Title:  Head - HR Operations and Planning Unit

Requisition ID: 6441 
Grade: P4 
Country: Austria 
Duty Station: Vienna 
Category: Professional and Higher 
Type of Job Posting: Internal and External
Employment Type: Staff-Full-time
Appointment Type: Fixed Term - 100 series
Indicative Minimum Net Annual Salary: 132,427 USD 
Application Deadline: 15-Oct-2025, 11:59 PM (Vienna, Austria time)  

Vacancy Announcement
Female candidates from all Member States are particularly encouraged to apply.

Organizational Context

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is the specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes industrial development for poverty reduction, inclusive globalization and environmental sustainability. The mission of UNIDO, as described in the Lima Declaration adopted at the fifteenth session of the UNIDO General Conference in 2013 as well as the Abu Dhabi Declaration adopted at the eighteenth session of UNIDO General Conference in 2019, is to promote and accelerate inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID) in Member States. The relevance of ISID as an integrated approach to all three pillars of sustainable development is recognized by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which will frame United Nations and country efforts towards sustainable development. UNIDO’s mandate is fully recognized in SDG-9, which calls to “Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation”. The relevance of ISID, however, applies in greater or lesser extent to all SDGs. Accordingly, the Organization’s programmatic focus is structured in four strategic priorities: Creating shared prosperity; Advancing economic competitiveness; Safeguarding the environment; and Strengthening knowledge and institutions.

Each of these programmatic fields of activity contains a number of individual programmes, which are implemented in a holistic manner to achieve effective outcomes and impacts through UNIDO’s four enabling functions: (i) technical cooperation; (ii) analytical and research functions and policy advisory services; (iii) normative functions and standards and quality-related activities; and (iv) convening and partnerships for knowledge transfer, networking and industrial cooperation. Such core functions are carried out in Divisions/Offices in its Headquarters, Regional Offices and Hubs and Country Offices.

DIRECTORATE OF CORPORATE SERVICES AND OPERATIONS (COR)

The Directorate of Corporate Services and Operations (COR), headed by a Managing Director, is responsible and accountable for the management of UNIDO’s human, financial and material resources, ensuring the capacity of the Organization to fulfill its mandate. The Directorate oversees a full range of corporate services to meet the support needs of the Organization, acts as a custodian for corporate management policies, and promotes a culture of cooperation, service orientation and corporate excellence throughout the Organization to deliver efficient and effective high-quality work and enable tangible impact on the ground to achieve ISID worldwide.

Division of Human Resource Management (COR/HRM)

Under the supervision of the Managing Director of the Directorate of Corporate Services and Operations (COR), and in close coordination with other organizational entities within UNIDO, the Division of Human Resource Management (COR/HRM) is responsible for developing and implementing UNIDO’s human resources strategy, which underpins the success of the Organization, by providing a modern, people-focused framework that enables UNIDO’s workforce to contribute to its maximum.

HR Policy, Employee Relations and Operations Unit (COR/HRM/PEO)

COR/HRM/PEO provides strategic advice on the design, development and interpretation of a modern suite of Human Resources policies, the management of effective employee relations, supports workforce planning and provides statutory services in relation to the administration of UNIDO’s workforce.

This position leads the HR Operations and Planning Unit (COR/HRM/PEO/OPP). The OPP Unit supports workforce planning and provides statutory services to staff members employed under the staff regulations and rules as well as the administration of personnel under other contractual modalities.

At the P4 level, the Head of COR/HRM/PEO/OPP is expected to deliver substantive inputs (a) in work that is innovative; (b) in creating an enabling environment which promote cross-functional and cross-sectoral networks; (c) in building partnerships which result in advocating and championing UNIDO’s programmes and (d) in achieving results which affect UNIDO Programmes and Teams.

The UNIDO Staff Performance Management System reinforces the collaboration within formal units as well as among cross-functional teams. In this context, the incumbent collaborates with his/her supervisor and colleagues, in the country as well as in the region and in headquarters.

Staff -member are subject to the authority of the Director General and in this context all staff are expected to serve in any assignment and duty station as determined by the needs of the Organization.

2. MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

• Plans, organizes, manages and supervises the work of the OPP Unit.
• Leads the OPP Unit by setting clear goals, reviewing progress, and fostering accountability; appraise staff performance fairly and support continuous development through feedback and coaching.
• Monitors and ensures management of entitlements and conditions of service based on the provisions of the staff regulations and rules, administrative issuances and guidelines for all categories of UNIDO’s employees.
• Cooperates with relevant bodies with a view to harmonizing the conditions of service of UNIDO personnel to keep them aligned with the agreed United Nations system-wide frameworks.
• Coordinates the UNIDO response to United Nations common system reviews of conditions of service.
• Manages workforce planning approaches, provides the Secretariat to the Committee on Workforce Planning.
• Coordinates the management of UNIDO’s position table in the ERP Organizational Module (OM), in collaboration with COR/FIN on financial aspects.
• Coordinates the updates of UNIDO’s organizational chart, reporting relationships and roles in the OM.
• Regularly reviews HR administrative processes and procedures with a view to streamlining and modernizing, while ensuring assurances are provided.
• Oversees administration of official personnel records, including the digitalization process of personnel records, ensuring security and integrity of such information.
• Employs HR analytics in development of policies and processes.
• Mainstreams DEI and gender equality considerations in its work.
• Performs other duties as required.
  
  

3. MINIMUM ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Education: Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in human resources management, business administration, law, public administration or a relevant field in the social sciences, is required.

Experience:

A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in human resources management and administration is required, preferably within an international organization or a multicultural environment.

• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, to convey information clearly, engage stakeholders effectively, and foster collaboration across teams is required. 
• Experience in strategic workforce planning is desirable.
• Proven ability to manage staff entitlements and contract administration in accordance with organizational policies, rules and regulations, is required.
• Proven ability to lead diverse teams effectively, fostering collaboration, accountability, and high performance in line with HRM goals is required.

• Strong analytical skills with demonstrated experience in interpreting complex data, generating insights, and supporting evidence-based decision-making is desirable.
• Experience in and knowledge of SAP or a similar ERP system is desirable.

Language Skills:

Fluency in written and oral English required. Fluency in or working knowledge of other UN languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish) is an asset.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES

Core Values

WE LIVE AND ACT WITH INTEGRITY: work honestly, openly and impartially.

WE SHOW PROFESSIONALISM: work hard and competently in a committed and responsible manner.

WE RESPECT DIVERSITY: work together effectively, respectfully and inclusively, regardless of our differences in culture and perspective.

Key Competencies

WE FOCUS ON PEOPLE: cooperate to fully reach our potential –and this is true for our colleagues as well as our clients. Emotional intelligence and receptiveness are vital parts of our UNIDO identity.

WE FOCUS ON RESULTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES: focus on planning, organizing and managing our work effectively and efficiently. We are responsible and accountable for achieving our results and meeting our performance standards. This accountability does not end with our colleagues and supervisors, but we also owe it to those we serve and who have trusted us to contribute to a better, safer and healthier world.

WE COMMUNICATE AND EARN TRUST: communicate effectively with one another and build an environment of trust where we can all excel in our work.

WE THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND INNOVATE: To stay relevant, we continuously improve, support innovation, share our knowledge and skills, and learn from one another.

Managerial Competencies

WE ARE STRATEGIC, DECISIVE, PRINCIPLED AND INSPIRATIONAL: As managers, we are strategic and fair in driving our team’s performance.

WE ARE INCLUSIVE AND ACCOUNTABLE: As managers, we are inclusive in our approach and maintain constructive engagement with all our stakeholders.

WE ARE MULTI-DIMENSIONAL AND TRANSFORMATIONAL: As managers, we go beyond conventional methods to help our organizational units strengthen their own agility and adaptability to change.

WE ARE COLLABORATIVE AND CO-CREATIVE: As managers, we foster a team spirit and create meaningful opportunities to hear the voices of those around us, while realizing that only by working together can we accomplish our mission.

For further information on salaries, refer to the International Civil Service Commission website: https://icsc.un.org/

Employees of UNIDO are expected at all times to uphold the highest standards of integrity, professionalism and respect for diversity, both at work and outside. Only persons who fully and unconditionally commit to these values should consider applying for jobs at UNIDO.

All applications must be submitted online through the Online Recruitment System. Correspondence will be undertaken only with candidates who are being considered at an advanced phase of the selection process. Selected candidate(s) may be required to disclose to the Director General the nature and scope of financial and other personal interests and assets in respect of themselves, their spouses and dependents, under the procedures established by the Director General.

Visit the UNIDO careers site for details on how to apply: https://careers.unido.org/ 

NOTE: The Director General retains the discretion to make an appointment to this post at a lower level.

Notice to applicants:
UNIDO does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. If you have received a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Vacant positions within UNIDO are advertised on the official UNIDO website. Should you have any questions concerning persons or companies claiming to be recruiting on behalf of UNIDO and requesting payment of a fee, please contact: recruitment@unido.org