Mobility and Career Development Framework

A.Introduction

  1. The following paper outlines the key elements of the mobility framework as approved by the General Assembly throughresolution 68/265 and provides additional information on implementation issues as agreed at SMC I in Arusha. It should be read in conjunction with the paper on non-rotational posts and staff and family support measures also submitted as Management papers to SMC III.

B.Background to the mobility resolution

  1. The mobility framework approved in resolution 68/265 followed the submission of two reports of the Secretary-General to the General Assembly. The initial report (A/67/324/Add.1) of the Secretary General from 21 August 2012 was based on the agreements made at SMC I in Arusha. Upon review, the General Assembly reaffirmed what it called “the principle of non-discrimination against external recruitment” and requested the Secretary-General to present a refined version of his mobility proposal that, among other things, would not negatively impact external recruitment.In addition, the General Assembly also requested that the Secretary-General present, in the same report, an alternative mobility proposal incorporating revised incentives and approaches that promoted geographic mobility, especially in field-oriented job families (A/RES/67/255). The Secretary-General presented a refined model and alternative approach in his second mobility report to the General Assembly from 3 September 2013 (A/68/358).The refined model allowed equal opportunities for internal and external candidates to apply for vacancies[1], as well as a lateral reassignment of staff on encumbered posts. Both exercises were to be managed via Job Network Boards, and for D1 and D2 level posts, a Senior Review Board.
  1. In its resolution68/265, the General Assembly approved the refined managed mobility framework, subject to several requests and decisions. Key elements of the resolution include:

-The request that external and internal candidates be given equal treatment when being considered for vacancies;

-The decision that the number of geographic moves for the job networks in 2016 and 2017 shall be no greater than the average number of geographic moves in those networks in 2014 and 2015;

-The decision that the minimum position occupancy limit for D and E duty stations shallbe one year, and for all other duty stations shallbe two years; and,

-The decision that Job Network Boards shall include a staff representative in an observer capacity.

  1. In addition, the General Assembly requested annual reports on mobility until its 73rd session at which it would like a comprehensive review of the implementation of mobility. For the next report to the 69th session, the General Assembly requested additional data and information contained in para. 11 of its resolution 68/265. An overview of what was presented in the original proposal and the refined model and what was approved by the General Assembly is contained in Annex 1 for reference.

C.Process for selection and reassignment under the mobility framework

  1. Under the proposed framework, staff will be expected to move before reaching their maximum position occupancy limit. They will be able to move either by applying to vacant positions, whether at their current level or one level higher, or by opting into the lateral reassignment exercise, which will be for movement at the same level and within the same Job Network. The processes will be run in parallel and will both be managed by the Job Network Boards. The following sections outline first the process for vacancies, and second the process for lateral reassignment while Figure 1 shows a timeline of how both processes will fit together in the semi-annual staffing exercise. It is expected that one cycle of both exercises will take approximately 147 days.

Selection for vacancies

  1. At the start of the semi-annual staffing exercise, vacancy announcements will be issued in Inspirafor all the currently vacant positions, or those anticipated to become vacant within the next twelve months,[2] i.e. due to retirement[3]. Where there are multiple vacancies for the same job profile, i.e. three P-4 political affairs officers positions in New York, these will be grouped together so there is one vacancy announcement indicating that three positions are available.Managers of the vacant positions will work with the Network Staffing Teams to build the vacancy announcements.
  1. Once the vacancies have been issued, staff members and external candidates can choose to apply to vacancies. Staff can apply to vacancies at the same level, or at a higher level. They can also apply to vacancies in different Job Networks. Staff who apply to vacancies may also choose to opt in to the lateral reassignment at the same time, but are not required to do so unless they are at the end of their position occupancy limit.
  1. Network Staffing Teams will review applications for vacancies, reviewing candidates who are screened in by Inspirato ensure they meet the eligibility requirements. They would then conduct a centralized assessment process to determine which candidates are suitable for the position. The centralized assessment will consist of a written assessment as well as an interview. The written assessment portion will be standardized for the same job profile, meaning, for example there will be a standard written assessment for all administrative officer posts at the P-3 level. Candidates having passed the written assessment may be invited to an interview to assess how they meet the qualifications of a particular position. The candidates who have passed all levels of the assessment process would be submitted to the Central Review Body (CRB) for approval.
  1. Network Staffing Teams would circulate the list of all suitable candidates approved by the CRB to managersof the vacant positions to seek their views on the candidates. Taking into account the views of the programme manager and taking into account organizational priorities[4], the Network Staffing Teams would propose selections to the Job Network Boards. Boards would review the proposals and then make recommendations as to which candidatesshould be selected against vacant posts for approval by the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources Management.

