Jordan: Consultant - Compensation Expert, Jordan
Country: Jordan
Closing date: 03 Sep 2013
APPLICATION PROCESSApplicants should submit a cover letter (maximum one and a half page) explaining how she/he meets the above-listed competencies and a UN Personal History Form demonstrating clearly the knowledge and experience required to meet the consultancy requirements via consultancy@unrwa.org clearly indicating the title of this consultancy “Compensation Expert” in the subject line of the message. The deadline for the submission of applications is 3 September 2013 (late applications will not be considered).
UNRWA is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from both qualified and experienced women and men. UNRWA encourages applications from female candidates. Only those applicants short-listed for interview will be contacted. UNRWA is a non-smoking work environment.
TERMS OF REFERENCE
UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and is mandated to provide assistance and protection to a population of some 5 million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip to achieve their full potential in human development, pending a just solution to their plight. UNRWA’s services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance and emergency assistance. UNRWA is the largest UN operation in the Middle East with more than 30,000 staff. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions.
Consultant - Compensation Expert, Jordan
BACKGROUNDUNRWA employs more than 30,000 local staff in its five fields of operation in Gaza, West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria which constitute Area Staff category in the Agency. This category spans 15 job families and 850 position titles. The compensation of this staff category is governed by the Agency Area Staff Pay Policy of 1 August 1990. According to the policy, the host government is the only comparator for the Agency in its five fields of operation. Salary surveys are conducted once every two years in each field or through interim adjustments that can take place in any of UNRWA field locations if exceptional circumstances so warrant. During the surveys, conditions of service of the host governments are reviewed for comparison purposes with those of the Agency, and they make a part of the salary survey report. In view of UNRWA’s Area Staff category, the equivalent to which is not found elsewhere in the UN, the Agency fully administers its compensation programme through regular salary surveys in accordance with established practice. These surveys typically include all phases ranging from preparation, data collection and data analysis through to adjustment of salary scales and reporting results. Compensation and Management Services Division (CMSD) within the Department of Human Resources at HQ Amman is responsible for this activity. In addition to the structure of the salary scales of Area Staff, a range of different allowances need also to be reviewed and assessed in the context of the salary survey process, including the feasibility and impact of streamlining and/or embedding such allowances in the base salary.The key deliverable of this assignment is to produce draft Salary Survey guidelines to be presented for approval by the Agency’s senior management.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIESUnder the direct supervision of the Chief, Compensation and Management Services Division, the expert will: 1. Review and examine the current practice and available documentation relating to all aspects of salary surveys in the Agency;
Produce draft guidelines in respect of the following:
• Scope of technical tasks and responsibilities of salary survey team; • Assessment and revision of current benchmarking method;• Definition of roles and responsibilities of the main stakeholders in salary survey process including Staff Unions, Field Office/s and HQ;• Methods of data collection, analysis and presentation, and scale adjustment including measures to estimate external pay relativities in each field;Assess current salary scale design and provide a thorough evaluation of its use and adequacy including grade span, inter-step and inter-grade differentials, and propose changes and/or alternatives;
Assess the utility of supplementary allowances used in addition to base salaries for specific groups of staff and propose solutions for streamlining;
Assess existing exchange rate mechanisms (e.g. Currency Adjustment Factor) in the Agency and propose feasible strategies to handle these mechanisms in the short and long term;
Provide training to CMSD staff on technical aspects of salary surveys and related issues.
Coordination with stakeholdersIn collaboration with CMSD, the expert coordinates with key stakeholders including Executive Office, Field and HQ Directors and Area Staff Unions.
DELIVERABLES/OUTPUTS1. Draft salary survey guidelines for Area Staff covering all phases of salary survey including preparation, data collection, analysis and scale adjustment as well as benchmarking, pay relativities, etc.;2. Development of solutions to current supplementary allowances and exchange rate modalities; 3. Delivery of training on technical aspects of salary surveys to CMSD and other relevant stakeholders.
ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE• An advanced university degree in Public or Business Administration, Human Resources Management, Industrial Engineering or related field. Professional certification in compensation such as Global Remuneration Professional (GRP) is highly desirable.• At least 10 years of progressive professional experience in managing, administering and/or developing compensation systems in the UN or large international or public sector organization/s. • Advanced knowledge of the UN compensation system for international and locally recruited staff including UN salary survey methodology;• Solid knowledge of best practices in the field of compensation, preferably in the public sector;• Advanced technical skills in pay design and setting;• Good knowledge of the UN and/or external classification systems.• Excellent command of written and spoken English.
COMPETENCIES• Strong analytical and problem solving skills.• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing in a multi-cultural environment with sensitivity and respect for gender and diversity;• Excellent drafting and report writing skills;• Ability to identify client needs and to provide solutions;• Ability to work under pressure and deliver results in a sensitive work environment; • Proven ability to establish effective work relationships at all levels of the organization.
DESIRABLE QUAIFICATIONS • Arabic is highly desirable.
CONDITIONS OF SERVICE• The duration of this assignment will be four months. • Formal review of work performance will be carried out on a regular basis against set targets, which will be agreed upon at the outset of the assignment, within one month from the starting date.• The remuneration package comprises a consultancy fee, applicable travel subsistence allowance for Amman, Jordan and a round trip ticket from the place of recruitment. Remuneration will be based on the current UNRWA salary scale and will depend on the qualifications and experience of the expert.
APPLICATION PROCESSApplicants should submit a cover letter (maximum one and a half page) explaining how she/he meets the above-listed competencies and a UN Personal History Form demonstrating clearly the knowledge and experience required to meet the consultancy requirements via consultancy@unrwa.org clearly indicating the title of this consultancy “Compensation Expert” in the subject line of the message. The deadline for the submission of applications is 3 September 2013 (late applications will not be considered).
UNRWA is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from both qualified and experienced women and men. UNRWA encourages applications from female candidates. Only those applicants short-listed for interview will be contacted. UNRWA is a non-smoking work environment.
How to apply:
APPLICATION PROCESSApplicants should submit a cover letter (maximum one and a half page) explaining how she/he meets the above-listed competencies and a UN Personal History Form demonstrating clearly the knowledge and experience required to meet the consultancy requirements via consultancy@unrwa.org clearly indicating the title of this consultancy “Compensation Expert” in the subject line of the message. The deadline for the submission of applications is 3 September 2013 (late applications will not be considered).
UNRWA is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from both qualified and experienced women and men. UNRWA encourages applications from female candidates. Only those applicants short-listed for interview will be contacted. UNRWA is a non-smoking work environment.
