CHIEF, HUMAN RESOURCES POLICIES DIVISION UN · D-1 · New York, United States Closes 8 Nov 2026

CHIEF, HUMAN RESOURCES POLICIES DIVISION

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This position is located in the secretariat of the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), an independent expert body established by the General Assembly with the mandate to regulate and coordinate conditions of service of staff of the organizations of the United Nations common system. Under the general direction of the Executive Secretary of the Commission, the incumbent directs the Human Resources Policies Division responsible for developing proposals for the establishment, revision, and/or enhancement of human resources management policies in the United Nations common system with particular reference to human resource planning, recruitment, mobility, career and staff development schemes, performance management, work/life balance, job evaluation standards, standards of conduct, gender equity strategies, and promotes consistency in the implementation of these policies by the organizations. The Division is also responsible for the management of field entitlements, such as the hardship and mobility scheme, danger pay and non-family status of duty stations. Reporting to the Executive Secretary, the Chief of Division maintains close contact with stakeholders and partners and directs the development of policies in the areas under his/her responsibility, to ensure that they are relevant to the needs of common system organizations and Member States, and ensures that work assigned to the Division by the Commission is carried out in an expeditious and professional manner. The incumbent also exercises delegated authority for matters under the Division’s purview and represents the secretariat at the Commission and General Assembly meetings and in inter-agency fora on these matters.

Responsibilities

• Directs the work programme of the Human Resources Policies Division; establishing priorities and work plans and allocating its human resources across the policy workstreams assigned by the Commission; exercises delegated authority for the technical positions and methodological determinations issued by the Division; manages staff performance through the encouragement of professional growth and a results-oriented environment; approves the Division's technical outputs prior to their submission to the Commission;
• Develops and directs the conduct of studies on the abovementioned aspects of human resources management for the development of system-wide HR policies, standards and procedures which govern human resources management in the organizations of the United Nations common system, exploring and adapting best practices from public and private international sectors;
• Manages the mobility/hardship scheme system-wide, including periodic studies of its functioning and the underlying methodology, the annual hardship classification of United Nations duty stations, the designation of non-family duty stations, the danger pay system, and the common system rest and recuperation framework, determining the entitlements payable to staff serving in field and hardship locations across the common system;
• Formulates policy recommendations in the relevant functional areas and provides authoritative advice to the Commission and the General Assembly on matters falling within the Division’s competence, including matters where the positions of participating organizations and staff federations diverge;
• Monitors and guides the implementation by organizations of the United Nations common system of the policies recommended and/or approved by the Commission and the General Assembly;
• Directs the development, testing and review of the common system job evaluation standards and supporting systems, procedures and manuals for organizations of the common system, and directs the programme through which they are applied by organizations, including the advisory and training support provided to them;
• Maintains on-going liaison on the above matters with the organizations of the common system as well as with other divisions of the secretariat.

Professionalism: Expert knowledge of the United Nations common system human resources policy framework and job evaluation standards. Demonstrated expertise in developing human resource management policies and systems and encouraging successful change management environments. Ability to analyze and interpret data; proficient in qualitative and quantitative research methods and analysis to make informed decisions. Ability to adapt to technological changes, including those in HR software and digital tools. Ability to produce reports and papers on technical issues and to review and edit the work of others. Shows pride in work and in achievements. Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter. Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results. Is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns. Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively. Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately. Asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication. Tailors language, tone, style and format to match the audience. Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed. Planning and organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; Leadership: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow. Empowers others to translate vision into results. Is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives. Establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support. Anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions. Drives for change and improvement; does not accept the status quo. Shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing. Judgement/decision making: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation and comes to the heart of the problem quickly. Gathers relevant information before making a decision. Considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them. Takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization. Proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information. Checks assumptions against facts. Determines that the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision. Makes tough decisions when necessary.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent degree) in human resources, public or business administration, or related field is required. A first-level degree (Bachelor's degree or equivalent) in the specified fields of studies with two additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

At least 15 years of progressively responsible experience in human resources management or the development of human resources policies in the United Nations common system or a similar international organization, including positions at a senior level is required. Experience in managing staff, leading a team and working in a multicultural environment is required. Experience in dealing with matters relating to conditions of service in the field is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. French is desirable. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult [link removed] for details).

Required Languages

Language

Reading

Writing

Speaking

Language

Reading

Writing

Speaking

French UN Level II UN Level II UN Level II UN Level II

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

The appointment against this position is limited to the International Civil Service Commission. Appointment or assignment against this position is for an initial period of one year and is extendable. Staff of the ICSC secretariat are appointed under article 20 of the statute of the International Civil Service Commission. Appointment to this position is subject to consultation with the Chairman of the Commission and with the relevant inter‑agency machinery. Candidates who are staff members of an organization of the United Nations common system will normally be seconded to the ICSC secretariat for the duration of their service. Letters of appointment issued in respect of this position are limited to service with the ICSC secretariat. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. Staff members appointed to the current position are required to submit a financial disclosure statement upon assignment or appointment and annually thereafter.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non‑smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary‑General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D‑2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account‑holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. All external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2 (a) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment without limitation and all external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2. (c) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment limited to the entity are subject to an initial probationary period of one year under a fixed‑term appointment. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.