Lateral reassignments

  1. Following the issuance of the vacancies, a preliminary compendium for reassignment will be issued in Inspirawhich will include the positions of all staff who have exceeded their position occupancy limits and are therefore part of the lateral reassignment pool. Those staff members who have met the minimum position occupancy limit (one year for D/E duty stations and two years for all other duty stations) but have not reached the maximum position occupancy limit and who are not subject to a performance improvement plan[5] will be given an opportunity to review the preliminary compendium and may choose to opt in to the lateral reassignment pool if they wish to make a lateral move within their own Job Network. This allows them to make a more informed decision about whether they wish to be laterally reassigned before the end of their position occupancy limit. Once a staff member has decided to opt in, they (and their post) remain in the lateral reassignment pool, they can no longer ‘opt out’.
  1. A comprehensive compendium of all encumbered positions available for reassignmentwill then be posted which includes the positions of all staff who have reached their maximum position occupancy limit (and are subject to reassignment) as well as staff who have opted in. Network Staffing Teams will have worked with the managers of those positions to build the job opening included in the compendium. The staff members on these positions willapply using a template that outlines their skills, experience, education, and position occupancy data.[6] Each staff member’s performance record would also be taken into account and staff will be able to ranktheir preference for the positions in the compendium that are of interest to them. The compendium of encumbered positions will not be open to external candidates.
  1. The Network Staffing Teams shall review the applications submitted via the compendium for lateral reassignment. Because applicants must be serving staff members who already have gone through a central review body process, it will not be necessary to conduct assessments for staff already serving in their Job Network. The Network Staffing Teams shall, therefore, screen candidates for eligibility, compile a list of suitable candidates and then invite managersof the positions in the reassignment pool to transmit any additional views on how the candidates meet the criteria set out in the job opening. Taking into account candidate preferences, programme manager views and the organizational priorities[7], the Network Staffing Teams shall propose options for reassignment to the relevant Job Network Board. The Job Network Board shall make final recommendations to the ASG OHRM for final approval.
  1. In each semi-annual staffing exercise, the Job Network Boards will consider the vacancies first, and then review the options for reassignment. This will allow staff who may have applied for movement to a higher level via a vacancy, to be considered for that promotion first, before being considered for a lateral reassignment.
  1. For positions in the Field Service category and Professional category (except for P2 staff who have entered the Secretariat via the NCRE or YPP exams as they have a separate placement mechanism), recommendations would be made by Job Network Boards composed of D-1 and/or D-2 level senior managers from the relevant Departments/Offices in HQ and the field. For positions at the D-1 and D-2 levels a single Senior Review Board, composed of USGs and ASGs, would recommend selection and reassignment decisions, functioning in a similar fashion to the Job Network Boards, although it would make recommendations for selection and reassignment to the Secretary-General. The Senior Review Board would, in addition to recommending selections, as described above, take on the current functions of the Senior Review Group. (See below for more details on the roles and functions of the Job Network Boards, Senior Review Board and the Special Constraints Panel).

Fig. 1: Timeline of the semi-annual staffing exercises in one year

Cycle 1:

Cycle 2:

