Senior HR Officer (Payroll) - internally only

Organizational Context

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) is a UN organization established in 1949 to assist and protect approximately 5.8 million registered Palestine refugees across Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank, and Gaza. UNRWA provides essential services including education, healthcare, and social services, operating as the largest UN entity in the Middle East with over 30,000 staff. This role reports to the Manager, People Analytics, Payroll, and Systems, and involves supervision of staff.

Job Purpose

This role is responsible for the comprehensive management of UNRWA's agency-wide payroll operations, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timeliness across all staff categories, including Area Staff, International Staff, and consultants. The position leads the design, enhancement, and automation of payroll systems and processes, aligning with digital transformation objectives and organizational needs. It involves close collaboration with HR, Finance, and IT departments to resolve issues, implement system upgrades, and ensure the integrity of payroll and HR data. The role also focuses on developing standardized HR process management frameworks and automated workflows to improve efficiency and reduce operational risks, while producing critical payroll-related reports for decision-making.

Responsibilities

Oversee end-to-end agency-wide payroll operations for all staff categories, including off-cycle payments and financial reporting. Lead the design, enhancement, and automation of payroll systems and processes, ensuring alignment with digital transformation goals and integration with platforms like SAP. Manage the planning, testing, and implementation of system changes, upgrades, and new functionalities. Act as the primary liaison between HR, Finance, and IT for payroll and systems matters, ensuring effective coordination and issue resolution. Identify and resolve payroll anomalies, implementing corrective measures to maintain data integrity and auditability. Develop and implement standardized HR process management frameworks and automated workflows for payroll to enhance efficiency, governance, and compliance. Lead the generation of operational, analytical, and management reports related to payroll. Maintain updated Standard Operating Procedures, process documentation, and user manuals.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven years of progressive experience is required in HR operations, payroll management, HR/payroll systems development, process automation, and business process improvement.

Skills

Applying Technical Expertise, Adapting and Responding to Change, Coping with Pressure and Setbacks, Managing Complexity and Change, Delivering Results, Communication, Working with People, Drive for Results.

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