Head of Global Shared Services

Description

Head of Global Shared Services Organization: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Job requisition: JR2668926 Location: Budapest (GSC), Hungary Country: HU Time type: Full time Posted: 2026-10-08 Application deadline: 2026-11-05 Only candidates who are not nationals of the country of assignment are eligible to apply to this position Deadline for Applications November 5, 2026 Hardship Level H (no hardship) Family Type Family Residential location (if applicable) Grade DI1 Staff Member / Affiliate Type Professional * S taff members will not normally serve in International Professional positions in the country of their nationality. In addition, in case of a first appointment upon recruitment, the assignment must be outside the staff member’s country of nationality. In practical terms this means that you are not eligible to apply for International Professional vacancies advertised in the country where you are national of. Reason Regular > Regular Assignment Target Start Date 2027-01-01 Standard Job Description Head of Global Shared Services Organizational Setting and Work Relationships The Head of Global Shared Services (GSS) is responsible for the leadership, management, and continuous improvement of UNHCR’s Shared Services operations across key enabling functions including HR, Payroll, Finance, Supply, IT, and global support services. The role ensures high-quality, efficient, and client-oriented service delivery by leveraging standardization, automation, and operational excellence centred on cost efficiencies and quality of service. Reporting to the Deputy High Commissioner, the incumbent leads the service centre supporting global operations from a centralized location supported by regional hubs, ensuring compliance with UNHCR’s rules and procedures while meeting evolving operational demands. The role plays a central part in advancing the organization's transformation and service delivery model. All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR’s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity. Duties Strategic Service Delivery Oversight - Lead the operational delivery of global shared services across HR, Payroll, Finance, Procurement, Supply, IT, and global support services, ensuring alignment with performance expectations and service level agreements. - Ensure processes are designed end to end to drive efficiency and service quality. - Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) across service lines and ensure high-quality, timely and accurate transaction processing. - Define and implement the GSS operating model, service-delivery and location strategy, and the roadmap for transitioning additional functions and service lines into GSS, including the migration, stabilization and optimization of transferred services. - Manage the GSS budget and resources; establish and maintain the service costing and cost-recovery model, and benchmark unit costs and service quality against comparable shared services organizations. - Establish and maintain the GSS service catalogue and service governance with the policy-owning divisions, clearly distinguishing policy ownership from service-delivery accountability. - Lead the automation and digitalization agenda for transactional services, including self-service, robotic process automation and AI, in close coordination with ITS. - Ensure business continuity and resilience across the GSS hubs, and the protection of personal and financial data processed by GSS, in line with UNHCR's data protection and information security policies. - Lead workforce planning, talent development and succession management across the GSS hubs, fostering an inclusive, high-performance culture. HR and payroll services - Oversee personnel administration for locally recruited and internationally assigned staff, ensuring accuracy in contract issuance, leave management, onboarding, and separation processes. - Ensure consistency in application of policies and regulations globally. - Ensure robust validation and certification of HR and benefits updates and the integrity of data in corporate systems (e.g., Workday, Oracle Cloud and others), supporting compliance and internal controls. - Support Contact Center services ensuring escalated queries are resolved efficiently, appropriately, and logged for analytics. Finance services - Supervise the execution of core financial processes, including: - Invoice processing, payment runs, and reconciliation of accounts payable and receivable. - Donor receivables proces

Sectors

Source

Source: unhcr.org