D.Role, function and composition of Job Network Boards

  1. As outlined above, the primary role of the Job Network Boards is to make recommendations for the selection and reassignment decisionsfor international professional and field service positions in the compendia to the ASG of OHRM for approval. In doing so the Job Network Boards ensure consistent application of organizational priorities and monitor the gender balance and geographic representation across a job network, striving to meet Organizational wide targets. In the case of selections for vacancies, the Job Network Boards rely on the Central Review Bodies to ensure that the integrity of the process was upheld and that the candidates were evaluated on the basis of the pre-approved evaluation criteria specified in the job opening. There will be a global CRB undertaking this function for all vacancies and in support of all Job Network Boards.
  1. In addition to their role in staffing, the Board will take on several complementary functions. The Boards will provide advice on strategic work force planning and determining which posts are non-rotational. They will make recommendations on career development and milestones that candidates will have to achieve to facilitate lateral or upward movement, or inclusion in the network and provide guidance on career profiles for their Networks.
  1. Each Job Network shall have one Job Network Board composed of board members at the Director level or higher, representing the departments, divisions, offices and field presences that together make up that network. Each Board shall consist of at least five members. The quorum for any meeting is a simple majority, including at least one female member. Should the need arise, at any time additional board members may be appointed by the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources Management.
  1. A departmental focal point for women from one of the Departments within the Job Network shall serve on each Job Network Board in an ex-officio and non-voting capacity. The relevant Departmental focal points for women in each Job Network shall decide amongst themselves who participates in the Job Network Board. Each Job Network Board shall include a representative of staff in an observer capacity, designated by the staff associations of the Secretariat. A senior human resources representative (independent from the Network Staffing Team) shall serve on each Job Network Board in an ex-officio and non-voting capacity. The human resources representative supports the Job Network Board by inter alia providing guidance on human resources policy issues, providing data on the achievement of targets for gender balance and geographicalrepresentation, and advising on the feasibility and impact of any additional requirements that the Job Network Board may impose. The Network Staffing Team shall provide secretariat support tothe Job Network Board.

E.Role, function and composition of the Central Review Bodies (CRB)

  1. As is the case today, the CRB will be responsible for ensuring that the integrity of the process was upheld, that the applications and profiles of applicants were reviewed on the basis of the pre-approved evaluation criteria and that the applicable procedures were followed for all the vacant positions advertised for selection at the P3-P5 levels.P2 positions that are not part of the YPP will also be reviewed by the CRB. There will be one global CRB to review all vacancies across all Job Networks.
  1. Half of the CRB members will be selected by the Secretary-General and half will be selected by the staff associations of the Secretariat. In choosing who will serve on the CRB, every effort shall be made to ensure a balanced representation with respect togeography, gender and departments/offices and the peacekeeping operations andspecial political missions. Members of the CRB shall be appointed for a term of twoyears. One of the members selected jointly by all the members of each bodyshall serve as chairperson of the body. A departmental focal point for women shall also be invited to participate in the CRB. A human resources officer will provide secretariat support to the CRB.

F.Role, function and composition of the Senior Review Board

  1. The Senior Review Board reviews and provides recommendations to the Secretary-General for the selections and reassignments at the Director level across all Job Networks during the semi-annual staffing exercises. The Senior Review Board ensures that the integrity of the process was upheld, that the candidates were evaluated on the basis of the pre-approved evaluation criteria specified in the job opening and that the applicable procedures were followed. The Board also ensures that organizational priorities and the strategic needs of the relevant job network have been sufficiently taken into consideration. The Board will regularly monitor gender balance and geographicalrepresentation across Director level staff in the Organization, and strive to meet organization wide targets.
  1. The Senior Review Board shall consist of one chairperson and twelve membersat the USG or ASG level. The Board members are appointed by the Secretary General who shall make every effort to ensure a balanced representation with respect to geography, gender and departments/offices (including offices away from headquarters, regional commissions and field missions), as well as prior experience of the Board member in the UN common system. All members shall be invited to each meeting.
  1. The Senior Review Board shall appoint one of its members as a gender focal point to monitor and address gender issues. The Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources Management shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Senior Review Board. OHRM shall provide secretariat support to the Senior Review Board.

G.Role, function and composition of the Special Constraints Panel

  1. The Special Constraints Panel reviews requests of staff members expected to participate in a lateral reassignment exercise to either remain in the same duty station for a specified period of time (i.e.a deferment or exemption) or be exempt from moving to certain duty stations while remaining available for duty in other duty stations (i.e. a special constraint). The Special Constraints Panel submits its recommendations to the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources for approval.
  1. Deferments, exemptions and special constraints may be requested due to:

(i)medical reasons of the staff member or one or more of its recognized dependents subject to certification by the Medical Services Division;