Human Resources

Contract types

As a global organization, UNDP requires a mix of contract types to cover all individuals employed either for UNDP or on behalf of others. To fill the job openings, UNDP has a wide array of recruitment tools. The UNDP policy is to fill job vacancies, as much as possible, through internal reassignments, to capitalize on the investment made in recruiting and developing staff. UNDP applies several types of contracts for hiring personnel. Types of contract to be concluded with individuals depend on a number of criteria, e.g. legal basis, or duration of services. UNDP can hire personnel through international or local recruitment. The standard types of contracts are:

1. Fixed-term or permanent (100/200 series)

2. Activities of Limited Duration (ALD or 300 series)

3. Service Contracts (SC)

4. Special Service Agreements (SSA)

The main differences between the various contract types

The main differences between contract types are:

1. Fixed-term or permanent contracts are concluded for traditional staff members, contracted under 100/200 Series Staff Rules. Salaries are established on local scales based on best prevailing local conditions; the international scale based is on best comparator civil service.

2. Activities of Limited Duration for personnel governed by the 300 Series Staff Rules. Duration for ALD contracts is from 6 months to 3 years, exceptionally 4 years. Local salaries are established by reference to local scales, and higher levels are set by reference to international scales.

3. Service Contracts are for personnel governed by explicit terms of service. The duration of the contract must be more than 6 months. Salaries are based on local market conditions for specific jobs (local UN scales serve as a reference point).

4. Special Service Agreements are the legal instrument used for the procurement of services provided by a person engaged by UNDP, in his/her individual capacity, to provide expert services, advisory services, technical skills or knowledge for the performance of a specific task or piece of work. The principal consideration for the fees is the nature of the assignment, the complexity, difficulty and extent of the work to be performed and the degree of expertise required to accomplish it.

UNDP recruitment principles

Irrespective of the form of recruitment chosen, the fundamental employment principles are the basis for all hiring by UNDP and for management of personnel:

• Highest standards of competency and integrity

• UNDP independence and objectivity must be safeguarded

• UNDP is a good and fair employer (high standards of employment are applied using whether UNDP or local rules)

• Selection of personnel must be competitive and based on merit

• Gender and National Staff Career Management policies have to be followed