HR Senior Assistant

Deadline: October 08, 2026 (14 days)

HR Senior Assistant

UNOPS - United Nations Office for Project Services

Nairobi

Both national and international

ICS 05 level

Speaks English

Application

Apply

Summary by Impactpool

The HR Senior Assistant will provide technical and administrative support to ensure efficient processing and maintenance of HR transactions and services for office personnel. Reporting to the Human Resources Manager, the role involves guiding personnel on HR procedures, assisting in recruitment processes, and maintaining accurate HR records. The position requires effective communication with internal and external clients to resolve inquiries and support onboarding. The HR Senior Assistant will also contribute to knowledge-sharing activities to enhance HR capacity within the organization.

Candidate

Requirements

Secondary school with 5 years of relevant

Required

Secondary school (or equivalent) with 5 years of relevant

Required

Relevant

Language

Proficiency Level

for the position and that you qualify. Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.

Summary by Impactpool

The HR Senior Assistant will provide technical and administrative support to ensure efficient processing and maintenance of HR transactions and services for office personnel. Reporting to the Human Resources Manager, the role involves guiding personnel on HR procedures, assisting in recruitment processes, and maintaining accurate HR records. The position requires effective communication with internal and external clients to resolve inquiries and support onboarding. The HR Senior Assistant will also contribute to knowledge-sharing activities to enhance HR capacity within the organization.

Candidate

Secondary school with 5 years of relevant

Experience

or Bachelor's degree with 1 year of relevant

in recruitment and HR generalist services

Proficiency in English

with collaboration and productivity tools

Desired: HRM professional certificate

Desired:

in multicultural environments or UN system organizations

General Information

Position Title

HR Senior Assistant

Job Category

Human Resources

Duty Station(s)

Nairobi

Seniority Level

Entry Level

ICS Level

ICS 05

Contract Type

ICA - LICA - Support - Regular

Contract Level

LICA 5

Posting Start Date

24-Sep-2026

Posting End Date

08-Oct-2026

Duration

Open ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

Job Highlight

Drive impactful HR solutions by expertly supporting people, policies, and processes.

About the Region

The UNOPS Africa Regional Office, based in Nairobi, Kenya, oversees the delivery of over 250 projects across 40 countries, with a focus on fragile and conflict-affected settings. Supported by more than 1,000 personnel across five multi-country offices—spanning North, West, Central, Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Horn of Africa—the office advances national priorities through strategic initiatives in Climate Action, Health, Infrastructure, Peace and Security, Middle-Income Country Support, and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The Regional Office provides strategic leadership, operational support, and oversight in key areas including Partnerships, Communications, Management and Oversight, Infrastructure and Project Management, Health and Safety, and Security. By promoting excellence in project delivery, fostering knowledge sharing, and driving continuous improvement, the office contributes to sustainable infrastructure, transparent resource management, and a better quality of life for communities across the continent.

About the Country/Multi-Country Office

Based in Nairobi, UNOPS East and Southern Africa supports sustainable development across 14 countries, including Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, Tanzania, Zambia, Zanzibar, and Zimbabwe. Since 1995, UNOPS has expanded its footprint in Kenya, delivering services in project management, infrastructure, procurement, and financial management. Across the region, the office implements diverse, partner-funded initiatives that respond to national priorities. In Mozambique, this includes delivering specialized equipment (EU), supporting health services (UNICEF), promoting agro-processing (KOICA), and advancing peacebuilding efforts through a Multi-Donor Fund. UNOPS also supports agricultural input distribution and the Northern Crisis Recovery Project, both funded by the World Bank. In Malawi, efforts include developing Technical and Vocational

by supporting the timely processing of new hire documentation and orientation tasks.

Advise personnel on standard aspects of recruitment, performance management, and learning and development processes in accordance with UNOPS policies.

Talent Acquisition and Administration

Support the end-to-end recruitment process, including the preparation of offers and rejections, data entry in the HR information system (HRIS), and coordination of reference checks.

Assist in the longlisting, testing, and interviewing stages, including calculating applicable fees and documenting recruitment proceedings, particularly for General Service (GS) positions. Finalize selection and other required process approvals

Inform and advise personnel, consultants, partners, and project resources on standard conditions of service and entitlements based on their contract modality, ensuring timely and efficient onboarding.

Follow up with supervisors and personnel to ensure timely completion of HR processes such as absence requests and performance evaluations in HRIS.

Support payroll verification processes and maintain accurate HR records and reference files.

Monitor the status of HR actions, including expiring contracts and pending separations, to enable timely intervention by the HR Lead and supervisors.

Knowledge Building and Sharing

Provide planning, logistical, and administrative support for HR-related training sessions and learning initiatives.

Participate in the delivery and facilitation of knowledge-sharing activities to build HR capacity within the organization.

Skills

Human Resources Policies, Human Resources Information Systems, Office Administration, Human Resources Operations

Competencies

Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organisational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others.

For people managers only:

Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.

Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).

Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.

Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.

Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.

Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

OR

Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline with 1 year of relevant

is required

Desired

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

is work in recruitment and HR generalist services.

in the use of collaboration and productivity tools (e.g. MS Office, G-Suite, etc) and web-based management systems are required.

Desired

of working in multicultural environments or UN system organizations in a developing country is desired.

in development or humanitarian contexts is desired.

Language

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.

Terms and Conditions

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.

At Impactpool we do our best to provide you the most accurate info, but closing dates may be wrong on our site. Please check on the recruiting organization's page for the exact info. Candidates are responsible for complying with deadlines and are encouraged to submit applications well ahead.

Before applying, please make sure that you have read the

or Bachelor's degree with 1 year of relevant

in recruitment and HR generalist services

Proficiency in English

with collaboration and productivity tools

Desired: HRM professional certificate

Desired:

in multicultural environments or UN system organizations

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Connect with organization

HR Senior Assistant

UNOPS - United Nations Office for Project Services

Nairobi

Both national and international

ICS 05 level

Speaks English

Apply

Education

and Training (TVET) centres in partnership with the EU and the British Council. These initiatives reflect UNOPS’ commitment to strengthening national capacities, enhancing service delivery, and supporting progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the region.

Job Specific Context

Under the direct supervision of the Human Resources Manager, the HR Senior Assistant provides technical and administrative support for the timely processing, recording, monitoring, and maintenance of transactions across all HR management service lines, ensuring alignment with UNOPS rules, regulations, and policies. The incumbent serves as the primary point of contact for internal and external clients, resolving inquiries regarding routine processes and providing guidance on various HR initiatives and services.

Role Purpose

The HR Senior Assistant provides technical and administrative support to ensure the efficient processing, documentation, monitoring, and maintenance of a wide range of HR transactions and services delivered to Office personnel.

Functions / Key Results Expected

HR Advice

Provide guidance to personnel on administrative procedures, processes and practices related to the delivery of HR services.

Assist the HR Lead in engaging with internal and external clients, addressing routine inquiries and escalating complex or exceptional issues as needed.

Contribute to a positive onboarding

Requirement

English

Fluent

Required

Additional Information

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