Operations Associate, Volunteer Recruitment (Open to tier 1 & 2 applicants only)

Tiered Approach

In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:

Tier 0 : UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.

Tier 1 : Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments

Tier 2 : UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers

Tier 3 or no tier indicated : All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.

Office/Unit/Project Description

The Volunteer Services Centre (VSC), part of UNV’s Management Services, supports a growing global portfolio of over 15,000 UN Volunteers (2025), delivering timely and high-quality services across the full volunteer lifecycle. This includes recruitment, pre-assignment processing, contract administration, payroll, separation, and evacuation support for UN Volunteers serving with UN agencies, funds, programmes, and missions. With a presence in 13 locations worldwide, VSC ensures consistent and compliant service delivery across diverse operational contexts.

Under the guidance and supervision of the Operations Associate/Team Leader (G7) for the duty station, the Operations Associate supports the delivery of end-to-end volunteer lifecycle services within the VSC. The role contributes to timely onboarding, contract administration, and accurate management of benefits & entitlements, and lifecycle events.

The incumbent ensures the integrity, transparency, and accuracy of service delivery in line with the UN Volunteers Conditions of Service (COS), policies, and procedures, while maintaining high-quality outputs and consistency across multiple countries and stakeholders.

VSC collaborates closely with the Volunteer Solutions Section (VSS), headquarter units, Regional Offices, Field Units, the UNDP Global Shared Services Centre, and other UN partners to deliver coordinated services. The Operations Associate advises stakeholders on policies and procedures, promotes a collaborative and client-focused approach, and supports the timely implementation of the VSC work plan.

Scope of Work

3.1. Identification of suitable candidates primarily UN Volunteer assignments

Provide recruitment services in adherence to established UN Volunteers’ Conditions of Service, regulations and policies;

Verify quality and consistency of Description of Assignments (DOAs), and provide guidance on designing DOAs to UN host entities, UNV Regional Offices and Field Units;

Advertise relevant assignments in line with established processes;

Identify suitable candidates for UN Volunteer assignments in diverse areas of expertise and for various host entities, as per corporate Key Performance Indicators, and according to DOA requirements and in compliance with UNV’s Recruitment and Selection policy;

Alert supervisor about deficiencies or risks, liaise with Regional Offices and Field Units on exceptional situations and provide guidance on applicable regulations, rules and policies to ensure full compliance with accountability framework;

Keep relevant parties updated on status of identification and negotiate adjustments when required;

Contribute to a fair workload distribution by supporting the identification and submission of candidates for UN Volunteer assignments across regions when needed;

Record actions and data in the volunteer management systems;

Ensure accurate data management in official databases;

Facilitate timely resolution of queries related to volunteer recruitment.

3.2 Outreach and support to talent a