Associate Human Resources Officer

May 12, 2026

H (no hardship)

Family

NOB

National Professional Officer

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2026-06-01

Associate Human Resources Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Associate Human Resources Officer supports the UNHCR's People Strategy and contributes to the implementation of the 2018 independent Human Resources review, which resulted in the establishment of HR strategic priorities and the reconfiguration and transformation of the Division of People Management (DPM) from a largely transactional model into a strategic business partner for field operations and senior management. Having the right people in the right place at the right time is at the core of enabling UNHCR to protect and respond to forcibly displaced and stateless persons. By attracting, retaining and developing a talented, diverse and agile workforce while nurturing a culture of excellence, respect and wellbeing for all, UNHCR's Human Resources acts as a strategic partner to the organization, enabling a people-centric culture.
The Associate Human Resources Officer provides support and assistance in the areas of operational support, workforce planning, assignments and talent acquisition, organizational cultural changes, HR policy implementation and duty of care. The incumbent maintains employee confidence and protects the organization and its workforce by keeping human resources information confidential.

The Associate Human Resources Officer is usually supervised by the HR Officer or Senior HR Officer or Head of Office in a Country Operation, or the most senior HR staff in a Regional Bureau. She/he usually supervises HR General Service staff.

The incumbent maintains a direct working relationship with a number of units within the Division of People Management (DPM). The incumbent also works closely with the Senior HR Partner, the Senior Medical Officer and the Senior Staff counsellor for his/her region.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR's core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties
Workforce Operational Support:
- Assist in implementation of HR initiatives that support organizational culture change such as good people management practices, and promoting gender, inclusion and diversity.
- Implement HR operational activities to ensure timely provision of HR solutions, prioritizing according to the needs and risks.
- Contribute to the development of a HR customer service-oriented culture that values proactivity, continuous improvement, innovation and high performance.
- Provide support, guidance and trainings to HR staff.
Assignments and Talent Acquisition:
- Coordinate the process of recruitment, assignment and reassignment of locally-recruited staff and affiliate workforce, also assisting with set up and running of (Regional) Assignments Committee where relevant.
- Assist in organizing outreach campaigns to attract diverse applicants. Ensure proper consideration is given to all applicants without distinction on the grounds of race, color, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.
- Analyse, track and report on recruitment and assignments trends for management, including efforts to reach gender parity.
- Take a proactive approach to risk management in the areas of recruitment, ensuring the issues are identified, addressed and reported and, where appropriate, escalated.
Advice to managers and staff, and contribution to an inclusive work environment:
- Build dialog and outreach with staff; answer questions, and provide information to staff as to where to go for help or ask questions.
- Be proactive in identifying issues, themes and patterns affecting the workforce's health and welfare, including sexual harassment and abuse of authority.
- Ensure that on-boarding, induction, re-integration into the workplace and off-boarding support, is provided to colleagues. Induction programmes should include information on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) and Sexual Harassment, Code of Conduct as well as workforce's rights and obligations.
HR policies and inter-agency:
- Enforce compliance with UNHCR's Human Resources policies and procedures and the UN staff rules, regulations and UNHCR administrative instructions.
- Participate in the ICSC survey on living conditions and classification of duty stations as well as in the UN Country Team local staff salary survey and other local inter-agency HR-related fora and initiatives.
Duty of Care:
- Contribute to establishing and maintaining a medical evacuation plan with senior management, Field safety and the Senior Medical Officer.
- Assist in the security and medical evacuations of UNHCR personnel.
- Support the implementation of a Duty of Care strategy. Identify and assess issues related to duty of care including physical, mental health and safety of UNHCR's workforce, promoting workforce balance.
For positions in Regional Bureaux only:
In the absence of a Senior Talent Development Officer in the Bureau:
- Contribute to the implementation of a talent development strategy for UNHCR workforce in the region, in line with UNHCR's needs and staff members' career planning.
- Contribute to the implementation of a talent sourcing and acquisition plan to identify talent mainly among but not limited to national staff and affiliate workforce in the region.

- Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
- Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P2/NOB - 3 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 2 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 1 year relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
Human Resources Management; Human Resources Development; Personnel Administration;
Business Administration; or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses
Not specified.

