Introduction
The United Nations University (UNU) was established by the General
Assembly of the United Nations to be an international community of
scholars engaged in research, capacity building and dissemination of
knowledge in furtherance of the purposes and principles of the Charter
of the United Nations.
UNU is not a traditional
university in the sense of having a faculty, campus or students, nor
does it presently award degrees. Accordingly, there are only a limited number
of full-time personnel at the University Headquarters in Tokyo and at various Institutes around the world. The University carries
out its work in cooperation with other research institutions,
international organizations and individual scholars and scientists
throughout the world.
Appointments are limited to service
within the UNU and staff cannot expect any transferability to other
positions within the UN Secretariat or any other UN agency. UNU employees are either locally or internationally recruited. All
General Service staff are locally recruited at the duty station and
recruitment advertisements are placed in the local press. Most
Professional Staff are internationally recruited and advertisements are
normally placed in specialized, international journals focused on the
particular academic discipline we are targeting. Furthermore, a Vacancy Announcement for all internationally recruited
positions will be posted to this web site.
T
he University will not consider applications for anything other than advertised vacancies.
General Information
Languages
The working language of UNU is English.
Consequently, fluency in written and spoken English is essential, and
it is advantageous to be proficient in one or more of the other
languages commonly used in UNU, especially French, Arabic, Chinese,
Japanese, Finnish, Dutch, Russian and Spanish.
Salary and benefits
The organization offers attractive remuneration packages and benefits to attract employees of the highest quality. Starting salaries are based upon academic and professional qualifications, as well as the level of the job. The
base salary scales
are set by the UN General Assembly.
Salaries
and benefits are usually paid in the currency of the duty station and
are, in principle, exempt from local and national income taxes.
How to Apply
Remember, we only accept applications for advertised vacancies. We
do not maintain a roster, nor do we hold applicant details on file. If you have previously applied for a
vacancy at UNU and you see a new position for which you believe you are qualified, please re-apply.
Before submitting an application to UNU, have you read the qualifications and requirements for the
advertised position in which you are interested? All applicants must
meet or exceed the minimum selection criteria for the advertised
position.
You should also be aware of the following general requirements:
Academic qualifications and experience
Most
Professional academic positions within the University require a
relevant doctorate (PhD or equivalent) with several years
post-qualifying experience, as a minimum. Most administrative positions
at the Professional level require a minimum of a post-graduate degree
(Masters or equivalent) plus post-qualifying experience. Most General
Service positions require a minimum of a first degree (undergraduate
university degree) together with several years relevant experience.
Computer skills
Sound,
hands on knowledge of standard office software (word processing,
spreadsheets, databases, etc.) and good quantitative skills are required
of all staff.
Personal qualities
Good
interpersonal skills are essential, as are diplomacy, tact and the
ability to work well in a team. People wishing to work in a
multinational environment shoulb be tolerant and able to cope with
cultural differences and different approaches to problem-solving and
decision-making. Besides having well balanced personalities and good
communications skills, they should embrase cultural diversity. Prior
experience in a cross-cultural work environment is an asset.
Management skills
Management
skills are required of candidates applying for supervisory positions.
In particular, the ability to plan and prioritize work is a key
competency. Thus you should be able to demonstrate that you are able to
set clear goals; monitor performance; effectively manage projects and
assignments; motivate individuals and teams; delegate freely and
promote teamwork; develop the skills and expertise of your team;
provide guidance, feedback and objective appraisal of people’s
performance; promote a free flow of information; and resolve conflicts.
UNU employees may be called upon to work well beyond the established
office hours to meet very short deadlines and may be asked to travel extensively -
sometimes to countries with difficult living conditions. They may have
to cope with poor technology and other constraints in the field.
Nevertheless, they must remain committed and do their job efficiently
and effectively, even with limited resources.
Professional
staff members of UNU should also be able to demonstrate an ability
to analyse problems thoroughly and systematically. Furthermore, they
should be articulate, tactful, diplomatic and flexible and should
possess sound judgement, a firm commitment, integrity and a thirst for results.
Medical Clearance
Offers of appointment are contingent upon the candidate passing a pre-employment medical examination.
Submitting your application
If
you believe you are qualified, please send us a curriculum vitae (CV) and a completed UNU Personal History form (P11). When submitting your
application, make sure you clearly indicate the position reference
number in your cover letter and on the envelope containing your
application.
If you send a CV, it should be typed and must contain:
-
your full name, address and telephone number (also e-mail address and fax number if available);
-
date of birth;
-
present citizenship;
-
academic and professional qualifications;
-
work experience;
-
publications; and
-
languages other than English, indicating level of proficiency.
The UNU Personal History form (P11) is required for all applicants:
Further tips on what to include in a cover letter and CV can be found at the
OHRM web site
of the United Nations.
A copy of the UNU Personal History Form (P11) is available to download:
P11.doc
(360 KB)
Send
your application by post or e-mail (please only use the
e-mail address indicated in the Vacancy Announcement).
Please do not send multiple applications.
Employment Conditions
Selection Policies
Employees are selected solely on
merit. While recruiting only the most able and technically competent
candidates, UNU strives for balance in gender and national
representation. We do not set country or gender quotas, but we do try
to ensure that the diversity of UN member states is reflected in the
composition of our staff. In this way, we can more effectively
understand and meet the different needs of member states and also
encourage a greater cross-fertilization of ideas within the
organization. Where competing candidates exhibit equal merit,
preference is given to candidates from developing countries or regions
and every effort is made to achieve a balanced gender distribution
within the organization.
UNU strongly supports the
principle of “equal rights of men and women" enshrined in the first
sentence of the United Nations Charter. Measures have been taken to
allow for a climate conducive to the equal participation of men and
women at the workplace.
Duration of tour of service
UNU
does not offer permanent appointments. In order to keep the collective
knowledge of our staff current and at the highest levels, especially in
scientific and academic fields, and to ensure the regular injection of
new ideas, UNU generally appoints employees on a
two-year, fixed-term, contract basis. In many cases, an appointment to
a further two-year contract is made, if performance meets the required
standards and if there is a continuing need for the services of the employees.
