Job Description

June 11, 2026

H (no hardship)

Family

GS7

General Service

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2026-08-01

Senior Human Resources Associate

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Senior 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 Senior 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 Senior 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 incumbent supervises some support 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 MSRP entries into HR module where required.
- Assisting with recruitment and other procedures related to affiliate workforce.
- 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:
- Coordinate the recruitment of local staff including the issuance of vacancy notices and screening of the application. Prepare submissions for the review by the Assignments Committee (AC).
- Assist in organizing outreach campaigns to attract diverse applicants.

Advice to 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.
- Advise staff members and affiliate workforce on their rights, obligations, benefits and entitlements, and assist them in interpreting UN/UNHCR staff rules and regulations.
- Assist in provision of on-boarding, induction, re-integration into the workplace and off-boarding to colleagues.
- Be proactive in identifying issues, themes and patterns affecting the workforce's health and welfare, including sexual harassment and abuse of authority.
- Assistance in implementation of HR initiatives that support organizational culture change such as good people management practices, and promoting gender, inclusion and diversity.

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
- 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

Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For G7 - 4 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Field(s) of Education
N / A

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
*IT-Computer Literacy
HR-Talent Development and Nurturing
HR-Employee Relationship Management
SO-Learning Agility
UN-UN/UNHCR Administrative Rules, Regulations and Procedures
HR-Local mass recruitment
(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 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) People and Stakeholder Management, Planning and Organizing, Resilience
• Supervisory capability, including the ability to guide others, provide direction, overview workload of the team and ensure timely, high-quality delivery across competing priorities.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability 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, and ability to sustain performance when managing multiple urgent tasks simultaneously.
• Consistent track record of timely, high-quality output and delivery under pressure, including during peak workload periods and rapidly changing context.
• Strong negotiation, planning, and decision-making abilities, particularly in balancing operational urgency with compliance and quality.
• Great communication skills (written and verbal), including the ability to translate policy and process requirements into clear guidance and actionable steps.

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.
• Process-driven and compliance-oriented mindset, with a strong commitment to consistency, fairness, and confidentiality in handling of sensitive HR and recruitment information.
• Proven ability to manage and quality-check key processes including: Job requisition (JR) intake, review, and validation; Vacancy publication and advertising (internal/external channels); Candidate screening and longlisting/shortlisting support; and 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 with shortlisting, ensuring fairness, transparency, and adherence to selection criteria.
• 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.
• Capability to manage sensitive recruitment cases and escalate issues appropriately, using sound judgment and risk awareness.

3) HR Data Management, Accuracy, Tracking and Reporting
• Proven ability to maintain and enhance HR tracking systems, ensuring consistent reporting, transparency, and follow-through across multiple processes.
• Technical knowledge in Workday and experience in working with large datasets and experience in reporting on complex HR database (filtering, pivot tables), and familiarity in Job Requisition processes and recruitment-related workflow steps.
• High attention to detail with the ability to identify discrepancies, resolve data issues, and improve quality of HR data.
• Analytical capability to produce clear insights, dashboards, and reports that support decision-making, identify bottlenecks, and improve recruitment performance.
• Comfortable operating within structured workflows and able to identify process improvement opportunities to increase efficiency and consistency.

4) Additional skills:
• Knowledge of another UN language could be a strong asset.

Additional information:

Candidates are expected to have the 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:

Nature of Position:

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) Section 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 Chief of Section, 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. S/he will report to the Human Resources Officer based in Budapest and will supervise several Human Resources Assistants/Associates.

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

Certifications

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

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Change capability & adaptability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, 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