Senior
Senior Human Resources Assistant
Deadline for Applications August 24, 2026
Grade GS5
Staff Member / Affiliate Type General Service
Reason Temporary > Temporary Assignment/ Appointment
Hardship Level D
Family Type Family
Residential location (if applicable)
Target Start Date 2026-09-01
Target End Date 2026-12-31
Standard Job Description Senior Human Resources Assistant
Organizational Setting and Work Relationships Senior Human Resources Assistant will function under direct supervision of the Administrative or Human Resources Officer, assisting him/her in personnel administration and other HR related matters, including the process of recruitment and appointment of staff, and in the performance management and welfare issues of staff under area of responsibility (AOR).
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
-
Assist in the recruitment, assignment, reassignment and separation of local service staff. Prepare documents for the interview panel for the recruitment of local staff.
-
Process local staff members' contracts, entitlements and benefits in accordance with Staff Rules and established HR procedures.
-
Update personnel related information in MSRP/HR module where this activity has been rolled out from PAS to the respective office.
-
Advise staff members on their rights, obligations, benefits and entitlements, and assist them in interpreting UN/UNHCR staff rules and regulations.
-
Assist newly-arrived international staff with administrative formalities related to their accreditations, security/ground passes, submission of completed forms and related documents to headquarters, arrange travel and hotel reservations
-
Assist with shipment of their personal effects in coordination with the logistics section.
-
Administer UNHCR medical insurance plan for locally recruited staff. Provide administrative support to staff and dependants in case of medical evacuations, as well as security evacuations/relocations. Maintain daily tracking record of staff and families to provide accurate information in case of emergency.
-
Maintain personnel records in the office, including maintenance of the attendance, overtime and leave records.
-
Initiate calculations for payments related to personnel issues such as settlement of travel claims, overtime claims, hazard pay, MIP reimbursements, medical and security evacuations, shipment costs.
-
Initiate routine correspondence on HR matters for the authorizing officer's approval.
-
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 G5 - 2 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 1 year relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher
Field(s) of Education Not applicable
Certificates and/or Licenses Secretarial Administrative (Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)
Relevant Job Experience Essential Good knowledge of UNHCR administrative procedures and processes and exposure to provision of support services in an international organization.
Desirable Field experience with UNHCR and/or with other humanitarian organizations is an asset. High IT affinity and working experience of PeopleSoft/MSRP.
Functional Skills IT-Computer Literacy PG-Resource planning FI-ERP Financial Management (SAP, Oracle, PeopleSoft, Workday and other) HR-PeopleSoft Human Capital Management UN-UN/UNHCR Administrative Rules, Regulations and Procedures IT-Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) (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.
Desired Candidate Profile The Senior Human Resources Assistant will function under direct supervision of the Human Resources Associate, assisting her in personnel administration and other HR related matters, including the process of recruitment and appointment of personnel (staff and affiliate workforce), and in the general personnel administration, including performance management and welfare issues among others.
The candidate is expected to communicate clearly and professionally with employees at all levels, handle confidential information with discretion, and excel at organization, prioritization, and problem‑solving in fast‑paced environments. This person is proactive, reliable, detail‑oriented, and capable of working independently while contributing positively to team collaboration and the overall employee experience. Experience with administrative systems is an asset, Workday proficiency is desirable.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Shortlisted candidates will be required to sit for a written test and/or oral interview.
UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, processing or any other fees).
The evaluation of applicants will be conducted based on the information submitted during the application. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications. 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.
UNHCR has a zero-tolerance policy against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA). SEA is unacceptable behavior and prohibited conduct for UNHCR personnel. It constitutes acts of serious misconduct and is therefore grounds for disciplinary measures, including dismissal. Any concerns or suspicions about a possible case of SEA should be reported immediately to the Inspector General’s Office (IGO) at inspector@unhcr.org or through the online complain form at https://www.unhcr.org/php/complaints.php or by confidential fax: +41 22 739 73 80.
Functional Clearance This position doesn't require a functional clearance
Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level) English, Spanish
Desired languages
Additional Qualifications Skills FI-ERP Financial Management (SAP, Oracle, PeopleSoft, Workday and other), HR-PeopleSoft Human Capital Management, IT-Computer Literacy, IT-Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), PG-Resource planning, UN-UN/UNHCR Administrative Rules, Regulations and Procedures Education Certifications Administration - Other, Secretarial - Other Work Experience
UNHCR Salary Calculator https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales
Other information
Sign up to apply and find out right away if you're a fit.
Is this role right for you?
Your agent will tell you — in seconds.
Sign up and I'll tell you right away how well UNHCR matches you — what you already have, and what's missing. Then I stay on it: I search for you and only write when I find something worth your time.