International Consultant - General Service (GS) Function at the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF)

United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: International Consultant to review the General Service (GS) Function in UNICEF Nigeria

Job no: 564979
Location: Abuja
Contract type: (91 days)
Level: Consultancy
Categories: Human Resources

For every child, Service
General Service staff in the United Nations system provide administrative, secretarial, and clerical support to organizations. They work in eight job networks: management, operations, programs, and social development. Job classification is crucial, ensuring equitable wage structures and organizational hierarchy.

It promotes fairness, accountability, and efficient allocation of human resources, enabling strategic achievement and efficient organizational unit structuring. The higher the job level, the more complex the functions and the higher the responsibility. The General Service Staff (GS-1-GS-7) includes non-professional support positions within UN agencies, programs, and funds, involving administrative, clerical, technical, and logistical roles essential for the organization's smooth functioning.

Following the Programme Budget Review (PBR) recommendation, NCO wishes to review the work distribution and structure of the entire NCO for the general service category regarding the utilization and allocation of Programme Assistant/Associate and Administrative Assistant/Associate posts to the different sections within the country office and field offices.

This review aims to thoroughly review these functions in each section and determine the accountabilities and required levels to ensure equity in job descriptions, accountability, and responsibilities and that the actual jobs of GS staff are classified at the appropriate level.

As part of the PBR recommendation and commitment to fairness, equity, and well-being of staff, the NCO seeks to engage the service of a consultant to conduct a job analysis ad assessment to address workload distribution issues and to ensure that the actual jobs of GS category are classified at the appropriate level.

How can you make a difference?

• The consultant would conduct a systematic job analysis of the GS function in UNICEF Nigeria by reviewing background documentation (organizational structure, current work performed, job descriptions, and the GS Classification system).
• Gather relevant information and analyze each post's required content and relevance to the office.  Prepare a recommendation on the need, relevance, and number of posts required to work in each section and function.
• In consultation with the concerned programme, prepare relevant job descriptions and support their classification in collaboration with the HR section.

The consultant will expressly undertake:

• A review of the organizational structure and design - Clarify job requirements and interrelationships among the GS jobs, including Operations and HR, minimizing or removing overlaps or duplication of work.
• Conduct a country-wide review of the GS functions and responsibilities in Programmes and Operations to ensure the tasks are commensurate with the level of the posts.
• Assess the classification level of each GS position against the work being performed
• Assessment and Clarification on the need for 2-3 PAs in each section despite the different structures and requirements.  
• Review the value added and complementarities between each unit's Programme Associate/Assistant roles in Abuja, the Operations section, and the Field offices, and elaborate on how the accountabilities are distributed among the various functions to ensure efficiency.
• Based on data collected through job analysis, outline the activities and duties for each job, introducing their unique characteristics.
• Ascertain which roles are currently or would need to do budget management, regular administrative support, or partnerships management.
• Propose adjustment to the JDs of vacant positions to G6 or G5 to allow career paths for GS staff. efficiency and effectiveness by taking advantage of currently vacant and soon-to-be vacant positions.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have

• An Advanced University Degree in Human Resource Management, Business Management, International Relations, Psychology, or another related field is required.
• Eight years of relevant professional experience in human resource management including conducting organizational design and review; Experience in job analyzing and evaluation.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

• UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).
• To view our competency framework, please visit here.
• UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
• UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.
• UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination.
• UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Application Closing Date
28th August, 2023 (West Central Africa Standard Time).