Management consultant

Background
The International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) is a multi-disciplinary and multistakeholder platform to enable societies to increase their resilience to natural, technological and environmental disasters and to reduce associated environmental, human, economic and social risk and losses. A range of United Nations organizations and international partners participate in cooperation with Governments and civil society organizations.

The implementation of the ISDR is supported by a secretariat led by the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction. The secretariat’s main functions are policy coordination, advocacy and information management, at the international and regional levels, to ensure synergy between disaster reduction strategies and those in the socio-economic and humanitarian fields.

In January 2005, the World Conference on Disaster Reduction adopted the Hyogo Declaration and the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters. The Hyogo Framework constitutes the essential guide for implementation of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction and represents the key policy framework for reducing risk and to strengthen community resilience. The Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, established by the UN General Assembly in 2006, is the main global policy forum for disaster risk reduction, and is complemented by a system of regional, thematic and national platforms, which bring together all relevant stakeholders.

The UNISDR secretariat is undergoing management changes to better respond to its mandate as set out by the UN General Assembly. An improvement of current human resource management processes and procedures and better alignment with standard UN practice has been identified as critical element for achieving a more effective UNISDR secretariat. In parallel, the focus, objectives and expectations vis-à-vis the secretariat have been evolving. Such changes imply a necessary adjustment in the job, and possibly human resource, profiles of the UNISDR secretariat.

Under the leadership of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, UNISDR has finalized a new organizational chart, commensurate with the programme and longer-term mandate of the secretariat, developed a new 2010/2011 UNISDR Biennial Work Programme, and commissioned several studies and an external evaluation to further guide its work in the next biennium and until 2015. An internal Human Resources Task Team has also been set up
to support anticipated changes in processes. It provides advice to the SRSG in her steering of fundamental management change processes to improve the overall performance of the secretariat.

A review of UNISDR job profiles, staff skills and competencies has been identified as a priority to support the functioning of the secretariat with the objective of better alignment of functions with
needs. To this end, the secretariat is seeking Human Resource Managements consultants’ support.

Statement of purpose
The aim of undertaking job profiling and a skills inventory is to ensure that we have the skills, competencies and capacities to perform our function and meet our UNISDR secretariat objectives.
An open call for proposals from a human resources consultant or firm calls to undertake tasks to help UNISDR 1) explicitly identify the job profiles, skills and competencies required for achieving the secretariat’s strategic objectives and longer-term mission and 2) ensure commensurate in-house skills and competency development. The skills inventory will also help identify strengths and opportunities for improvement, and inform staff career development plans. Where necessary, and bearing in mind the priority given for in-house staff and career development, it serves for recruitment of new staff.

Duties and responsibilities
To ensure the most effective operations organization-wide, UNISDR wants the right person in the right place doing the job required to meet the organization's strategic objectives. To do this requires, amongst others, the strategic alignment of competent people/staff with identified key functional areas and activities. In line with ensuring that UNISDR has a staff that is 'fit for purpose' to meet its strategic objectives, the consultant will undertake the following:

1. Scoping the environment and identifying organizational needs
In line with organizational objectives, the consultant(s) will identify the core functions to support key work areas and processes, the consultant will fully familiarize themselves with the mandate, strategic objectives, and scope of work, partnerships and processes that are UNISDR mandated, in line with the UN system.

Deliverable: Ideal UNISDR job profiles for headquarters and regional offices.

In order to undertake activity one, the consultant(s) shall become familiar with the UNISDR mandate as per UN General Assembly and its practical ramifications as illustrated through its Annual Reports and other tangible working outputs; review key UNISDR guidance documents (Biennial Work Programmes, Regional Office Standard Operating Procedures, Global Platform Chair’s summary, General Assembly resolutions, current and former Organisational Charts, Staffing table, current job descriptions, etc.); and undertake a cursory review of other (UN) organisations with similar “secretariat” mandate like UNISDR.

2. Evaluating human resources and capacities
The consultant(s) will identify the current skills and competencies of UNISDR staff in all offices

Deliverable: A comprehensive UNISDR staff skills and competencies inventory.

