UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.
At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.
UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.
Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.
For every child, Results.
UNICEF Somalia | UNICEF Somalia
How can you make a difference?
Purpose of the position:
The Human Resources Associate provides administrative, procedural and operational support and assistance to the efficient implementation of a broad range of Human Resources functions for all categories of staff in his/her office, ensuring accurate and timely delivery that is in compliance with UNICEF HR rules and regulations.
Summary of Key Functions and Accountabilities
1. Support to Business Partnering
- Assist HR Business Partners in developing and implementing initiatives to promote employee well-being and recognition programmes.
- Provide support in managing change processes by advising clients on adjustments to HR procedures, under the guidance of the HR Business Partner.
- Support clients in effectively utilizing HR systems such as Talent Management, Agora, and Achieve.
2. Support in Processing Entitlements and Benefits
- In consultation with the supervisor, research, analyse, verify, and compile data on cases that do not conform to UN/UNICEF HR Rules and Regulations, ensuring consistent and equitable application of decisions.
- Research and verify information to respond to staff queries related to benefits and entitlements.
- Initiate the processing of a wide range of personnel actions in compliance with UNICEF regulations, ensuring forms and documentation are complete and submitted to GSSC in a timely manner.
- Maintain and update personnel records and files, ensuring accuracy of staff information.
3. Support in Recruitment and Placement
- Draft and circulate internal and external vacancy announcements.
- Liaise with candidates throughout all stages of the recruitment process.
- Prepare acknowledgement, offer, and regret letters.
- Initiate and follow up on reference checks, academic verifications, and other background screenings.
- Monitor the recruitment process life-cycle and update the supervisor as required.
4. Support in Organization Design and Job Classification
- Participate in the review of General Service (GS) job descriptions to ensure the correct application of ICSC classification standards.
- Draft and edit job descriptions for submission and classification review.
- Liaise with HQ and RO to follow up on the status of classification requests and ensure timely completion.
- Prepare complete documentation for classification submissions to RO and NYHQ.
- Monitor the progress of classification requests to support recruitment and organizational planning.
- Compile and analyse data on staffing trends for workforce planning, gender and geographical balance, and other recruitment-related KPIs.
5. Support in Learning and Capacity Development
- Research and analyse training needs to support the development of office learning plans and targeted capacity-building interventions.
- Identify relevant external training opportunities and institutions to address learning gaps.
- Assist in the organization and facilitation of courses, workshops, and events, including logistics, venue arrangements, and preparation of materials.
- Develop and process training contracts in compliance with UNICEF rules and regulations.
- Track the performance management cycle to ensure timely completion and submission of appraisals.
Skills and Competencies
Technical Skills
- In-depth knowledge of HR principles, policies, rules, and procedures within the UN system.
- Proficiency in standard office software and HR systems (e.g., Talent Management, Agora, Achieve).
- Ability to extract, format, and analyse HR data to resolve operational issues.
- Strong organizational skills, with the ability to set priorities and meet deadlines.
Interpersonal and Communication Skills
- Proactive and responsive in addressing service needs, ensuring deadlines, policies, and procedures are adhered to.
- High level of confidentiality, discretion, and sound judgment.
- Courteous, tactful, and able to work effectively with individuals from diverse cultural and national backgrounds.
If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: 
GJP - HR Associate G-6, SCO.doc
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Minimum requirements:
- Education: Completion of secondary education is required, preferably supplemented by technical or university-level courses in a relevant field
- Experience: At least 6 years of progressively responsible administrative or HR-related experience.
- However, higher academic qualifications may be considered in lieu of part of the required years of relevant experience, as follows:
- Bachelor’s degree: may offset up to three (3) years of relevant experience.
- Master’s degree: may offset up to two (2) years of relevant experience.
- Languages: Fluency in English is required.
Desirables:
- knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
- Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.
For every Child, you demonstrate...
UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values
The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…
(1) Builds and maintains partnerships
(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
(3) Drive to achieve results for impact
(4) Innovates and embraces change
(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity
(6) Thinks and acts strategically
(7) Works collaboratively with others
Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.
UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.
UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.
UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.
UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.
Remarks:
As per 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.
UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable Female candidates are encouraged to apply.
Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.
UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.
The conditions of a temporary assignment, including relocation entitlements, will depend on the status of the staff member’s original appointment and may be limited in accordance with applicable UNICEF policies, procedures, and practices in force.
Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.
All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.
Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.