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Experience working in Human Resources. Knowledge of general HR policies, processes and systems.
Desirable
Experience in one or more of the following areas: HR Administration, workforce planning, recruitment, HR policy or talent development. Experience in HR information technology systems and tools. Experience in field humanitarian operations and/or emergency settings. Experience working with the United Nations. Experience working in a multi-cultural setting.

Functional Skills
HR-Local mass recruitment
HR-Talent Development and Nurturing
HR-HR data and people analytics
HR-Employee Relationship Management
SO-Learning Agility
HR-HR Business Partnering
MG-Client Relationship Management
HR-Inclusion, Diversity and Gender strategy design and implementation
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements
For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power.

As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.

This position in on replacement capacity for one year.

This role operates in a highly dynamic and fast-paced environment where priorities can shift rapidly, and urgent operational support may be required at short notice. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong judgment, resilience, and the ability to lead delivery through demanding periods while ensuring compliance, quality, and stakeholder satisfaction.

1) Leadership, Stakeholder Management & Professional Attributes

• Demonstrated leadership capability, including the ability to guide others, provide direction, and ensure timely, high-quality delivery across competing priorities.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to partner effectively with hiring managers and senior colleagues; able to influence decisions, set expectations, and drive accountability.
• Highly organized and reliable, able to prioritize strategically, delegate where appropriate, and maintain oversight with minimal supervision.
• Strong delivery orientation, with a consistent track record of timely, high-quality output under pressure, including during peak workload periods.
• Resilient and composed in ambiguous or rapidly changing contexts; able to sustain performance when managing multiple urgent tasks simultaneously.
• Superior communication skills (written and verbal), including the ability to translate policy and process requirements into clear guidance and actionable steps.
• Process-driven and compliance-oriented mindset, with a strong commitment to consistency, fairness, and confidentiality.
• Discreet and trusted handler of sensitive HR and recruitment information.
• Knowledge of another UN language is not required but is a strong asset.

2) Recruitment & Vacancy Management (End-to-End Oversight)

• Demonstrated experience leading and overseeing end-to-end recruitment and/or vacancy management activities, ensuring timely, compliant, and high-quality outcomes.
• Proven ability to manage and quality-check key processes including:
o Job requisition (JR) intake, review, and validation
o Vacancy publication and advertising (internal/external channels)
o Candidate screening and longlisting/shortlisting support
o Coordination with hiring managers, HR colleagues, and recruiters to drive decisions and timelines
• Strong understanding of personnel lifecycle frameworks for both regular and affiliate workforce, including key process flows in and outside Workday and Cloud ERP.
• Excellent command of UNHCR and broader UN HR policies and practices, with demonstrated ability to interpret and apply them consistently to support hiring managers and personnel.

3) Advertising & Screening Strategy

• Experience reviewing job advertisements postings based on approved job profiles and eligibility criteria, ensuring alignment with policy and organizational standards.
• Familiarity with multiple sourcing channels and the ability to advise on approaches to identify and attract qualified candidates.
• Ability to guide and support managers with shortlisting, ensuring fairness, transparency, and adherence to selection criteria.
• Strong capability to manage sensitive recruitment cases and escalate issues appropriately, using sound judgment and risk awareness.

4) Data Governance, Accuracy & Reporting

• Technical knowledge in reporting in Workday and strong track record of working with large datasets and maintaining data integrity, accurate documentation, and audit-ready records.
• High attention to detail with the ability to identify discrepancies, resolve data issues, and improve quality of HR data.
• Advanced analytical capability to produce clear insights, dashboards, and reports that support decision-making, identify bottlenecks, and improve recruitment performance.

5) Systems, Tracking & Process Management

• Proven ability to maintain and enhance HR tracking systems, ensuring consistent reporting, transparency, and follow-through across multiple processes.
• Comfortable operating within structured workflows, SOPs, and compliance requirements — and able to identify process improvement opportunities to increase efficiency and consistency.
• Experience contributing to or leading process mapping and continuous improvement initiatives, ensuring procedures remain relevant and usable for teams.