3. Developing an effective staff planning structure
The consultant(s) will assist UNISDR management in understanding the profiles needed, the existing in-house skills and competencies available, and guide management in the appropriate strategic alignment of existing skills to the profiles needed for long-term staff
recruitment and development.

Deliverables:
- A human resources management framework for mapping/aligning current and future in-house skills and competencies to its organizational job profiles;
- Recommendations and good practices in implementing a staff development programme that ensures long-term strategic staff development and recruitment (including guidance on the management of internal reassignments, staff development, and other identified human resource changes)

In order to undertake activity three, the consultant(s) will conduct a needs analysis to understand and propose the alignment of UNISDR recruitment within existing UN occupational groups used by UN Galaxy and future Inspira systems.

Organizational setting and reporting relationships
The position is a home-based assignment, which requires frequent interaction including in situ, with UNISDR Management and staff based in Geneva. It is also foreseen that the consultants consult with UNISDR Regional Offices staff (Bangkok, Brussels, Cairo, Nairobi, Panama City). The consultant(s) work under the overall guidance of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary
United Nations, secretariat of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, Geneva
International Environment House II, 7-9 Chemin de Balexert CH 1219 Châtelaine, Geneva, Switzerland
Tel. :(+41 22) 917 8908/8907 - Fax : (+41 22) 917 8964 - isdr@un.org - www.unisdr.org
Postal Address: Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
General for Disaster Risk Reduction and report to the Deputy Director of UNISDR with inputs from the UNISDR Human Resources Task Team.

Work implies frequent interaction with the following
Staff at all levels within UNISDR.

Results expected
- Description of detailed job profiles required at UNISDR to fulfill its mandate
- Description of skills and competency available among UNISDR staff.
- A human resources management framework for sustainable skills and competencies mapping to job profiles (including guidance on the management of internal reassignments, staff development, and other identified human resource changes).

Competencies
- Professionalism: Knowledge of human resources policies, practices and procedures and ability to apply them in an organizational setting. Ability to identify issues, analyze and formulate opinions
makes conclusions and recommendations on complex human resources policy and development issues.
- Communications: Excellent drafting ability and communication skills, both oral and written; ability to defend and explain difficult issues with respect to key decisions ad positions to staff, senior officials; proven ability to communicate complex concepts orally; ability to prepare reports that are clear, concise and meaningful.
- Vision: Identifies strategic issues, opportunities and risks; clearly communicates links between the organization’s strategy and the Human Resources goals; generates and communicates broad and
compelling organizational direction, inspiring others to pursue that same direction; conveys enthusiasm about future possibilities.
- Leadership: Strong/Managerial /leadership skills; proven record of building and managing teams and creating and creating an enabling environment, including the ability to effectively lead, supervise, mentor, develop and evaluate staff and design training/skills enhancement initiatives to ensure effective transfer of knowledge/skills.
- Judgement/Decision-making: mature judgment and initiative; imagination, resourcefulness’, energy and tact; proven ability to provide strategic direction and ensure an effective work structure
to maximize productivity and achieve goals.

Qualifications
- Education: Advanced university degree (Masters or equivalent) in public administration, business administration, human resources management, law or in a related field such as education or social
sciences. A combination of relevant academic qualifications and extensive experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
- Experience: A minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible experience in human resources management, administrative services or related area.
- Language: Fluency in written and spoken English is essential. Working knowledge or French or and/or Spanish may be an added advantage.
- Other skills: Strong human resource management background gained in international organizations or the private sector. Strong organizational capacity and proven solid knowledge of UN rules and regulations related to human resource management. Ability to work and collaborate effectively with teams and work with individuals of different national and cultural backgrounds. Ability to work under pressure and meet strict deadlines. Basic knowledge of relevant institutional mandates, policies and guidelines. Knowledge of the institutions of the UN system. Basic knowledge of disaster risk reduction (DRR) and/or familiarity with UNISDR mandate an asset.