UN Women Human Resources Business Partner - Americas and the Caribbean, Panama City, Panama, P-4 (Fixed-Term Appointment)

Background:

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

The Human Resources Business Partner is a member of the Regional Office Management team, together with the Regional Director and Deputy Regional Director as well as the Senior Management Team.

Reporting to the Deputy Regional Director, with matrix reporting to and functional oversight from the Deputy HR Director, the Human Resources Business Partner serves as an advisor to management on human resources-related issues in the region. The HR Business Partner will oversee the coordination of recruitment, compliance, benefits, compensation, and employee relations activities. They ensure workforce planning is in place that is aligned with business objectives.

Lead the regional implementation of and provide technical support to the development of new human resources (HR) policies, guidelines, procedures and standard operating procedures (SOPs), and adopt them to regional context where necessary:

• Monitor and lead proper implementation of HR policies, guidelines, practices and Standard Operating Procedures in the region and provide advice, when necessary;·
• Provide technical contributions on HR strategic planning/discussions on the direction of human resource services, goal setting and annual work planning.

Provide guidance and support to managers and staff in the Regional Office (RO) and Country Offices (COs) in the region on issues related to HR, including attraction and recruitment, benefits and entitlements, and separation:

• Provide current and prospective staff with timely guidance on recruitment and contract policies, general conditions of services and business orientation;
• Ensure effective oversight of SSAs and Service Contractors, NPSAs and IPSAs in the region, in line with relevant policies;
• In collaboration with HQ-HR respond and address audit recommendations in the area of Human Resources and track implementation of the audit recommendations;
• Ensure smooth and effective coordination with outsourced service providers of administration of appointments and related benefits/entitlement management for local support staff;
• Oversee the administration of contracts, benefits and entitlements and other related HR administrative matters at the Regional Offices and Country Offices.

Coordinate Recruitment and Selection processes for personnel in RO and COs for both staff and non-staff:

• Project and monitor vacant posts at regional and country offices;
• Lead the recruitment process of national staff in the Regional Office, lead the recruitment of international staff (up to P5 level) and support the recruitment of national staff in the Country Offices , including attraction, long/short-listing, interviews and evaluation of candidates;
• Ensure proper usage of UN Women’s different contract modalities; review and recommend level of remuneration for external contractors;
• Provide support to RO and COs in the areas of job design, evaluation, classification and analysis, post establishment, workforce planning, peer review groups and functional analysis.

Coordinate the implementation of Benefits and Entitlements at the RO and COs in the region:

• Oversee and liaise with UNDP to ensure proper administration of benefits and entitlements in accordance with existing SLA;
• Monitor and oversee the implementation of entitlements, benefits and allowances;
• Approve and /or certify payment of salaries, allowances and entitlements, as required.

Work closely with HR HQ teams for technical advice and implementation on issues related to workplace relations and talent and performance management:

• Promote and implement UN Women workplace relations policies and initiatives in the region, including work/life balance promotion and stress management activities;
• Facilitate mediation for disputes in the region as required;
• Brief and orient staff and managers in the region on the performance management system;
• Identify poor performance cases which could impact the contractual status or career of staff;
• Build strategic relationships with Regional and country directors/representatives and ensure RO and CO needs are captured and communicated to HQ.

Coordinate Learning and Development initiatives at the RO and COs in the field:

• Coordinate learning and development activities in the region, including on code of conduct, benefits and entitlements and performance management;
• Assess training needs and coordinate closely with the HR talent management team on initiatives to respond to those needs.

Liaise closely with HR HQ and coordinate communication and outreach activities regarding HR initiatives:

• Build awareness and understanding of HR policies through consultation and engagement across the organization;
• Contribute to HR’s outreach platforms, including intranet, internet and HR Bulletin.

Develop and implement HR systems based on HR needs, including HR reporting:

• Analyze, track and periodically report on recruitment trends for management and donors;
• Share data and information with Human Resources Headquarters as requested and finalize special reports as required.

Supervise and monitor the work of the HR team in the Regional Office.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organisation.

Competencies :

Core Values:

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Respect for Diversity.

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
• Accountability;
• Creative Problem Solving;
• Effective Communication;
• Inclusive Collaboration;
• Stakeholder Engagement;
• Leading by Example.

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework:

Functional Competencies:

• Excellent general HR knowledge and expertise;
• Excellent interpersonal skills;
• Excellent diplomatic negotiation skills;
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills;
• Ability to write and present ideas, concepts and policy positions;
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information;
• Ability to build and nurture relationships;
• Strong problem solving and analytical skills;
• Strong understanding of UN Staff Regulations and Rules and human resources policies and procedures;
• Demonstrated ability to interact with personnel at all levels within the organization;
• Possesses a high degree of sensitivity and change management abilities to intercultural personnel and organizational dynamics;
• Ability to plan, organize, and prioritize multiple and simultaneous Human Resources related projects and programs in a changing environment.

Education:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Human Resources, Business Administration, Psychology, Organizational Development, Public Administration, or relevant social sciences is required.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in human resource management;
• Experience in recruitment and selection, benefits administration, and workplace relations are required;
• Minimum 3 years work experience internationally;
• Field experience is an asset;
• Experience as a HR Business Partner is an advantage;
• Experience in leading a team.

Languages:

• Fluency in English and Spanish is required.
• Working knowledge of French and/or Portuguese is an asset.
• Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese or Russian) is an asset.

Statements :

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.

Diversity and inclusion:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel 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.)

Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.