Vacancy Announcement
Senior Human Resources Officer - Systems and Data Management,
Grade 18, HQ Amman
Vacancy Announcement Number 20-AR-AM-18
Deadline for Applications 14 July 2020
Contract Status
Duration
Fixed-Term Appointment for 3 years including 1 year
probation period, with the possibility of further extension,
subject to the availability of funds, satisfactory
performance and continuing need.
Department Human Resources
UNRWA is committed to achieving gender parity at all levels of staffing under the
current UN-wide gender agenda and strongly encourages applications from qualified
women.
UNRWA welcomes applications from qualified candidates with disabilities.
UNRWA, the largest United Nations operation in the Middle East with over 30,000 staff working
across five areas of operation, is looking for highly committed professionals wishing to make a
change.
UNRWA’s strategic objectives
The mission of UNRWA is to help Palestine refugees achieve their full potential in human
development under the difficult circumstances in which they live. In line with this mission, the
Agency works towards five strategic outcomes: (a) Palestine refugee rights under international
law are protected and promoted; (b) Palestine refugee health is protected and disease burden
is reduced; (c) school-age children complete quality, equitable and inclusive basic education;
(d) Palestine refugee capabilities are strengthened for increased livelihood opportunities; and
(e) Palestine refugees are able to meet their basic human needs of food, shelter and
environmental health. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions from UN
member states, regional bodies, business foundations and individual contributions.
Do you want to make a lasting difference?
If you are looking for a rewarding opportunity to make a tangible difference for one of the
most vulnerable communities in the world, UNRWA would like to hear from you. In this role,
and under the general oversight of the Deputy Director of Human Resources, you will act with
technical independence and high degree of operational freedom based on agreed projects and
high-level objectives, while reverting to the supervisor on emerging critical matters that need
policy guidance and management decisions. You will lead and manage multiple major HR
technology projects simultaneously and ensure successful delivery within the constraints of
scope, quality, time and budget. Additionally, you will guide and coordinate the work of cross
functional staff at HQ Amman and the fields assigned to specific HR IT projects.
The main responsibilities include:
Ensuring oversight and providing technical leadership in the development and
implementation of complex Human Resources (HR) projects related to systems
implementation and improvements across the Agency; ensuring that Agency-wide HR
business requirements are set and revised, in close collaboration with HR divisional chiefs
and section heads, Field HR officers and heads, and leading the review and evaluation of
relevant business processes and proposing innovative and streamlined revisions to simplify
them;
Designing and implementing the project roadmap, and associated mechanism by
establishing a partnership between Human Resources Department (HRD) and Information
Management and Technology Department (IMTD); reviewing project estimates;
implementing and building the right features/enhancements/break fixes and thoughtful
end-to-end solutions;
Developing, guiding, motivating and coordinating the work of cross-sectional project teams
assimilating diverse technical views to arrive to a coherent understanding and shared
position to champion the successful implementation/roll-out of new HR systems Agency
wide; maintaining relationships with relevant counterparts at Headquarters (HQs) and
Fields, both HRD and IMTD, and ensuring targets are met on time and in conformity with
the Agency’s quality standards; providing specialized input to ensure cross-functional
processes and systems are in place and functioning as required;
Ensuring in-depth analysis of existing guidelines and developing new internal guidelines
and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and training materials on system related
changes; leading the development and delivery of high-quality staff training to users in
HQs and fields as required;
Representing the Agency and HRD in meetings with external vendors and partners to
ensure collection and management of technical benchmarks in the market; leading and
overseeing partnerships with relevant stakeholders to design, test, and maintain any
necessary integrations, as well as ensuring existing interfaces continue to run smoothly
and providing accurate results; providing regular progress updates and follow-up
meetings; recommending solutions to mitigate risks and preparing system management
plans for HRD to favorably position the Agency; facilitating administrative, financial and
logistical issues related to the HR system projects in close collaboration with the relevant
departments and units in UNRWA at all levels;
Developing and leading the implementation of communication plans for the project
milestones, including drafting communications for all system related projects to keep
stakeholders informed; and providing support to Change Requests on system
improvements; coordinating exchange of information, providing technical advice and
responding to specific queries of senior management on systems and projects;
Being responsible for a successful product outcome and anticipating needs across HR, end
users and other stakeholders; performing analysis of revised/new HR policies and
determining the impact on the HR systems in close coordination with business process
owners; monitoring HR data across the various information management systems and
databases to ensure data quality and consistency; conducting appropriate research and
analysis of HR data, statistics and trends and contributing to the drafting of technical
papers and analytical reports with findings and recommendations that will feed into
effective planning and decision making within HRD and beyond.
