a strategic partner to the top 200+ staff at UNICEF -- Directors, Deputy Directors, and Country Representatives. We provide staffing and performance support for this group of senior staff. We support the recruitment of the senior most positions within UNICEF, primarily through the annual Senior Staff Rotation and Reassignment Exercise (SSRRE), but also via off-cycle recruitments. The team is also responsible for the planning and selection of talent for emerging leadership positions (Deputy Representatives, Chiefs of Field Office), and serves as a business partner for the Office of the Executive Director.

In an effort to measurably improve UNICEF’s ability to deliver better results for children, the Division of Human Resources (DHR) is embarking on a transformational process under an HR Reform Strategic agenda in the following key areas: (1) Leadership and Succession Planning, (2) Strategic Talent Management, (3) Performance Management and Career Development, (4) Support to Staff in Emergencies, and (5) Mobility and Rotation.

As one of the reform areas, the portfolio of the Senior Leadership Team has increased to:

• Support a revised approach to managing, sourcing, and developing the leadership cadre (senior staff), succession planning, and the annual Senior Staff Rotation & Reassignment Exercise (SSRRE).
• Implement the mobility policy for staff in Deputy Representative, Chief Field Office, and other IP posts.
• Promote proactive and strategic planning to staffing offices through effective and efficient talent and human capital management.

In order to achieve the expected results, the Senior Leadership Support Team is looking for the support of an HR Consultant who will help the team deliver a strong succession and strategic workforce planning, analytics, monitoring, operations, as well as executive resources function. This assignment is expected to be for 6 months, starting in August 2022.

How can you make a difference?

Key Duties & Tasks:

Under the supervision of the Chief, Senior Leadership Support Team, the consultant will perform the following tasks:

1. Talent Management for Senior Staff positions:

• Provides overall support for the annual Senior Staff Rotation & Reassignment Exercise (SSRRE).
• Manages internal and external advertisements of senior staff posts; ensures timely and efficient real-time shortlisting; manages all activities related to the selection process (schedules, panel protocol and packages, bookings, etc.);
• Contributes to the evaluation of internal and external candidates by advising interview panel members on appropriate interview techniques and questions.
• Liaises with candidates on the status of the recruitment process and responds to queries.
• Conducts in-depth reference checks for the candidates under close consideration for senior staff roles. Prepares in-depth refence check reports and provides analysis of the findings.
• Ensures completeness of recruitment folders for the Executive Director’s approvals. Works with the Global Shared Services Center (GSSC) on offer letter to successful candidates.
• Prepares all required documents following the appointments of all Representatives and all Regional Directors. Liaises with relevant parties.
• Maintains and updates the team SharePoint pages. Records and maintains recruitment history and track recruitment cases in an electronic system.
• Supports all task related to talent management initiatives, outreach, executive search and strategic sourcing of talent. Liaise with internal and external stakeholders.

2. Talent Management for Deputy Representative positions:

• Supports the new Deputy Representative Talent Group process. Works collaboratively with all relevant stakeholders of the process (RO management, external assessors, etc.). Provides support to the expansion and operation of the current Deputy Representative Talent Group.
• Manages internal and external advertisements of Deputy Representative; liaises with hiring offices regarding all aspects of recruitment cases.
• Prepares documentation for Director of DHR or Deputy Executive Director’s approval.
• Works with GSSC on offer to successful candidates and other relevant procedures.
• Supports the mobility exercise and other talent management initiatives.

3. Contribution to managing Assessment Centre project:

• Provides support to the Assessment Center (RCAC) project, with a focus on the succession planning and talent pipeline building (including candidate nomination, assessment and identification).
• Based on feedback received and lessons learned, contributes to any activities related to further updates in relation to the Assessment Centre project.

4. Other team deliverables:

• Supports senior staff with the transition to new HR systems (e-recruitment, talent management, on-boarding, Achieve, etc.).
• Contributes to reviewing and revising the recruitment process.
• Assists in developing a handbook/Standard Operation Procedures of services provided to clients.
• Contributes to improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the Leadership Section portfolio.
• Performs other tasks as required to support the Section.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Advanced university degree, (Master’s or equivalent) in Human Resources, Psychology, Education, Social Sciences or related areas.
• A minimum of 3 years of relevant experience in the area of recruitment, staffing, and/or overall HR function in a large international organization. UN experience is an asset. Familiarity with HR Information Systems is desirable.
• Proven experience in dealing with confidential, sensitive information/cases with discretion and tact.
• Proven experience in conducting reference checks is a strong asset.
• Strong analytical skills and impeccable attention to details.
• Ability to handle multiple assignments with competing and tight deadlines, work under pressure with competing and changing priorities.
• Flexibility to take on or change assignments at short notice.
• Ability to work in an international and diverse environment with all levels of staff.
• Excellent client orientation, logical judgement, strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Fluency in English is required. Fluency in other UN languages is a strong asset.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and SharePoint Modern is a strong asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.