6) Technical Proficiency

• Active and confident user of Workday, with strong familiarity in Job Requisition processes and recruitment-related workflow steps.
• Very strong Excel skills, including data organization, filtering, pivot tables, and reporting for operational and management-level insights.
• Experience with Microsoft Visio preferred (e.g., organizational charts, workflow diagrams, process mapping).
• Exposure to or understanding of system interfaces/flows involving Cloud ERP is a strong advantage.

7) Additional Advantageous Experience

• Experience in Affiliate Workforce administration and/or Internship administration is an advantage.
• Strong negotiation, planning, and decision-making abilities, particularly in balancing operational urgency with compliance and quality.


Additional information:

Application open for all nationals with right to work in Hungary. UNHCR does not facilitate the obtaining of the visa for recruitment.

Remuneration:

In case of appointment, a competitive compensation and benefits package is offered.

Benefits:

Annual leave: UNHCR staff members holding a fixed-term appointment will accrue annual leave at the rate of 2.5 working days for each full calendar months of service (i.e. 30 working days per year).

Pension system: Staff members holding a fixed-term appointment will become participants in the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF).

Health insurance plan: locally recruited staff members in Budapest will be enrolled in the Medical Insurance Plan (MIP). The coverage is also optionally available for eligible family members.

Shortlisted candidates may be required to sit for a test. No late applications will be accepted. UNHCR is committed to diversity and welcomes applications from qualified candidates regardless of disability, gender identity, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour or ethnic and national origins, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, training or any other fees).

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Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

To view occupational health and safety considerations for this duty station, please visit this link: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel

Operational Context

As part of UNHCR’s commitment to organizational efficiency and effectiveness, and ongoing efforts to make the organization more flexible, agile and adapted to an evolving funding environment, the High Commissioner has endorsed the establishment of a new operating model for the delivery of administrative and resource management functions at Headquarters: the Headquarters Support Service (HQSS) that launched its operations on 1 October 2025. This shared platform consolidates resource management functions servicing Headquarters Divisions and Entities across Geneva, Copenhagen, and Budapest in a streamlined and integrated model.

 

HQSS is led by a P5 Head of Service, based in the Global Service Center in Budapest, with small satellite teams in Geneva and Copenhagen. It centralizes transactional and routine support services across key enabling functions, including general administration, finance, procurement, human resource management, ICT support, programme management, and project control. This improves service coherence and quality, standardize processes, and generate material efficiency gains by reallocating resources toward more strategic and value adding work in Headquarters Divisions and Entities.

 

HQSS consists of approximately 35 personnel, organized into three functional units: the Resource Management Unit, the Human Resources Unit, and the IT Support Unit. These units work in close coordination to deliver integrated services to client Divisions and Entities.

 

Main objectives:

• Provide consistent support and reliable coverage for HQ administrative and resource management support, including HR

• Streamline routine processes

• Contribute towards a more cost-effective, coherent, and strategic approach to resource management.

 

The new integrated service delivery model for resource management for Headquarters, HQSS provides centralized transactional routine processing, HR management, and administrative support functions.

 

HQSS works in close collaboration with the retained resource management capacities embedded within each Division or Entity ABC, which focus on management advisory and act as the main interface with HQSS. The service is also closely aligned with the Global Service Centre (GSS) and operates using a shared Service Management platform with GSS.

 

The incumbent of the position will be expected to collaborate closely within HQSS as well as across client HQ Divisions/Entities especially in the Vacancy Management processes to ensure that the Division's or Entity’s resource management needs are seamlessly addressed through an integrated and coordinated approach.

 

The incumbent of the position will report to the Human Resources Officer based in Budapest and will supervise several Human Resources Associates.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

HR-Employee Relationship Management, HR-HR Business Partnering, HR-HR data and people analytics, HR-Inclusion, Diversity and Gender strategy design and implementation, HR-Local mass recruitment, HR-Talent Development and Nurturing, MG-Client Relationship Management, SO-Learning Agility

Bachelor of Arts: Business Administration, Bachelor of Arts: Human Resource Development, Bachelor of Arts: Human Resources Management, Bachelor of Arts: Personnel Administration

Certifications

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Change capability & adaptability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Managing performance, Managing resource, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Teamwork & collaboration

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales

Compendium

Additional Information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance