CAREERS IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

Career SMART Day II, MBA Programme14 November 2014, Nice

Saba ImruExecutive Leadership CoachLeadersToday, Geneva

• International Organizations

• The UN System

• Where to start

• Job profiles and recruitment possibilities

• Employment conditions

• Doing business with the UN

AGENDA

WHY WOULD YOU CONSIDER A CAREER IN AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION?

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONSGenerally member state driven.

Hiring process and work conditions based on the UN Common System or similar.

• United Nations – peace keeping, social progress, human rights

• UN Specialized Agencies – technical, humanitarian, development

• World Bank – eradicate poverty, no-interest loans, analysis research, development support

• International Monetary Fund – monetary cooperation, exchange rate stability

• World Trade Organization – trade negotiations, capacity building

• International Atomic Energy Agency – atoms for peace

• World Economic Forum – public/private cooperation, setting global agendas (industry members)

Member state or organization driven. Hiring processes and working conditions usually modelled on best civil service in the region, or on UN.

• African Union

• Arab League

• European Union

• European Broadcasting Union

• North Atlantic Treaty Organization

• Organization of American States

REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

40’000 worldwide, large and small

5000 affiliated with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

Hiring processes and working conditions depend on laws of the country where they are located.

NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM

• Policy and Law

• Development

• Humanitarian

• Technical

• Over 60 organisations

• Over 83’000 staff members

• Over 600 duty stations world-wide

193 Member States International and Regional organizations Civil Society (NGOs) Private Sector

ORGANIZATIONS OF THE UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM

UN

Programmes and Funds

EconomicCommissions

Other Entities

Research Institutes

Specialized Agencies

ITC – International TradeUNCTAD - Trade and DevelopmentUNDP - Development ProgrammeUNEP - Environment UNFPA - Population FundUN HABITAT – Human SettlementUNICEF - Children's Fund UNHCR – High Commissioner for Refugees UNRWA – ReliefUN WOMEN – Gender and Women AffairsWFP – World Food Programme

UNICRI - Crime & JusticeUNIDIR - Disarmament  UNITAR - Training UNRISD - Social Development 

ICC - International Computing CentreUNAIDS - Programme on HIV/AIDSUNU - United Nations UniversityUNV – United Nations VolunteersPeacekeeping Operations & Missions

ECA - AfricaECE – EuropeECLAC – Latin AmericaESCAP – Asia Pacific

FAO - Food and Agriculture ICAO - Civil Aviation IFAD – Agricultural DevelopmentILO - LabourIMF - Monetary FundITU – Telecommunications & ICTUNESCO - EducationUNIDO – Industrial DevelopmentUPU – Postal UnionWHO – World HealthWORLD BANK WIPO – Intellectual PropertyWMO - MeterologyWTO - Trade

UN SecretariatUNOG – Geneva, UNON – Nairobi, UNOV – ViennaICJ – International Court of JusticeECOSOC – Economic and Social CouncilSC – Security CouncilHR – Human RightsOCHA – Humanitarian Affairs

Video UN Agencies Geneva

WHO DOES WHAT ?

WHAT THE MEMBER STATES DO

• Decide on the global agenda for peace, security and development

• Security Council

• Adopt international treaties

• Governing bodies (eg. UN General Assembly or agency Councils) decide on mission, policy, budget, management

• Elect top echelons

WHAT THE STAFF DO

• Implement the decisions of the governing bodies

• Research

• Development & Operations

• Advisory roles

• Functional roles

• Expert roles

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF WORKING?

In the field ? At headquarters?

Humanitarian or development operations

Policy, research, management, functional

EMPLOYMENT PROFILES

Functional roles needed in all organisations

• Management, Finance, HR, Administration• ICT professionals (IT engineers, analysts, developers, network managers • Knowledge and information management• Project and programme management• International relations, policy analysts, legal affairs specialists• Communications, promotion, public relations, media• Marketing, sales, fundraising• Events and conference management, logistics• Translators, interpreters• Administrative support, secretarial , clerical

Technical experts according to the organisation’s mandate, e.g.

• Telecommunications engineer (ITU)• Epidemiologist (WHO)• Agronomist (FAO)• Lawyer (WIPO, UNHCR)• Economist (UNCTAD)

1. Learn about the organizations

UN Websites locator

2. Look at the career options and types of jobs that are open

UN Careers and UN Jobs

3. Get involved

Participate to open meetings: e.g. UN Geneva Seminars , ITU Workshops & Seminars

Volunteer to local UN activities: e.g. World Heritage (UNESCO)

4. Contact your diplomatic mission to the UN

Permanent missions in Geneva in New York

WHERE TO START ?

ENGAGING WITH THE UNITED NATIONS ORGANIZATIONS

Not paid

• Intern

• Volunteer

• Delegate

Paid

• Employee

• Consultant

• Supplier of goods or services

• Generally not paid

• Some organizations pay a stipendium

• Maximum 6 months

• Some organization require a 6 month break after your internship, before you can get hired as an employee

General overview : UN Internship programme

Best to apply from organization’s website, e.g. ILO internships

INTERNSHIPS

VOLUNTEERING

GENERAL VOLUNTEERING

• Some organizations provide volunteering opportunities for short periods or even single events

• Look at your local UN agency for opportunities

• It’s a great way of getting familiar with the organization

UN VOLUNTEERS

• A UN programme the promotes volunteering worldwide

• Offers volunteering opportunities for people with specific professional expertise

• Usually in development, humanitarian and peace-keeping

• Experience real work in the field

• Contribute to real change

• Member States

• Private Sector

• International organizations

• Regional organizations

• NGO’s

DELEGATES

Delegates become familiar with the organization, gain visibility and build a strong network

These entities often include external experts in their delegation

EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS AND CATEGORIES

TYPES OF CONTRACTS

• Short-term • Fixed-term (renewable)• Continuing or indefinite• Consultant agreement• Internship agreement

EMPLOYEE CATEGORY

• Elected• Director• Professional • General Services • Field Services• Consultant• Intern• Volunteer

•Young Professionals Programme - recruitment initiative to bring in new talent through annual entrance examination.

•The Junior Professional Officer (JPO) Programme provides young professionals pursuing a career in development with hands-on experience in multi-lateral technical co-operation. The programme is funded by donor countries.

•The Associate Experts Programme - Candidates are young professionals with advanced university degree and limited professional experience. The programme is funded by donor countries.

SPECIAL PROGRAMMES

APPLYING FOR A JOB

Short-term and consultancy

• Send an open candidature

• Or apply to be included in an Experts or Consultants Roster

• Or apply for a temporary vacancy notice

• Time scale: can be long or on very short-notice

Fixed-term contrats

• Apply for a vacancy notice

• Formal recruitment process with several committees, interviews and sometimes exams

• Check if an examination is required

• Time scale: 6 to 10 months

• All UN organizations have an online CV system

• It takes a while to fill in so don’t leave it to the last minute

• Make sure that the minimum requirements (languages, number of years of experience) are reflected in the online form

• Attach or paste your letter of motivation

• Include your references and check on them later if you are hired

• Target your applications, avoid applying to everything

• Once your profile is registered you can easily modify it if you apply to another vacancy (remember to update the letter of motivation)

• Some organization share the candidate database

ONLINE CV

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR FIRST STEP?

Getting into the UN system requires resolve and determination !

Given what we’ve discussed so far, where would you start ?

Patience, patience, patience….

Response time can be long !

For open candidatures contact the organization after 2-3 weeks to ask if there are any temporary openings that have come up

For fixed-term jobs, contact the organization 1 month after the deadline to ask about the process and expected date of decision

AFTER YOU’VE APPLIED

RECRUITMENT PROCESS

SHORT TERM POSITIONS,CONSULTANCY

• Staff hired from a roster OR following a Temporary Vacancy

• Staff hired locally

• Process is simple, an interview and decision by HR and business unit

• Sometimes there are examinations

FIXED-TERM POSITIONS

• Staff hired following a Vacancy Notice

• International recruitment

• Complex process with several official selection committees

• Interviews are f2f or by skype

• Sometimes there are examinations

• A job with a purpose

• Global development or humanitarian challenges to contribute to

• A multicultural environment

• Opportunities to travel

• Exciting work

• Unique experiences

• Interesting stakeholders

• Good salaries and benefits

• A bureaucracy, office politics and … human beings !

WHAT YOU WILL FIND ONCE YOU ARE HIRED

A COMMON MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

• International civil service

• The common system applies to all staff members in the world

• Avoids discrepancies in terms and conditions of employment worldwide

• Facilitates interchange of personnel between organizations

• Common standards, methods and arrangements for:• salaries• allowances • benefits • rules and regulations• ethics and code of conduct• staff representation• administration of justice

The UN Common System

26

INTERNATIONAL CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION (ICSC)

• Independent expert body nominated by the UN General Assembly

• Regulates and coordinates the conditions of service in the UN common system

• Promotes and maintains high standards in the international civil service

• Makes recommendations to UN General Assembly or to executive heads of agencies, in particular on human resources policy issues

• Takes decisions in certain areas e.g. benefits

http://icsc.un.org/

High-level forum among UN organizations to harmonize

• Business practices

• Human resources management

• Financial management

• ICT resources

• Procurement

• Staff safety and security

UNITED NATIONS CHIEF EXECUTIVES BOARD FOR COORDINATION

http://www.unsceb.org/

EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS

Professional grades P1 to P5

• Remuneration based on most highly paid home and foreign services (Noblemaire principle)

• Base salary (same all over the world) + post adjustment (depends on duty station cost of living)

• Yearly increases within the same grade (steps)

• Allowance for dependants

• Health insurance

• Pension fund

• Rental subsidy

• Removal costs

• Education grant

• Home leave (every 2 years travel to country of origin)

• Facilities for housing and personal loans (at pension fund)

EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS 2

• Independence from Member States

• Immunities and privileges

• Diplomatic status for higher grades

• No unemployment benefits

• No social security safety net

• Work permit generally valid only within UN organizations in duty station

• Not all host countries grant a work permit for the spouse

STATUS OF INTERNATIONAL CIVIL SERVANT

Yes, there are career development opportunities

• The process can be slow because

• Salary hierarchy based on rank-in-job approach (equal pay for equal work)

• Promotions require the availability of a higher-level post• The recruitment process to the new post can be long

• Careerism is not a goal in itself, you must be self-driven and believe in what you do to work in the UN system

CAREER DEVELOPMENT ?

Global perspective

• The Charter of the United Nations

• The Universal Declaration of Human rights

• Each organization’s mission

Internal perspective

• Code of Ethics

• Code of conduct

• Multiculturalism

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES

A global market of over USD 16 billion annually for all types of products and services

All tender opportunities from the entire UN system available on a single portal

Companies worldwide can register to become a vendor for the UN market

Read 2013 Statistical Report on United Nations procurement

DOING BUSINESS WITH THE UN

To become a provider of goods or services, register

your company to the UN Global Market UNGM

https://www.ungm.org/

• Access business opportunities

• Receive targeted tender notices

• Be visible to moreore than 2 300 UN procurement

staff who use this database to source new suppliers.

UN GLOBAL MARKET

VARIOUS WAY TO ENGAGE

Delegate

Intern

Volunteer

Employee

Consultant

Vendor

• UN http://www.un.org/

• UN Geneva http://www.unog.ch/

• UN Organizations http://www.unsceb.org/directory

• UN System statistics http://www.unsceb.org/content/statistics

• UN careers https://careers.un.org/lbw/Home.aspx

• UN jobs http://www.unjobs.org/

• UN Global Market https://www.ungm.org/

USEFUL LINKS

TAKE AWAYS ?

What are the key points you’re taking home ?

THANK YOU ! LET’S STAY IN TOUCH

Saba Imru

Executive Leadership Coach

LeadersToday

10 rue de Grenus,

1201 Geneva, Switzerland

+41 79 274 67 61 saba.imru@gmail.com

Leadership coaching : www.leaderstoday.coCoach Supervision: www.coachsupervision.comCareer coaching: www.choosemylife.comNon-profit: www.coachforpeace.org

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