UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency

HR Associate

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency  •  Budapest, HU (Onsite)  •  6 days ago
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Job Description

Deadline for Applications

April 7, 2026

Hardship Level

H (no hardship)

Family Type

Family

Residential location (if applicable)

Grade

GS6

Staff Member / Affiliate Type

General Service

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

Target Start Date

2026-04-01

Standard Job Description

Human Resources Associate


Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The Human Resources Associate 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 Human Resources (DHR) 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 persons of concern. 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 Human Resources Associate 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 in the area of responsibility (AOR). The incumbent maintains employee confidence and protects the organization and its workforce by keeping human resources information confidential.

The Human Resources Associate is usually supervised by the Associate HR Officer, HR Officer or another HR or admin staff. This position can be located in a Country Operation, Multi-Country Office, Regional Bureau or Headquarters. The Human Resources Associate may supervise General Service staff. The supervisor provides the incumbent with regular guidance. The incumbent works quite independently on regular assignments with an oversight from the supervisor, assisting him/her in personnel administration and other HR related matters.

The incumbent may maintain a direct working relationship with a number of units within the Division of Human Resources (DHR).

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

Human Resources Operational Support:

  • Implement HR operational activities to ensure timely provision of HR solutions, prioritizing according to the needs and risks. This may include.
  • Administration of recruitment, assignment and separation of local staff in the AOR, in accordance with UN/UNHCR rules and procedures.
  • Update of personnel records in the Office, including entries into Workday where required.
  • Assisting with recruitment and other procedures related to affiliate workforce, including Cloud ERP entries into where required.
  • Contribution to workforce planning activities.
  • Provision of a HR customer service-oriented culture that values proactivity, continuous improvement, innovation and high performance.
  • Enforce compliance with UNHCR’s Human Resources policies and procedures and the UN staff rules, regulations and UNHCR administrative instructions.

Assignments and Talent Acquisition:

  • Participate in the recruitment of local staff including the issuance of vacancy notices and arranging for required tests and interviews, and preparation of submissions for the review by the Assignments Committee (AC).
  • Assist in organizing outreach campaigns to attract diverse applicants.
  • Track and report on recruitment and assignments activities.

Advice to staff and contribution to an inclusive work environment.

  • Build dialog and outreach with the workforce; answer questions and provide information to staff as to where to go for help or ask questions.
  • Advise staff members and affiliate workforce on their rights, obligations, benefits and entitlements.
  • Be proactive in identifying issues, themes and patterns affecting the workforce’s health and welfare, including sexual harassment and abuse of authority.
  • Assist in the provision of on-boarding, induction, re-integration into the workplace and off-boarding to colleagues.
  • Assist in implementation of HR initiatives that support organizational culture change such as good people management practices, and promoting gender, inclusion and diversity.

Duty of Care:

  • Assist in the security and medical evacuations of UNHCR personnel. Maintain daily tracking record of staff and families to provide accurate information in case of emergency.
  • Administer UNHCR medical insurance plan for locally recruited staff.
  • 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

Years of Experience / Degree Level

For G6 - 3 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Field(s) of Education

Not applicable.

Certificates and/or Licenses

Business Administration;

Office Management;

Human Resources Management;

or related field.

(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience

Essential

Experience working in Human Resources. Knowledge of general HR policies, processes and systems.

Desirable

Experience in HR information technology systems and tools. Experience working with the United Nations. Experience working in a multi-cultural setting.

Functional Skills

UN-UN/UNHCR Administrative Rules, Regulations and Procedures;

*IT-Computer Literacy;

HR-Talent Development and Nurturing

HR-Local mass recruitment

HR-Employee Relationship Management

SO-Learning Agility;

(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


Competency Requirements

All jobs at UNHCR require six core competencies and may also require managerial competencies and/or cross-functional competencies. The six core competencies are listed below.

Core Competencies:

Accountability

Communication

Organizational Awareness

Teamwork & Collaboration

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Client & Result Orientation

Managerial Competencies:

Managing Resources

Cross-Functional Competencies:

Analytical Thinking

Planning and Organizing

Change Capability and Adaptability

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.

Desired Candidate Profile

This role operates in a highly dynamic environment where priorities can shift rapidly and urgent support may be required at short notice. Successful candidates must be comfortable working at pace and maintaining high performance during demanding periods.

