Transition Management

General Service and Related Categories Job Openings

Staff Management Committee (SMC) III – June 2014

Introduction

1.  Due to the introduction of Umoja and changing organizational mandates, the Organization is going through a period of transition. Although the extent of the impact on staff remains to be determined (detailed impact assessments will be conducted), management is proposing a policy directive on transition management for General Service and Related Categories Job Openings in order to mitigate the potential impact on this group of staff.

  1. Although all categories of staff may be affected by organizational change, staff in the Professional category are by definition internationally recruited, and therefore they are more readily able to move to other positions within their areas of expertise in different duty stations, including the field. Staff members in the General Service category, on the other hand, are normally locally recruited and opportunities for movement are more limited. The focus of this proposal is therefore on staff serving in the General Service and related categories with the aim of ensuring that as many opportunities as possible are available for General Service staff with a view to facilitating as smooth a transition as possible to a potentially more streamlined organization of the future.

3.  This proposal was originally presented to staff on 27 November 2012. Based on the comments and suggestions received, the proposal was revised and presented to staff at SMC II in Mexico City, and is now being provided for discussion at SMC III.

Proposed Policy Directive

  1. Pursuant to Staff Rule 4.10, the following directives shall apply, effective XX XX 2014 through XX XX 201X, to posts in the General Service and related categories (not including posts in the Public Information Assistants, Language Teachers, Text Processors, Reference Assistants, Editorial Assistants, Security, Editorial and Desktop Publishing Assistants, due to the nature of those posts including associated language requirements), irrespective of the type of funding for the posts.
  1. The directive would apply to New York HQ, Geneva, Vienna, Nairobi as well as Regional Commissions and the Offices of Regional Commissions. The directive would not apply to peacekeeping operations, SPMs or the tribunals.

GS-5, TC-4, S-3 AND ABOVE:

6.  Vacant positions at GS-5, TC-4, S-3 levels and above shall only be open to internal candidates.

7.  Similarly, temporarily vacant positions at the GS-5, TC-4 and S-3 levels and above (as a result for example, of assignment of the incumbent to another post), shall only be open to internal candidates.

8.  Internal candidates, for purposes of this proposal, are General Service staff members:

  1. at the GS-5, TC-4 and S-3 levels and above who have been selected following a selection process in accordance with established procedures in their respective duty station; and
  1. at the GS-4, TC-3 and S-2 levels and below recruited for vacant positions in their respective duty station

who hold appointments other than temporary appointments (e.g. permanent, continuing or fixed term).

  1. General Service staff members applying for positions in other duty stations would be considered ‘external’ to that duty station and could only be considered for recruitment on an exceptional basis if meeting the exception criteria for the respective duty station. For example, a GS staff member in Vienna would be considered external to New York and could only exceptionally be considered if he/she is a US citizen, permanent resident holder, or current holder of a G-4 visa.

Exceptions:

10.  Requests for exceptions to recruit external candidates for either vacant positions or temporarily vacant positions, will be directed to the ASG for OHRM (UNHQ) and the Heads of Administration in Offices away from Headquarters and Regional Commissions.

  1. Exceptions will only be considered in very limited circumstances in the interest of the Organization, when a Department provides a documented record that every effort has been made to find an internal candidate and the record indicates that this has clearly proven to be unsuccessful;
  1. Should an exception be granted, the external candidate to be selected against a long-term job opening (defined as a vacant position established for one year or longer) or temporary job opening:
  1. Shall, initially, be staff members serving on temporary appointments in the same duty station who have not reached the limit of service as outlined in ST/AI/2010.4/Rev.1. If proven to be unsuccessful, then;
  1. Candidates who shall be a citizen or resident of the duty station or its environs where the job opening or temporary job opening is located. In New York for example, this exception would only be open to US citizens, residents and holders of G-4 visas and for Vienna, this exception would be only be open to EU citizens or residents; and
  1. Candidates selected shall only be granted a temporary appointment as described in ST/AI/2010/4/Rev.1.

GS-4, TC-3, S-2 AND BELOW:

  1. Job openings at the G-4, TC-3, S-2 levels and below can only be filled by Hiring Managers/Heads of Department, as follows:
  1. By selection of serving internal staff members as defined above and if proven to be unsuccessful;
  1. For positions of less than 1 year, by lateral move of serving temporarily appointed staff members, however only up to the maximum period of service allowed on a temporary appointment (364 days, or 729 as provided in section 14 of ST/AI/2010/4/Rev.1);
  1. For positions of 1 year or longer, by selection of serving temporarily appointed staff members at the same level or one level below, on a fixed term appointment; or
  1. By selecting successful ASAT candidates.
  1. In the last instance, the hiring of external candidates will be permitted subject to the following:
  1. they shall be a citizen or resident of the duty station in question, holders of G-4 visas, e.g. spouses; and
  1. they will initially serve on temporary appointments. (Subject to paragraph 14 below, these staff may be considered for fixed-term appointments at the conclusion of their temporary appointments, only in the event there are no internal staff members available).
  1. Until further notice during 2014, for all General Service and related category positions defined above, no fixed-term appointments will be issued for external candidates, including staff members holding temporary appointments.
  1. Under the inter-agency mobility accord, General Service staff members may continue to apply for, and be considered for job openings in the Agencies, Funds and Programmes in the same duty stations as where those staff members are currently serving.
  1. To support this transition management, all staff members in the General Service and related categories shall be encouraged to take training to support their career development. For this purpose, management will undertake to develop and offer targeted learning programmes that are adapted to new organizational realities. Such learning opportunities will be geared towards the development of skills of serving staff members so that they are better equipped to pursue job opportunities in the Organization and be a part of the workforce of the future.