HR Associate

Job Highlight

Be at the heart of HR, ensuring seamless operations and providing vital support, expert guidance, and valuable services that empower our teams and strengthen partnerships.

About The Project Office

Since 1995, UNOPS has maintained an active presence in Afghanistan, delivering efficient, agile services in support of both humanitarian response and development efforts. Prior to August 2021, the Afghanistan Country Office (AFCO) implemented projects across a broad range of sectors, including infrastructure, procurement, capacity building, and environmental protection. In response to evolving humanitarian needs, AFCO has shifted its focus to supporting life-saving initiatives and basic human needs. Current priorities include managing large-scale cash-for-work programmes, procuring emergency supplies, and providing inter-agency coordination, communication, and accountability support.

Role Purpose

The HR Associate administers and implements a wide range of HR plans and processes that support Office personnel. Serving as the primary point of contact for internal and external clients, the HR Associate provides timely guidance, information and support on HR procedures, services and initiatives, ensuring consistent and client-focused service delivery.

Functions / Key Results Expected

Policy Development and Implementation Support

• Collect, maintain, and continuously update data on workforce trends, risks, and opportunities to inform HR policy development and corporate initiatives.
• Support the rollout and implementation of HR strategies and initiatives aligned with corporate objectives.
• Generate workforce data and statistics to support planning, including personnel movement analysis.
• Communicate HR policy updates and new initiatives to management and personnel, offering clarification and guidance where needed
• HR Advice
• Provide guidance on HR systems and processes, including recruitment, contract administration, position management, performance management, and benefits and entitlements in line with UNOPS rules and procedures.
• Offer day-to-day advice to personnel on administrative processes and practices.
• Act as a liaison between HR and internal/ external clients, proactively facilitating access to information and services as authorized.
• Support a positive onboarding experience by ensuring the timely processing of onboarding documentation.
• Advise supervisors and hiring managers on recruitment procedures, performance management, learning initiatives, and approaches to managing underperformance.
• Support institutional gender and diversity efforts by advising on issues of equity, compliance, inclusion, and organizational values.
  
  

• Contribute to all stages of the recruitment and selection process, including requisition creation, longlisting, testing, interviews, reference checks, approvals, offer/rejection communications, and HR system updates.
• Prepare and calculate fees for Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA) personnel.
• Advise UNOPS personnel, consultants, partners and project personnel on conditions of service and entitlements based on contract modality, ensuring a smooth and client-focused onboarding process.
• Maintain recruitment plans, rosters and tools to support effective workforce planning and retention.
• Coordinate with the Shared Services Centre (SSC) on personnel administration matters.
• Research policy precedents and support the HR Lead in addressing talent acquisition issues, considering any applicable exceptions.
• Submit transactional HR data in the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and other HR information systems, covering a range of functions including:
• Recruitment and selection, e.g. requisition initiation, approvals, offers/ rejections, etc.
• Contractual and position actions (e.g. appointments, extensions, separations, reclassifications, etc).
• Ensure completion of HR processes (e.g. absence requests, performance evaluations, etc) by following up with supervisors and supervisees.
• Establish and maintain tracking systems, alerting the HR Lead to pending actions and upcoming deadlines.
• Maintain accurate personnel files and reference records.
• Support or conduct payroll verification activities.
  
  

• Support the organization, facilitation and delivery of training and learning sessions on HR topics.
• Participate in knowledge-sharing initiatives and Communities of Practice (CoPs), contributing insights and lessons learned from HR project implementation,
• Conduct research on HR-related topics and contribute to the drafting of reports, summaries and briefing notes.
  
  

• Secondary school (or equivalent) with 6 years of relevant experience OR
• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline with 2 years of relevant experience is required.
  
  

• A globally or nationally recognized professional certificate in Human Resource Management (HRM) is desired.
  
  

• Relevant experience is work in any area of Human Resource Management (HRM).
• Experience in the use of collaboration and productivity tools (e.g. MS Office, G-Suite, etc) and web-based management systems is required.
  
  

• Experience of working in multicultural environments or UN system organizations in a developing country is desired.
• Experience in development or humanitarian contexts is desired.