HR Specialist (Assessment for Selection) At UNOPS

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

Background Information – BSSC

The UNOPS Bangkok Shared Service Centre (BSSC) is a Shared Services Centre (SSC) unit established for the purpose of providing internal, global, cost-effective transactional services which enhance the operational capacity of UNOPS and standardize systems and procedures. The BSSC, among other functions, carries out high-quality transactional services within the area of personnel contract administration and payroll.

For young professionals, a job within UNOPS BSSC offers the opportunity to enter the United Nations system via crucial back office service delivery in an engaging and development-focused work environment as part of a dynamic and effective UN entity. BSSC jobs offer a platform of learning and exposure to UNOPS’ operations and the greater UN system.

Background Information – Job-specific

Under the direct supervision of the Personnel Administration Manager, the HR Specialist – Assessment for Selection is responsible for leading the Assessment for Selection team. This is a new team that is being established to centralise both the design and content of technical assessments as well as their evaluation in the effort to drive consistency of technical assessments, their quality, impartiality and speed.

The initial focus will be on developing and evaluating technical assessments as part of UNOPS’ selection processes for positions located in the Asia and the Middle East Regions, including both national and international recruitments. It is expected that the unit drives best practice in technical assessment methodologies and champions effective and efficient assessment approaches.

The HR Specialist – Assessment for Selection is expected to work in close collaboration with the Programme, Project, and Support Services colleagues in the regions and with UNOPS HQ colleagues, in the effort to provide client-oriented service, drive quality solutions, and help ensure an alignment with and continuous development of the broader UNOPS HR policies for selection/recruitment.

Functional Responsibilities

1. Technical assessment development and evaluation
2. Team management
3. Support to policy development and implementation
4. Knowledge building and knowledge sharing
5. Technical assessment development and evaluation

• Establish an approach for the team, to provide technical assessment materials design service to the units, in response to the emerging vacancies. This includes the design of valid and reliable assessment exercises and robust scoring templates.
• Ensure sufficient technical input is obtained in order to make the assessment materials realistic and relevant.
• Ensure effective management and evolution of the technical assessment repository.
• Coordinate the availability of support for assessing the technical exercises, as appropriate.
• Ensure the efficient running of the technical assessment services, with key metrics for consistency, quality, reliability of assessment methods, the impartiality of assessments, and speed.
• Promote the team’s service and develop effective collaborative relationships with hiring managers.
• Safeguard the integrity of the technical assessment process whilst adopting a client-centred approach when interacting with the hiring managers. Ensure the focus is on guiding and growing hiring managers’ capability as much as on providing effective and efficient assessment support.

1. Team management

• Guide and supervise the assessment development team to ensure its provision of efficient and high-quality service to clients.
• Ensure the team is highly motivated and thriving in their work.
• Facilitate the engagement of the team, through effective recruitment, work planning, performance management, coaching, and promotion of learning and development.
• Provide oversight, ensuring quality and efficiency of services and alignment with existing policies and best practices.

1. Support to policy development and implementation

• In collaboration with the policyholder, establish the processes for managing the requests for the assessment units’ services, including assessor services.
• Make recommendations to HR policy development and corporate HR initiatives by providing data on trends, risks, and opportunities and sharing best practices for assessment methods.
• Stay abreast of UNOPS objectives and plans, and in consultation with relevant stakeholders, take the lead on the implementation of the corporate selection initiatives.
• Partner with leadership, PPG, and IPAS HR, to professionalize technical assessment development and evaluation.

1. Knowledge building and knowledge sharing

• Contribute to the PPG efforts dedicated to organizing, facilitating and/or delivering training and learning initiatives for personnel on assessment-related topics.
• Under the Talent Management’s team lead (PPG), contribute towards developing capacity and knowledge for HR personnel in the area of selection assessments, 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, utilizing them effectively.
• Guide the development and maintenance of recruitment analytic parameters, dashboards, and data to facilitate informed decision-making in the area of recruitment process and practices.

Competencies

Strategic Perspective – Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organization. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organization.(for levels IICA-2, IICA-3, LICA Specialist- 10, LICA Specialist-11, NOC, NOD, P3, P4 and above)

Integrity and Inclusion – Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

Leading Self and Others- Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.

Partnering – Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).

Results Orientation- Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.

Agility – Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.

Solution Focussed – Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.

Effective Communication – Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education:

• Advanced University degree in Human Resources Management, Business Administration, social or behavioral sciences.
• Or a First University degree in related fields combined with 7 years of relevant experience.

Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years of professional-level assessment design experience, with exposure to latest practices in the assessment for selection space.
• At least 2 years of team leadership and coordination experience required.
• At least 2 years experience of developing capability and organisational knowledge sharing is required.
• Relevant experience in a multicultural setting is desirable.
• Some experience in UN system organizations preferably in a developing country is desirable.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required.
• Working knowledge of another, official UN language is desirable.

Other Requirements: Within the required working hours (8 hours per day plus a 30-minute lunch break), some flexibility to accommodate selection processes occurring outside the Bangkok timezone (GMT+7) is expected.

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: IICA Contract level: IICA 2 Contract duration: Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link: https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx

Additional Considerations

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• 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. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• 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 (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

This position is based in a family duty station.