HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER

Org. Setting and ReportingThis position is located in the Kuwait Joint Support Office (KJSO) . The incumbent will report to the Chief Human Resources Officer. ResponsibilitiesWithin delegated authority, the Human Resources Officer will be responsible for the following duties: Administration of entitlements and benefits: • Supports the Chief Human Resources Officer on the development, modification and implementation of United Nations policies and practices on entitlements. • Works closely with the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) in the provision of advice and guidance to managers and staff on human resources related matters. • Supports the CHRO on interpretation and application of policies, regulations, and rules. • Reviews and provides advice on exceptions to policies, regulations, and rules. • As requested by the CHRO, might be required to represent the office in joint bodies and working groups relating to salaries and other conditions of service. • Assists in the process of knowledge/awareness building amongst programme managers, senior management and staff members with regard to the staff rules and regulations, and related guidelines in the administration of entitlements and their strict application by the HR Unit, including consistent implementation of delegated authority. • Monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of related guidelines, HR rules, regulations practices and procedures, and recommends revisions to the Department of Operational Support (DOS), where necessary. • Receives and reviews grievances and complaints related to entitlements and benefits, assessing and evaluating merit of each case and makes recommendation for resolution. • Reviews and certifies Travel requests and Expense reports, Education Grant claims and advances using delegation of authority granted by the UN Controller and reports on administrative matters accordingly. • Drafts guidelines, reports and correspondence on a wide range of issues for the CHRO and ensures adherence to relevant UN rules and regulations and policies. • Drafts responses to correspondence required from the CHRO and/or Office of the Chief KJSO on administrative/policy documents. • Provides advice and assists mission supervisors in areas of problem solving, dealing with adhoc issues that arise, and undertakes tasks and special projects, such as Staff Emergency Support. Planning and Budget: • Participates in the mission planning process throughout the mission life cycle for determining the staffing requirements and organizational structure; also conducts analysis and provides inputs on emerging capacity gaps in accordance with the mission's mandate. • Contributes to the budget development process by reviewing the drafts and providing input on the human resources requirements and organizational structure of all sections based on the guidelines on budget review. • Reflects recommendations of the staffing reviews into the staffing requirements for purpose of budget preparation. • Advises hiring managers on loaning of posts between sections and movement of posts and staff between locations based on the Standard Operational Practice (SOP) on Staffing table and Post Management, ensuring the integrity of the staffing table as approved in the budget without discrepancy in sections and locations. • Reviews the documentation for submission of classification requests and contributes to the implementation of classification results. Performance Management: • Supports the supervisor in the implementation of the performance appraisal system and monitors its compliance with the proper implementation of the performance management system, providing guidance and substantive support to mission components on standards for the development of service, section, unit and individual work plans. • Liaises with the offices training focal points to organize training/orientation programmes in performance management and supervisory skills as well as work plans. • Supports the monitoring requirements for the full-compliance of e-Performance and provides input to the SMT for annual meetings on performance management and to Rebuttal Panels and acts as their facilitator and ex-officio member. • Counsels staff and managers in cases of underperformance and facilitates the implementation of a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) or other remedial measures. Administration of Justice: • Researches and compiles the offices responses to formal and informal requests coming from different entities under the Administration of Justice (AoJ) system. • Contributes to efforts and measures aimed at addressing and mitigating staff grievances with the purpose of resolving them at the lowest practical level. • Contributes to the development of preventive activities such as training and sharing best practices and recent jurisprudence related to human resources management. Staff Development • Advises and supports the CHRO on training opportunities for HR staff as well as staff in general giving particular attention to developing and implementing career development paths for national staff members. • Continuously assesses the skill, expertise and knowledge of human resources staff in relevant training programmes and designing individual on on-the-job and group training programmes on specific subject matters in the area of human resources management, including in the use of HR IT systems. • In coordination with Offices training focal points identifies and analyzes staff development and career support needs and designs programmes to meet identified needs. Staff and Management Relations: • Assists the Chief Human Resources Officer in supporting the dialogue between the management and international and national staff unions (Field Staff Union and National Staff Committee, respectively) to discuss HR matters and related staff issues. • Participates in meetings with staff representatives to address issues affecting the staff and coordinate the quarterly meetings with the Head of Mission and Director of Mission Support. • Organizes, as necessary, general, or specific meetings for the staff on issues such as mandate implementation, status of HR reforms and other organizational change initiatives etc. Other: • Under the supervision of the CHRO, the HRO contributes to the monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of delegated authorities, through inter alia, the Human Resources • Management Dashboard, Service Level Agreements, and the Senior Managers' Compact, Delegation of Authority Platform. • Contributes to the development of a set of actionable and targeted change management plans, including coaching and training in order to implement these responsibilities and reports on possible gaps and risks and recommends corrective actions. • Performs other duties as required. Competencies• Professionalism: Knowledge of human resources policies, practices, procedures, and tools and ability to apply them in an organizational setting. Ability to identify issues, analyze and formulate opinions, make conclusions and recommendations on complex human resources policy and development issues. 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. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. • 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' need 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. • 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. • Managing Performance: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority. Makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member. Accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills. Monitors progress against milestones and deadlines. Regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff. Encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative. Actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff. Appraises performance fairly. EducationAdvanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in human resources management, business or public administration, social sciences, education or related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with additional two year of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Job - Specific QualificationNot available. Work ExperienceA minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in human resources management, administration or a related area is required. A minimum of two (2) years of working experience supervising a diverse work unit is desirable. A minimum of two (2) years of working experience in staff selection process in Inspira or similar platform is desirable. A minimum of two (2) years of working experience serving as Certifying Officer for Travel Requests and Expense reports in an ERP system (UMOJA) is desirable. A minimum of two (2) years working experience in processing and approving Education Grant Claims and Advances in an ERP system (UMOJA) is desirable. Working experience in administration of staff entitlements in ERP system (UMOJA) as UMOJA HR LPE or HR Partner is desirable. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English (both oral and written) is required. Knowledge of another UN official United Nations language is desirable. AssessmentEvaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview or informal interview.. Special Notice• This position is temporarily available for an initial period of 364 days with possibility of extension subject to operational requirement and availability of the post. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment. • 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. • 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. United Nations ConsiderationsAccording 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. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile 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 FeeTHE 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.