Human Resources Manager, P4, FT, #85515, Damascus – Syria, MENA

UNICEF Syria is hiring a Fixed Term Human Resources Manager at the P4 level, based in Damascus.

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.
UNICEF is a place where careers are built, we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, Engage …

UNICEF Syria was established in 1970 and has been working with partners to help empower children to fully claim and enjoy their rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

UNICEF works with partners across Syria to deliver supplies, services, and expertise in areas of Child Protection, Education, Health, Nutrition, Water, Hygiene and Sanitation for every child. UNICEF also provides humanitarian assistance when needed.

Syria continues to face one of the most complex emergencies in the world. Unprecedented humanitarian needs are compounded by displacement inside the country and across its borders, extensive destruction of civilian and social services infrastructure, devastating impacts on the economy, and most importantly, the breakdown of the social fabric that stitched the country together for decades.

Today, 90% of people in Syria live in poverty, most are unable to make ends meet or bring food to the table. Families have had their resources depleted, with limited employment opportunities, skyrocketing prices, and shortage of basic supplies. For most people, the current socio-economic challenges represent some of the harshest and most challenging circumstances they have faced since the beginning of the crisis in 2011.

For information of the work of our organization, please visit our website: UNICEF Syria  

How can you make a difference?

As the HR Manager for UNICEF in Syria, you will play a pivotal role in navigating the unique challenges of the Syrian context, providing both technical expertise and inspirational support to a dedicated team. You will lead initiatives in talent acquisition, staff development, performance management, employee relations, policy guidance, cultural, diversity, inclusion, and staff well-being. Your strategic insights will ensure that our HR practices are closely aligned with the Global HR strategy, reflecting UNICEF’s core mission and values. As a key member of the country management team, your guidance on policy direction will be integral to the decision-making process. Your passion for excellence and commitment to fostering a supportive, inclusive work culture will be essential in making a positive impact.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

1. Strategic Human Resources
2. Business Partnering
3. Technical HR Leadership
4. Managing Human Resources Services
5. Learning and Capacity Development
6. HR Data Analytics
7. Staff Well-being and Culture

For Detailed job description JD please click on the link.  GJP-Human Resources Manager Level 4.pdf

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

The following minimum requirements:

• Education: An Advanced University Degree in human resource management, business management, international relations, psychology, or another related field is required.
• Work Experience: Eight years of professional experience in human resource management in an international organization and/or large corporation is required.
• Skills:

• Strong technical knowledge of the principles and concepts of human resources management.
• Experience and ability to help design and implement targeted and innovative human resources strategies to address clients’ people-related needs.
• Ability to identify and analyze systemic issues, formulate opinions and make conclusions and recommendations to resolve same.
• Ability to provide technical and administrative leadership to staff and to develop clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies.
• Demonstrated capability in leading, managing and supervising teams in a multicultural environment.
• Ability to facilitate difficult conversations in a considered and tactful manner.
• Ability to liaise with other departments, builds and maintains effective partnerships with clients, and partners.
• Ability to empathize with client managers, supervisors and staff while advocating for consistent and equitable applications of promulgated HR regulations and rules
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in a diverse organization tailoring language, tone, style and format to match audience.

• Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required.  Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of the duty station is considered as an asset.

• The following desirables: Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others (8) Nurtures, leads and manages people.

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per 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.

UNICEF’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates from industrial countries are encouraged to apply.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

This is required for all posts requiring a higher education degree. “UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/”

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

The VA is open to all (internal and external candidates)

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

Syria in a non-family duty station with E hardship classification.