Organization: UNICEF – United Nations Children’s Fund
Location: Istanbul
Grade: Mid level – P-4, International Professional – Internationally recruited position
Occupational Groups:
Social Affairs
Human Resources
External Relations, Partnerships and Resource mobilization
Culture and Sport
Managerial positions
Closing Date: 2025-01-05

Join UNICEF as the Human Resources Manager (Talent Engagement and Placement) and play a pivotal role in transforming global HR strategies. In this dynamic position, you will lead innovative recruitment practices, champion proactive mobility initiatives, and build robust talent pipelines aligned with UNICEF’s mission to promote equity and inclusion. Oversee critical HR programs like the Staff Selection Policy, Talent Group Management, and mobility exercises, leveraging advanced technologies to enhance decision-making. Collaborate with global stakeholders to ensure a seamless employee experience and succession planning while contributing to the development of a comprehensive Talent Management Framework. Drive meaningful impact by shaping UNICEF’s workforce to better serve children worldwide.

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.

How can you make a difference?

Under the guidance of the Chief Talent Engagement and Partnerships, the Talent Engagement and Placement Manager will lead the work of the Recruitment COE and the current Mobility team, including a range of initiatives and will substantially contribute to the development of aTalent Management Framework. The Talent Engagement and Placement Manager will support the Chief with the placement of staff with special cases.

Responsibilities:

Management of Unit and Technical HR Leadership

• Support the Chief of Section in developing annual work plans, setting priorities, and measuring performance.
• Monitor progress to ensure results align with schedules and performance standards.
• Define individual performance objectives, timelines, and provide necessary guidance to the team.
• Source, recruit, and supervise external experts/consultants for program and policy delivery.
• Offer technical leadership in HR specialty areas, ensuring compliance with policies, regulations, and standards.
• Develop, implement, and oversee the application of new HR policies and procedures to address evolving organizational needs.
• Resolve highly sensitive or contentious HR cases with organization-wide implications.

Talent Engagement (Recruitment COE)

• Lead the implementation of the Staff Selection Procedure and develop resources to ensure equitable recruitment practices.
• Establish mechanisms to evaluate and refine recruitment practices, including Talent Group Management.
• Build capacity for hiring managers and HR staff to strengthen decentralized recruitment processes.
• Innovate talent pipeline strategies to populate UNICEF talent groups across all functions.
• Oversee Talent Group Management transition to Recruitment Administrative Services.
• Leverage advanced HR technologies like AI-powered analytics and the SKILLS+ marketplace to enhance recruitment and mobility processes.

Talent Mobility and Placement

• Transition UNICEF to a proactive mobility model, encouraging staff to seek new roles post-tour of duty.
• Partner with leadership teams to support succession planning and ensure a robust talent pipeline.
• Collaborate with Career Development to create tailored development plans for mobility participants.
• Enhance employee experience through customized support for relocation, cultural adjustment, and professional development.

Knowledge Management and Evaluations

• Ensure team projects are evaluated, meeting organizational quality standards and incorporating lessons learned.
• Monitor and evaluate personal contributions to ensure goals and standards are achieved.
• Facilitate reporting and knowledge sharing by analyzing data on service uptake.
• Contribute to policy and guidance reviews on mobility and staff selection procedures.

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

Requirements

Minimum requirements:

• Education: An Advanced University Degree in human resource management, business management, international relations, psychology, or another related field is required.

• Work Experience:
  • A minimum of 8 years of relevant professional experience in human resource management in an international organization and/or large corporation is required.
  • Ability to allocate appropriate time and resources for successful achievement of goals, and foresee risks and allow for contingencies when planning.
  • Ability to implement clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies, identify priority activities and assignments, adjust priorities as required.
  • Strategic Experience and ability to help design and implement targeted and innovative human resources strategies to address clients’ people-related needs.
  • Ability to help design and implement innovative HR programs within a fast paced, evolving, and wide organizational setting.

Technical

• • Authoritative technical knowledge of the principles and concepts of human resources management.
  • Capacity to adapt policies, approaches and models to meet emerging needs.
  • Ability to identify and analyze systemic issues, formulate opinions and make conclusions and recommendations to resolve same.
  • Excellent knowledge of organizational and HR information technology systems and tools.
  • Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.

• Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is 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 committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.

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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

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.

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.

How to apply

Simply click on the apply button, fill out of the form, and upload your documents

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