1. Human Resources Section
1 April 2008

2. Background Moving from “PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT” to “HR DEPARTMENT”
The HR section at UNITAR was established in May 2007
Its mandate is to participate in the strengthening and rationalization of UNITAR’s organizational structure through coherent and transparent management of personnel
2 HR staff have been assigned to the new section

3. Key Functions Overall policies and specific rules applying to UNITAR
Recruitment Strategy Planning
Selection, Recruitment and Appointment
Promotion
Staff Development and Career Support

4. Key Functions (continued)
Performance Evaluation and Management
Staff Relations
Record keeping of all personal data
Administration of staff benefits and entitlements
Staff welfare

5. Overall Policies and Specific Rules Applying to UNITAR’s Management Responsibility
Autonomy for Personnel Related Matters
The staff of the Institute is appointed by the Executive Director
UNITAR staff are members of the UN but they are not members of the UN Secretariat
Appointments are limited to service with UNITAR

6. Autonomy for Personnel Related Matters (continued)
UNITAR has the approval function for all human resources related matters except classification pending a decision from OLA
UN Staff Rules and Regulations apply to UNITAR

7. Organisational Chart
Is the document corresponding to the Strategic Plan, the skeleton of UNITAR’s future structure
Posts will be filled gradually depending on the availability of funds

8. Categories of Personnel at UNITAR
Regular staff under 100, 200 and 300 series
39 staff, 23 females and 16 males, average age 42 years
Fellows
5 categories of which:
2 remunerated (32 Training/Research Assistants, Associates and Advisers)
3 non-remunerated (12 Associated Fellows, Correspondents and Full-time Senior Fellows)
Specific Terms and Conditions of Appointment for each category, available on the x drive and can be consulted at any time

9. Categories of Personnel at UNITAR (continued)
Contractors with service contracts
Consultants / Individual contractors
198 consultancy contracts issued in 2007

10. Categories of Personnel at UNITAR (continued)
Interns
8 interns in 2008, 6 females and 2 males, average age 26.6 years
SYNI collaborators
3 SYNI collaborators, 2 females and 1 male, average age 33.3 years
93 regular staff and collaborators with contracts for at least 6 months of which 44 females and 49 males, average age of 43.5

11. Functional Titles
The same unique title corresponding to the function and job classification must be used in the:
LOA
daily correspondence
business cards
specific terminology for titles to better reflect the specific mandate and activities of the Institute
Exceptions approved by the ED

12. Succession Planning
It is the process of identifying and preparing suitable, talented employees to replace key staff within an organization as their terms expire or if they decide to leave the organization
Mentoring
Training
Job rotation
Talented employees are retained and smooth transitions are ensured in case of retirement or separation of personnel

13. Recruitment Strategy Planning
Job analysis
to determine the job description and the level of skills/technical abilities, competencies - Generic Job Profiles
Skills-gap analysis
to assess and identify the current and evolving expertise and skills and related gaps

14. Recruitment Strategy Planning (continued)
Competency profile
Internal consultative process to identify key functional domains of competence required at UNITAR
Competency framework
To be developed through an internal research programme
Organizational culture
The personality of the organization: “what is done, how it is done and who is doing it”

15. Selection, Recruitment and Appointment
New posts must be authorized by the Executive Director
Posts must be classified through the Job classification system
Rank-in-job approach adopted by the UN system

16. Selection, Recruitment and Appointment (continued)
All new posts are filled through a transparent competitive selection process and reviewed by the Appointment and Promotion Board
Recruitment procedures are available for consultation under HR
Fellows will constitute an essential reservoir to fill new L positions to be opened at UNITAR

17. Promotion Principles Circular AC/UNITAR/2008/03
Promotion recommendations made by the Supervisors to Human Resources should be reviewed by the APB and approved by the Executive Director

18. Promotion (continued)
Appointment and Promotion Board (APB)
Established in February 2008 through circular AC/UNITAR/2008/02 as a special joint body to:
advise the Executive Director on the appointment and promotion of personnel at UNITAR
review proposals for new policies, procedures
review any changes in entitlements in managing contracts of the remunerated collaborators

19. Staff Development and Career Support
Circular AC/UNITAR/2007/10 Add.1 promulgates the rules applying to staff development
Enhancing Human Capital is Priority 2 of the Strategic Plan
The training budget for 2008 is USD (1% of the overall UNITAR budget)
66% allocated for collective courses
34% allocated for individual UN and external courses and training at the out-posted offices

20. Staff Development and Career Support (continued)
The objective as set out in the HR Budget document is to have 2 courses by staff member per year
The following collective training courses will be organized for UNITAR: effective public speaking, knowledge management, training of trainers, management and leadership; conflict resolution; team building exercises
Serious and coherent efforts must be made for the training and enhancing its Human capital

21. Performance Evaluation and Management
Circular AC/UNITAR/2007/8
Equitable, transparent and measurable system of performance management
UNITAR will conduct an annual performance appraisal

22. Staff Relations
“Standards of Conduct for the International Civil Service”
All staff members have the right to be treated with dignity and respect and to work in an environment which fosters professional respect and courtesy, free from abuse, harassment and intimidation of all kinds

23. Record Keeping of all Personal Data
The Personnel records are kept locked in an HR’s office and have a very restricted circulation
Staff members currently in active status have the right to review their Official Status files normally once a year
The request needs to be made in writing. The file is never sent out of the HR office for reviewing

24. Administration of Staff Benefits and Entitlements
Salaries and related allowances
Pension
Annual and Special leave (Home leave and Family leave)
Dependency allowance
Rental subsidy
Education grant

25. Administration of Staff Benefits and Entitlements (continued)
Language Scheme
Assignment grant
Relocation grant
Mobility and Hardship Scheme
Separation from service
Security matters

26. Staff Welfare “Work/Family Agenda” available under the x drive
Organizations must innovate personnel policies and practices to facilitate the reconciliation between work and family responsibilities
“Work/Family Agenda” available under the x drive
More to come

27. Information Flow
Human Resources Management is important in contributing to develop a working culture
X drive must be user-friendly, informative and consistent
Information must be shared to ensure increased and improved communication within UNITAR

28. At Your Service
The HR section is not a decision-making unit at UNITAR
Do not be angry with the messenger when the answer is negative
The new Human Resources section is now operational and will improve gradually, with everyone’s understanding and support

29. Marina Vasilescu Chief HR Section Office A510 / IEH1
Thank you!