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Chief, Staff Welfare Section, P5

11:10:00 AM
Closing date: 31 Mar 2011
Location: Switzerland - Geneva

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The Staff Welfare Section (SWS) is a part of the Division of the Human Resource Management (DHRM) that is mandated with the provision of the psychosocial support to the UNHCR employees and their families worldwide. The services the Section offers aim at preventing and minimizing the stress at the workplace that would otherwise have negative repercussions on working capacity of the UNHCR employees.
The Chief, Staff Welfare Section works under the direct supervision of the Deputy Director/Director of the Division of Human Resources Management to whom he/she is accountable for the professional impact of the Staff Welfare Section and its regional functions. The incumbent is expected to provide technical advice related to overall staff welfare in UNHCR or related to individual cases taking into account the UN Guidelines of Confidentiality of the UN Staff and Stress Counsellors. The incumbent will be responsible for strategic planning and resource management ensuring that the SW strategy is an integrated part of the HR strategy and that its elements are aligned with the UNHCR global strategic objectives as well as with the mental health professional standards.
The Chief, Staff Welfare Section, supervises directly the SWS at the Headquarters and provides technical supervision to the SW field based positions. Close collaboration with the regional hosts of the field based Staff Welfare Officers (SWOs) is required as well as with the management of the Bureaux.
Given the character of work of other HR sections, the incumbent will have to develop close coordination between SWS and other sections of DHRM (Medical Service, Personnel Administration and Payroll Section, Career Management Support Section, Recruitment and Posting Section) and outside the DHRM (Field Safety Section, Office of the Ombudsman, Inspector General’s Office, Staff Council, Office of the Ethics Director, Legal Affairs Service) is critical especially when working on individual cases.
The Chief will represent UNHCR in interagency bodies, programmes and activities discussing the staff welfare related issues. The Chief is also affiliated to the UN Staff and Stress Counsellors Special Interest Group.
Last but not least, the incumbent will also be available to staff members and their families for individual counselling and other psychosocial interventions required. In that context, a significant amount of travel to various UNHCR operations including those in high security phases might be expected.

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT

Accountability
1. UNHCR is the workplace where staff members are supported and feel supported in coping with the challenges occuring in the course of their functions either in ther professional or personal lives. There is a clear strategy that indicates various challenges and risks for mental health as well as the programmes that would mitigate the negative impact of that exposure.
2. UNHCR employees (all contracts) have access to professional and confidential psychosocial counselling when needed and are using these services without fear of being stigmatized.
3. There is a high level of awareness of the Staff Welfare Section and its services amongst the UNHCR management, its employees and their family members.
4. Action protocols (especially crisis intervention protocol) exist and involve other relevant services and sections.

Responsibility
1. Provide the overall financial and administrative management to the Staff Welfare Section including budget planning, reporting and performance management with the help of the SW assistant.
2. Provide technical supervision and guidance to Headquarters and field based staff welfare officers and coordinate their work ensuring that their resources are used efficiently and that the staff welfare programmes are reasonably consistent across the regions. Ensure that there is a good team spirit within the staff welfare team and provide the condition for professional exchange and creativity. Ensure that there is a continuous dialogue with the hosts of the regional functions co-supervising the field based SWOs and that the work of SWOs is well integrated in the regional plans.
3. Develop and continuously evaluate the stategy of psychosocial support to UNHCR employees (all contracts) and their families that includes the following areas: (i) occupational mental health risks including cumulative and traumatic stress, HIV in the workplace, substance abuse, interpersonal conflicts and harassment; (ii) orientation and adaptation to the new environment, including programmes for newcomers, support in rotation to the staff and to the families; (iii) specific needs arising from emergency operations and critical incidents (psychological and psychosocial support following the security evacuations or security incidents); (iv) team dynamics and team building; (v) support to staff and management through various HR processes (i.e. rotation, career support and development, downsizing, retirement); (vi) social issues (work-life balance, family related matters, children related matters); and any other area that may become relevant for the life of the staff impacting eventually on the efficiency of the organisation.
4. Pro-actively advise the Director DHRM and other Divisional Directors, Supervisors and Managers at all levels on staff well-being areas as indicated above.
5. Coordinate and cooperate closely with other Sections within and outside DHRM raising awareness and advocating for the staff welfare issues at the highest levels and gaining support for the staff welfare projects. Take part and/or initiates various working groups focusing on the well-being of the staff oriented towards finding alternative and better solutions through policy changes or defining the best practices.
6. Create and implement a communication strategy, which would clearly communicate to staff all the elements of the staff welfare strategy and how they could benefit from it.
7. Provide an input related to staff welfare in various learning programmes in terms of both development of learning modules and facilitation of learning programmes in order to insure that staff welfare issues are mainstreamed to the maximum extent possible. Specifically, oversee the global Peer Support Personnel Programme.
8. Maintain close collaboration with the Staff Counsellors in other UN agencies with similar programmes sharing experiences and resources to the extent possible.

Authority
1. Enforce the implementation of the strategy related to staff welfare through the bureaux and the operations.
2. Intervene in crisis and other situations with appropriate psychosocial interventions for UNHCR employess and their families as well as for the management.
3. Endorse the SWO's workplans at Headquarters and in the regions.
4. Make recommandation on the selection of the incumbents of the SWO's posts at the Headquarters and in the regions.
5. Verify the staff welfare related policies or HR policies affecting the staff welfare.
6. Carry out psychosocial assessments for the UNHCR staff for the HR processes (Special Constraints Panel, D&E waivers).
7. Represent UNHCR in the UN Staff/Stress Counsellors Speical Interest Group and at interagency meetings, UN/INGO working groups and international conferences on questions related to staff welfare and staff support.
8. Apply the UN Confidentialy Guidelines for Staff/Stress Counsellors.

ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Advanced university degree in psychology, clinical social work, psychotherapy, counselling or other mental health care professional qualifications.
Minimum 15 years of the relevant job experience at the professional level in the same functional area (counselling) out of which a minimum of 10 years should be at the international level
Experience in working with groups and understanding of group dynamics.
Excellent knowledge of English and working knowledge of another official UN language.

Leadership and management skills
Conflict resolution and mediation skills
Project design and management
Experience of addressing the psychosocial needs of humanitarian workers
Cultural sensitivity and ability to work in various cultural contexts
Excellent communication skills and ability to establish a quick rapport with people of different cultural background, gender and age.
Training experience and facilitation.
How to apply
UNHCR aims for workforce diversity. Women are encouraged to apply for positions

A full curriculum vitae, including nationality and references, should be sent to: UNHCR, Vacancy Management Unit (quoting ref.10002103), case postale 2500, 1211 Geneva 2 Dépôt, Switzerland, or by fax (+41 22) 739 7322, or preferably, by e-mail: hqpe14@unhcr.org

Closing date for receipt of applications: 31 March 2011
To apply
Applications and updated CV should be submitted to hqpe14unhcr.org

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