Background

Instructions to Applicants: Click on the "Apply now" button. Input your information in the appropriate Sections: personal information, language proficiency, education, resume and motivation. Upon completion of the first page, please hit "submit application" tab at the end of the page. Please ensure that CV or P11 and the Cover letter are combined in one file.

The following documents shall be required from the applicants:

Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.

A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.

Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials.

 

Office/Unit/Project Description

Strengthening a high-performance culture is one of the key priorities of UNDP’s new People for 2030 Strategy. As part of this effort, the Office of Human Resources (OHR) is supporting a transformation of how individual performance management is approached and implemented across the organization. Ensuring accountability for good performance and, as such, enhancing employee engagement and experience including recognizing and rewarding excellence is part of this transformation. The People Performance Unit (PPU) falls part of the Office of Human Resources (OHR) and exists to provide substantive leadership to the development and implementation of the UNDP-wide approaches and strategies aimed at creating a positive employee experience and maintaining a safe, respectful and enabling working environment that enables personnel engagement, productivity and performance. 

More specifically,  OHR aims to design and implement an enhanced performance management framework by; (i)strengthening the capacity of people managers to manage all aspects of individual performance effectively including underperformance, (ii)implementing meaningful, regular dialogues between managers and personnel whereby the focus of performance management shifts from assessment and compliance to the ongoing support, and coaching for development and (iii) redesigning the UNDP Performance management policy, system, guidance and tools for staff and other personnel to strengthen the objectivity, credibility and reliability of performance management framework and ensure alignment with the UNDP competency framework.

 

Institutional Arrangement

The Contractor will report to the Chief  People Performance Unit.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Chief People Performance, the consultant is expected to ensure the timely delivery of the following outputs;

1) Lead implementation of the UNDP Performance Management and Development (PMD) system

  1. In close consultation with ITM, review the PMD system changes and ensure all modules align with the requirements and issues identified during user acceptance testing are resolved before sign off.
  2. Design and Implement the PMD system module change management, training  and communication plans to support effective technical roll out of the PMD modules.
  3. In close consultation with the HR analytics team and ITM, ensure smooth data migration from old PMD system to new system, including transition of historical PMD data, 2022 performance goals and related reports to the new system. 

2) Design and roll out Performance Management guidance and learning ?materials

  1. Design and roll out appropriate guidance for managers and staff on the integration of the new UNDP competency framework into the performance management and development processes
  2. Design and roll out practical guidance for staff and managers on giving and receiving feedback, ongoing performance conversations and Mid Term Leadership Pulses/upward feedback including conducting webinar sessions where appropriate to support roll out.
  3. Design PMD train the trainer facilitator toolkits and use this to deliver at least one session of the PMD Train the Trainers program for HR staff.
  4. In consultation with HR Business Partners, design and implement mechanisms that build staff and managerial capabilities on addressing underperformance and provide additional tools that support managers to deal with poor performance. 

3) Conduct comprehensive gap analysis of the existing Performance Management framework and propose concrete actions and recommendations that support a shift in the culture.

  1.  In close consultation with HR Business Partners, develop a comprehensive diagnostic plan that effectively reviews cultural gaps across the individual performance management and development framework and identify key stakeholder groups that will be prioritized for the gap analysis. 
  2. Conduct desk review of past PM gap analysis, studies on performance management from previous efforts and the results of the Global staff surveys, extensive secondary research on the performance management systems of United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, other international organizations, and the private sector.
  3. Review employee experience on existing policy and practices including how performance management is integrated into the talent management framework and alignment with other Corporate Performance Management accountability and governance mechanisms.
  4. Design and implement various mechanisms to gather feedback and information on gaps from all key stakeholder groups including but not limited to surveys, targeted focus groups and other innovative design thinking methodologies.
  5. Analyze responses in close consultation with HR Business partners and other key stakeholder groups
  6. Prepare and submit a comprehensive gap analysis report that includes key findings, key gaps identified and proposed recommendations for changes to the framework based on identified gaps.

Competencies

Core

Achieve Results:

LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact

Think Innovatively:

LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking

Learn Continuously:

LEVEL 4: Create systems and processes that enable learning and development for all

Adapt with Agility:

LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process

Act with Determination:

LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results

Engage and Partner:

LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration

Enable Diversity and Inclusion:

LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

 

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies 

Thematic Area

Name

Definition

Human Resources

Performance Management

Knowledge of and ability to guide the application of performance management theory, systems and tools, incl. articulation of expectations, setting objectives and performance standards; conducting performance related discussions and performance coaching; abilityo develop performance management and appraisal processes that minimize biases

Human Resources – People Strategy & Planning

Human Resources Strategic Planning

Knowledge of the organisational design and development theory (i.e. enabling organization's performance through the design of structures, frameworks, systems, policies and metrics, as well as building and developing its culture, capability, values, behaviours, and relationships); understanding of macro trends that impact the design of organizations (e.g. sustainability, geopolitical, demographic,technology); knowledge of organisational design and development diagnostic tools; ability to 'scenario plan' for longer term organization design and development; ability to manage the development of capability/competency frameworks and maps

Required Skills and Experience

Min. Academic Education

  • 7 years of experience with a Masters’ Degree in Human Resources/Talent Management/Industrial Psychology/Organizational Psychology, Organizational Development/Behavioral Science or other relevant field, is required.
  • Or 9 years experience with a Bachelor’s degree in the academic areas above will be acceptable

Min. years of relevant Work experience

  • At least 7 years of experience in the design, implementation, management of individual performance management strategies and programmes is required.
  • At least 5 years of experience in the design, implementation, management of individual performance management systems is required.
  • At least 5 years’ experience in developing and facilitating performance management related training, knowledge-transfer and capacity-building activities is required.

Required Skills

  • Demonstrable access to and in-depth knowledge of the latest research, challenges, developments and good practices in performance management, employee engagement and motivation, reward and recognition programmes/arrangements from a range of private and public sector organizations is required.

 

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section

  • Familiarity with the UN, and/or other organizations of the wider UN system, incl. IFIs, international development banks, EU and similar non-profit organizations, e.g., IGOs and NGOs is desirable

 

Required Language(s) (at working level)

  • Full proficiency in English, including excellent writing skills
  • Excellent presentation and facilitation skills
  • Working knowledge of another UN language is an asset
  • Excellent communication skills, especially ability to effectively communicate  with various constituencies and clients