HR Senior Officer

Job Posting Organization:
The UNOPS Africa Regional Office, established to oversee the delivery of projects across the continent, operates in over 40 countries with a focus on fragile and conflict-affected settings. The office is supported by more than 1,000 personnel across five multi-country offices in North, West, Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa, as well as the Horn of Africa. Its mission is to advance national priorities through strategic initiatives in various sectors including Climate Action, Health, Infrastructure, Peace and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">Security, and more. The office aims to promote excellence in project delivery, foster knowledge sharing, and drive continuous improvement to contribute to sustainable infrastructure and better quality of life for communities.

Job Overview:
The HR Senior Officer will serve as the HR Lead for the Office, ensuring the consistent application of UNOPS HR policies and procedures across the assigned countries and geographic areas of operation. This role is pivotal in supporting the effective management and oversight of key HR service lines, including recruitment, contract administration, policy interpretation, learning, and personnel realignment. The HR Senior Officer will work closely with stakeholders in the Regional Office and HQ to align HR strategies with client needs, ensuring that the HR function supports the overall goals of the organization. The position requires a proactive approach to HR management, with a focus on delivering value-added support to management and enhancing the experience of personnel.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Policy Development and Implementation Support: Contribute to HR policy development by providing insights on workforce trends and best practices. Lead the implementation of corporate HR strategies and initiatives in consultation with management. Design and lead HR projects that align with corporate strategy. Communicate changes in HR policies and initiatives to management and personnel. Maintain HR analytics to support decision-making.
• HR Advice: Provide strategic guidance on HR policies and people management. Design and deliver HR services that enhance personnel experience. Collaborate with corporate HR teams on sensitive issues, including grievances and performance improvement plans. Promote accountability in HR policy implementation and support continuous improvement in professional development.
• Talent Acquisition and Management: Oversee talent acquisition processes, including recruitment and onboarding. Coordinate contract administration and personnel realignment exercises. Identify talent needs and develop plans to attract and retain key talent.
• Team Management: Oversee the HR team to ensure effective delivery of HR services across assigned areas.
• Knowledge Building and Sharing: Facilitate training sessions on HR topics and contribute to knowledge-sharing initiatives. Conduct research on HR-related topics and draft reports and summaries.

Required Qualifications:

• Required: Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline with 4 years of relevant experience OR Master’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline with 2 years of relevant experience.
• Desired: A globally or nationally recognized professional certificate in Human Resource Management (HRM) is preferred. Relevant experience in recruitment, HR contract administration, employee relations, and organization design is essential. Familiarity with collaboration and productivity tools is required.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in any discipline, with a minimum of four years of relevant experience, or a Master’s degree with at least two years of relevant experience. A professional certification in Human Resource Management is desired but not mandatory.

Experience:
Candidates should have relevant experience in recruitment, HR contract administration, employee relations, organization design, and development. Experience in using collaboration tools and web-based management systems is required. Additionally, experience in multicultural environments or UN system organizations, particularly in developing countries, is preferred.

Languages:
Fluency in English and French is required for this position. Proficiency in additional languages may be considered an asset but is not mandatory.

Additional Notes:
The position is classified as mid-level and is offered under an Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA) with a regular contract type. The contract is ongoing, and applications must be submitted before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date. UNOPS emphasizes diversity and equal employment opportunities, encouraging applications from underrepresented groups. Background checks are conducted for all final candidates, and UNOPS has a zero-tolerance policy for sexual exploitation and abuse.