HR Staff Relations and Welfare Officer (P-3)

PRINCIPAL FUNCTIONS

Working under the direct supervision of the Head HRB and in collaboration with the Head of Talent Management this post will undertake duties in the following four areas:

STAFF WELFARE

1. In collaboration with relevant offices, develop solutions to common workplace stressors affecting employee well-being and coordinate their implementation;
2. Advise managers upon request, with the aim at improving the working atmosphere in their branch or division and resolving problems of a work-related or personal nature that adversely affect job performance and productivity;
3. Assure, in conjunction with HSB, a continuum of services (referral, short-term supportive intervention) to individual staff members who present difficulty coping;
4. Conduct research on best practices and latest thinking in the area of staff well-being; and develop new ideas and projects to better support OPCW personnel’s well-being, engagement and productivity;
5. Maintaining full confidentiality of individual cases, advise The Head, HRB and the Director of Administration on systemic welfare issues, supported by relevant trend analysis and statistics;
6. Act as main reference point for the Gender Focal Points, engaging with and supporting them in advancing gender equality goals within the organisation as a major factor influencing staff welfare and a harmonious work environment.

PREVENTION OF, AND RESPONSE TO HARASSMENT AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT (SH)

1. Provide confidential guidance and advice to staff members who have experienced sexual harassment/harassment along with available options for addressing it;
2. Provide confidential guidance and advice to managers on how to address, manage and prevent sexual harassment/harassment;
3. Undertake actions, when appropriate and in consultation with the impacted staff member, to address the alleged sexual harassment/harassment, including discussing the matter with the alleged offender, witnesses, other impacted staff members, and management;
4. Identify, evaluate and anticipate systemic issues arising from individual cases and propose adequate solutions (e.g. best practices, policy development or update, trainings, coaching sessions) to prevent their repeated occurrence.
5. Support the Director of Administration in the development of annual reports containing an overview of preventive measures to ensure a harmonious work environment and to protect staff from harassment and other prohibited conduct, in addition to any assessment of such measures.

MANAGEMENT OF WORKPLACE CONFLICT

1. Handle cases of staff members and other personnel with a view to resolving any workplace concerns. Such handling of cases must be guided by a full understanding of the principles of confidentiality, neutrality and impartiality;
2. Provide confidential and impartial conflict prevention and conflict resolution services with a view to helping staff members resolve their issues without referral to higher levels or formal means, coordinating with the relevant stakeholders as necessary. When necessary, facilitate the negotiations of the parties involved as a third-party neutral;
3. Liaise with disputing parties to achieve solutions to workplace concerns, including identifying options for resolution of issues on an informal basis and provide conflict management and conflict prevention coaching sessions to managers and staff;
4. Provide conflict coaching with a view to helping staff resolve their issues without referral to higher levels or formal means;
5. Conduct informal fact-finding with the agreement of concerned staff for the creation of a reasonable base of understanding of the issues during internal mediation, for the only purpose of facilitating informal conflict resolution. The findings remain with the Staff Relations and Welfare Officer, unless differently decided by the concerned staff. In the informal fact-finding process, the Staff Relations and Welfare Officer can contact any relevant parties such as staff members who are directly involved in the case and/or staff members with knowledge of case-relevant context. Those parties may include, among others, peers, supervisors, human resources personnel and administrators;
6. Undertake shuttle diplomacy between staff and the respective parties involved, aiming for improved and direct communication or otherwise a better understanding of positions allowing to find mutually acceptable solutions.

TRAINING

1. Develop appropriate learning and training sessions and/or programmes, including the development of electronic and printed material, and deliver training/workshops on relevant issues for managers/supervisors and staff members, in collaboration with Talent Management; contribute to newly-hired staff members' and managers’ induction sessions;
2. Keep abreast of developments and new trends in the area of training and learning, within and outside the UN common system and import innovative training methodologies and solutions. Work closely with Talent Development team to strengthen organisational learning environment;
3. Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of own training, learning and development activities to ensure the activities are effective;
4. In collaboration with Talent Development, identify forthcoming training requirements, and develop strategies to meet them.

RECRUITING PROFILE  

Education (Qualifications): An advanced degree in Human Resource Management, Conflict Resolution, Industrial Relations, Organisational/Industrial Psychology or related field.

Desirable: Diploma/Certificate in Counselling and/or workplace mediation

Essential: At least 5 years of professional experience of staff relations, human resources management, conflict resolution, or social sciences. 

-Experience providing training is required. 

-Experience with working in multicultural groups and an understanding of group dynamics in a multicultural and multilingual work environment

Skills and Abilities (key competencies): 

-Broad knowledge of employment relations and alternate dispute and conflict resolution mechanisms;

-Demonstrated professional competence in conflict resolution, seeking fair and equitable solutions to and prevention of employment related problems;

-Strong understanding of how implementation of organisational rules and policies affect staff welfare;

-Ability to assess complex problems and to advise staff members. Ability to communicate effectively;

-Respect for and understanding of diversity, including its impact on workplace issues and conflict and possible resolution;

-Ability to work in an international setting and operate effectively across organizational boundaries; Ability to network and maintain excellent relationships with a wide variety of partners and stakeholders;

-Demonstrable integrity and respect for confidentiality.

The Staff Relations and Welfare Officer works on the basis of the OPCW’s professional code of ethics within which professional integrity and confidentiality are among the highest requirements. Accordingly, this post is committed to take every reasonable step to safeguard the confidentiality of personnel’s sensitive information received during consultation.

Language Requirements:  Fluency in English is essential and knowledge of one of the other official languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish) would be an asset.