To qualify for this position, you will need:
Education Advanced university degree from an accredited educational institution
in Human Resources, Business Administration, IT, Computer Science
or related field; a first-level university degree in combination with
three additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in
lieu of an advanced university degree;
Who we are
For 70 years, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine (UNRWA) has been
working on the ground in five fields of operations in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank
and the Gaza Strip providing direct assistance and protection for some 5 million Palestine
refugees in the Middle East. UNRWA is mandated by the UN General Assembly to provide
this assistance and its mission is to help Palestine refugees achieve their full potential in
human development until there is a just and lasting solution for their plight. UNRWA
restores safety, dignity and hope to millions who have been uprooted by conflict with
services encompassing education, health care, relief and social services, camp
infrastructure and improvement, microfinance and emergency assistance.
For more details on UNRWA, please visit: https://www.unrwa.org/
Work
experience
At least 8 years of relevant and progressively responsible experience
in human resources development; good knowledge of HR business
processes, practices and procedures, and background in IT services,
SAP HR and experience in HR systems’ implementation and
improvements with a minimum of 4 years of leadership experience as
a manager of a section or in leading/managing complex projects;
Advanced knowledge and experience of MS Office package, including
Excel, Word and PowerPoint
Language(s) Excellent command of spoken and written English and Arabic.
You will also need to demonstrate the following competencies:
UN Core Values of Professionalism, Integrity and Respect for Diversity and Core
Competencies of Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results apply by
default. Default managerial competencies may apply.
Leading and Supervising;
Deciding and Initiating Action;
Creating and Innovating;
Coping with Pressure and Setbacks;
Planning and Organizing;
Applying Technical Expertise;
Strong analytical skills.
Desirable qualifications:
Previous experience with other UN agency;
Project management certifications;
SAP HR or Oracle HRMS experience;
Power BI experience.
Conditions of service
Monthly basic salary JD 1246.60 plus special occupation allowance of 69.90% of the
basic salary. Other benefits include monthly Provident Fund contribution (15% of basic salary
paid by the Agency), compulsory medical insurance, 30 days of annual leave, and dependency
allowance (if applicable).
For guidance on how to prepare for competency-based interviews:
https://careers.un.org/lbw/home.aspx?viewtype=AYI
How to apply
Applicants are required to register at http://jobs.unrwa.org by creating a personal profile and
completing an UNRWA Personal History Form. Please note that UNRWA only accepts degrees
from accredited educational institutions. Only applications received through
http://jobs.unrwa.org will be considered. Due to the large number of applications received,
only short-listed applicants will be contacted via e-mail only. Please ensure that the e-mail
address indicated in your Personal History Profile is accurate.
The United Nations does not charge fees at any stage of the recruitment process (application,
testing, interviewing, etc). The United Nations does not concern itself with information related
to bank accounts.
General Information
This vacancy notice is open to internal and external candidates. Only candidates residing in
Jordan with authorization to work in the duty station at the time of application are eligible to
apply. The Agency will not assume responsibility or accountability to support or facilitate the
issuance of work permit in Jordan, and without a valid work permit, the appointment may be
rescinded.
UNRWA is a United Nations organization whose staff are expected to uphold the highest
standards of integrity, neutrality and impartiality. This includes respect for human rights, for
diversity, and for non-violent means of dealing with all kinds of conflict. UNRWA staff are
expected to uphold these values at all times, both at work and outside. Only persons who fully
and unconditionally commit to these values should consider applying for UNRWA jobs. UNRWA
is a non- smoking work environment.
The Agency reserves the right not to make an appointment, to make an appointment at a
lower grade, or to make an appointment with a modified job description.
On appointment, all individuals will be asked to sign a self-attestation, confirming that they
have not committed, been convicted of, or prosecuted for, any criminal offence and that they
have not been involved, by act or omission, in the commission of any violation of international
human rights law or international humanitarian law.
Date of issue: 1 July 2020/ AD