Recruitment & Vacancy Management
• Demonstrated experience in end-to-end recruitment support and/or vacancy management.
• Proven ability to manage tasks such as:
o Reviewing job requisitions
o Publishing and advertising vacancies
o Conducting initial screening of candidates
o Coordinating with hiring managers and recruiters
o Solid understanding of the various personnel lifecycles (regular and affiliate workforce), and in particular the flow in/outside Workday and Cloud ERP.
o Excellent command of UNHCR and UN Human Resources policies, practices and demonstrated ability to apply them effectively in support of managers and personnel.

Advertising & Screening Vacancies:
• Experience in preparing and posting job advertisement based on pre-determined eligibility criteria
• Assist managers with shortlisting suitable candidates.

Data Handling & Accuracy:
• Comfortable working with large volumes of data, ensuring data integrity and precise record keeping.
• High attention to detail, with the ability to identify discrepancies and maintain accurate documentation.

Tracking & Systems Management:
• Capable of maintaining internal HR tracking systems
• Familiar with working with structured workflows and standard operating procedures.

Technical Proficiency:
• Active user of Workday, with particular familiarity with the JR processes
• Very strong Excel skills, including data organization, filtering, pivot tables, and reporting.
• Experience with Microsoft Visio preferred, particularly for org. charts and process mapping.

Competencies & Personal Attributes:
• Organized and reliable, with the ability to prioritize tasks effectively.
• Demonstrates a proactive approach, consistently completing tasks on time, quickly responding to changing priorities, and adapting effectively in fast paced or unexpected situations.
• Process-driven mindset, ensuring consistency and compliance.
• Strong prioritization skills with minimal supervision
• Demonstrated resilience and composure when working under pressure and navigating frequent changes.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Customer focused approach with the ability to collaborate with internal stakeholders.
• Discreet and respectful of sensitive HR information.
• Knowledge of another UN language is not a requirement, but a strong asset.
• Strong learning agility and analytical capability: Demonstrated ability to quickly understand complex information, apply guidance accurately, and translate instructions into effective action
• High delivery orientation: Strong results orientation with a consistent track record of timely and high quality delivery under pressure
• Capacity to manage workload intensity: ability to sustain performance during periods of increased workload and to manage multiple urgent tasks simultaneously.

Additional information:

Candidates are expected to have the right to work in Hungary. UNHCR does not facilitate the obtaining of the visa for recruitment.

For G6 - 3 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher.

NOTE: A completed and relevant minimum first level university degree (equivalent to BA or higher) shall count in full (100%) towards the required years of work experience. Priority will be given to eligible applicants meeting the full requirements.

Remuneration:

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

G6 - Salary range: NET 854,066.5 HUF - NET 1,000,381 HUF.

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).

Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level):

English

,

,

Desired languages

,

,

Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

Nature of Position:

Living and Working Conditions:

Additional Qualifications

Skills

HR-Employee Relationship Management, HR-Local mass recruitment, HR-Talent Development and Nurturing, IT-Computer Literacy, SO-Learning Agility, UN-UN/UNHCR Administrative Rules, Regulations and Procedures

Education

Certifications

Business Administration - Other, Human Resources Management - Other, Office Management - Other

Work Experience

Competencies

Accountability, Change capability & adaptability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Managing resource, Organizational awareness, Teamwork & collaboration

UNHCR Salary Calculator

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

Compendium

Additional Information

Functional clearance

This position doesn't require a functional clearance

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency

About UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organisation dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for people forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution.

We lead international action to protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people.

We deliver life-saving assistance, help safeguard fundamental human rights, and develop solutions that ensure people have a safe place called home where they can build a better future. We also work to ensure that stateless people are granted a nationality.

We work in over 130 countries, using our expertise to protect and care for millions.

UNHCR’s greatest asset is our workforce. We work with passionate, talented and creative individuals who want to use their skills for good. Thanks to people like you, we can develop solutions that enable people who have been forced to flee to restart their lives and build better futures.

Current Opportunities

http://www.unhcr.org/careers.html

Meet UNHCR Staff

https://bit.ly/2EMZrlO

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Industry
Government & Public Safety
Company Size
10,000+ employees
Headquarters
Geneva, CH
Year Founded
Unknown
Website
unhcr.org
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