HR Associate

The Asia Pacific Regional Office, based in Bangkok, Thailand, provides strategic leadership and oversight for UNOPS operations across 17 countries, ensuring high performance, operational excellence, and alignment with organizational goals. Operations currently span Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Pacific Islands. Across these countries, we work closely with key stakeholders to strengthen partnerships and maximize impact through five main operating units: Afghanistan (AFCO), Myanmar (MMCO), South Asia Multi-Country Office (SAMCO), East Asia and Pacific Multi-Country Office (EAPMCO), and the Asia Regional Health Cluster (ARHC). Through these entities, we provide agile, client-focused service delivery across diverse sectors - including infrastructure, health, procurement, and project management - supporting the implementation of sustainable development solutions across the region.

Under the direct supervision of the HR Manager and the overall direction of the Head of Support Services as well as the technical guidance of IPAS HR, the HR Associate is responsible for administering and implementing services, plans, and processes covering the array of Human Resources Management service lines for optimal employee and talent management, i.e. recruitment, learning, performance management, transition, organizational development, and contract management. S/he serves as the first contact for internal and external clients in resolving questions on processes and procedures and provision of guidance and information related to HR initiatives and services to a wide range of UNOPS clients.

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. 

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.

Talent Acquisition and Administration

• 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.

Knowledge Building and Sharing

• 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.

Required

• 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.

Desired

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

Required

• 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.

Desired

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

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
• UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. 
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments. 
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
• UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct, including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledge and consent to these verification processes.
  

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here. 
• For more details about the contract types, please click here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda. 
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.