The Division of Human Resources Management (DHRM) formulates and implements human resources policies and strategies to support UNHCR and its personnel in responding rapidly to operational requirements. DHRM also upholds sound principles and practices for staff development, welfare and integrity in a service-oriented manner. In so doing, DHRM maintains global oversight of staff management across the organization. It assesses and analyses staffing profiles and emerging trends and strives to steer the organization towards sustainable human resources strategies aimed at the recruitment and retention of the most qualified and best performing staff.
The Office of the Director oversees an integrated human resources approach that is able to respond fully and strategically to operational and organizational concerns on workforce issues. Given the nature of UNHCR’s work, a primary goal for DHRM is to have a high degree of flexibility in the workforce in order to be able to ensure a quick and appropriate response according to operational needs.
HR Staff Services (HRSS) oversees functions related to personnel administration, payroll and performance management. HRSS provides HR guidance to all staff and managers worldwide; it is responsible, in particular, for ensuring that all staff members benefit from entitlements in accordance with UN staff rules; and that payroll functions efficiently at the global level in full respect of financial rules. HRSS also advises on the development of methodologies to meet HR evolving organizational needs; ensures implementation and consistent application of administrative instructions; monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of those instructions; and recommends changes. The Service includes the Personnel Administration and Payroll Section, the HQ Liaison and Compensation Unit and the Performance Management Unit.
The HR Policy and Planning Service (HRPPS) is responsible for developing human resources policies in UNHCR and ensuring quality services to HR advisory bodies. Within HRPPS a new Workforce Analysis and Business Intelligence Unit (WABI) was created to enhance UNHCR’s workforce planning and management reporting capacity; it manages data analysis systems to inform decision-making concerning the global workforce. Additionally, HRPPS provides post-classification functions for the organization. It also advocates for UNHCR positioning and interests on HR matters with partners in the UN system.
The Global Learning Centre (GLC) coordinates, designs and delivers learning activities for all staff – and to a lesser extent for UNHCR’s partners – in line with the Office’s strategic priorities. The GLC provides a wide range of diverse programmes using both distance and face-to-face methodologies to support organizational performance and career development in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
The Staff Health and Welfare Service (SHWS) is composed of the Medical Section, the Staff Welfare Section and the Global Staff Accommodation Unit. The Medical Section is responsible for monitoring, promoting and maintaining the health and safety of all UNHCR staff members. The Section ensures that staff are suitably fit to work in their locations of assignment, and delivers first aid training to prepare staff for working in emergency settings. It manages a central repository of staff medical records and is engaged in health promotion, with a focus on occupational health hazards and their prevention. The Medical Section also provides health protection to staff by monitoring and following-up on medical evacuations, and advising and counselling staff on physical or mental health issues. The Staff Welfare Section is responsible for promoting mental and psychosocial health by mitigating stress-related hazards, especially in field operations with high-security challenges and hardship living conditions. Counsellors provide trauma interventions and support the implementation of preventive procedures such as pre- and post-deployment psychological debriefings. The Global Staff Accommodation Unit is responsible for supporting field operations in meeting UNHCR minimum standards of working and living conditions for all UNHCR staff worldwide, contributing to the SHWS’ mandate to enhance staff health and welfare. The Unit also pioneers innovative, environmentally-sensitive and durable accommodation solutions.
The Assignment and Career Management Service (ACMS) is composed of the Career Management Support Section (CMSS) and the Assignments and Promotion Section (APS).
Through facilitating effective linkages between posting, career management and training, CMSS provides individual career counselling to staff members and career development opportunities in collaboration with the Global Learning Centre. CMSS regularly delivers career-support activities to field-based staff through career planning or career transition workshops adapted to specific country operations.
APS plays an integral role in the assignments process for all positions. In conjunction with CMSS, APS consults with staff and managers to match applicants to vacant positions. APS also assumes secretariat functions for the matching process, the Joint Review Board, and provides full oversight of all assignments. In addition, it serves as the secretariat for the yearly promotions sessions, including providing associated help-desk functions.
A Strategic and Transformative HR Service (STHRS) has been created in DHRM comprising of the Talent Outreach and Acquisition Section (TOAS) in Budapest and a new Geneva-based Strategic HR Unit.
TOAS was established in 2014 to implement UNHCR’s strategies related to the outreach and acquisition of talent. The Section works to attract external talent to the organisation through four major recruitment programmes: the Entry-Level Humanitarian Professional Programme (EHP); the Capacity Building Initiative (CBI); Profile-Based Recruitment; and ad-hoc recruitment to attract high-level leadership and specialized talent in specific functional areas. TOAS also acts as the focal point and business partner coordinator for UNHCR’s programmes with UN Volunteers (UNV), the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), Junior Professional Officers (JPOs), consultants and contractors; and provides all the necessary recruitment indicators to guide the management of recruitment processes in line with UNHCR’s strategic objectives.
The key objective of the new Strategic HR Unit, created in 2015, is to address evolving organizational human resources challenges through the implementation of an HR strategy, as well as through enhanced partnerships with divisions and bureaux, leadership and talent management, and coordination of all HR aspects of emergency preparedness and response.