Reassignment guidelines for UNDP and UN Women JPOs

A JPO normally serves in the same job for the duration of his or her assignment. However, JPOs of
partner countries that sponsor assignments of three years or more may be considered for a
reassignment to another job which may be in a different duty station, unit or bureau. A change in job
may be considered based on satisfactory performance, the recommendation of the head of unit and
supervisor and the approval of the partner country.

A reassignment supports professional growth and career development and expands the network of
the JPOs. A reassignment from a country office to regional centre/headquarters location or vice
versa, or a reassignment from one region to another region offers JPOs broader exposure.

Eligibility

Some partner countries regularly support third year reassignments, so in order to be eligible you
must be funded by one of the following countries: Denmark, Germany, Norway, Spain or Sweden.
For Luxembourg there is an obligatory reassignment after the second year.

If your funding government is not mentioned in the above list, it means they do not normally
support reassignments in the third year. Some countries may however support it on exceptional
basis. You can contact your HRA for more information.

This guideline is not applicable for reassignments for compelling reasons, e.g. security and health
matters which may occur for any staff at any point in time regardless of funding partner country.

Considerations

If you are considering a reassignment, you should

reflect on the following:

- How does the new job description support

your JPO assignment, learning and career
aspirations?
- How will a reassignment support your
retention in the organization?
- Manage and maintain the relationship with
your current duty station in a constructive
manner.
- Seek advice from your current supervisor and/or office, for guidance on your career
development and reassignment plans.
- Consider the impact and business continuity on the duty station you leave behind, also in
light of your government’s commitment to that duty station.
- Consider the impact on your own learning and contribution in the new assignment vis-à-vis
the benefits of staying in your current assignment
Procedure

If you are in your second year and are considering are a reassignment for your third year, you should
follow these steps:

1. Begin by contacting your JPOSC HRA and reflect on the above questions. If you are
contemplating a change in duty station, you should also be prepared to inform your HRA
which duty station you are considering reassigning to and why. Remember to take into
consideration the priority countries and/or thematic areas of your funding government
which you can find on their website. Your HRA will be able to advise you on UNDP strategic
priorities and our knowledge of duty stations
2. Your HRA will contact the JPO Programme focal point of your government for a preliminary
(and non-committal) agreement.
3. Once your HRA confirms endorsements obtained, you can contact the duty station/office
where you will reassign to.
4. Prepare your application (P11, achievement oriented CV and cover letter) and keep your
HRA informed throughout the process.
5. You should expect to be interviewed by the hiring unit and use such opportunity to find out
more about the position.
6. You should clearly state with the hiring unit if your third year is expected to be fully funded
or co-funded by your government. It is especially important for co-funded third years as the
new hiring unit will have to commit to the co-funding beforehand.
7. You should submit an updated job description and a letter in support of your reassignment
from the new duty station/office to your HRA. In this regard, it is usually an advantage if
there is a possibility of your further retention beyond your JPO assignment and this is
mentioned in the letter.
8. Your HRA will submit the official request to your government for approval.

Timeline

It is our experience that obtaining the agreement with the

new duty station, updated job description and support letter
often takes 3-6 months, therefore it is recommendable you
start the process in the 2nd quarter of your second year.

Once your government approves the reassignment, we can

begin the administrative process (medical clearance, visa,
travel, payments etc.) which normally takes about 6 weeks. It
is therefore necessary to have at least 6-8 weeks left of your
contract to ensure sufficient time for processing.
Entitlements

Provided your new assignment is for one full year or more, you will be entitled to receive payment
for travel, relocation grant, lump sum assignment grant and 30 days of DSA for you and your eligible
family members. For reassignments of less than a year, entitlements will be reduced as per
corporate rules and regulations.

You will be expected to exercise home leave in conjunction with reassignment, so you travel to your
new duty station via your place of home leave.

1. I would like to reassign before my third year starts. Is that possible?

 No, it is not applicable.
 The only time it is possible is in the case of evacuations or other compelling reasons.

2. I am in doubt which duty station has projects in the thematic areas that fit my profile. How
do I move forward?
 We suggest you first discuss this with your current supervisor or someone else who
may know you well. They may be able to advise you on duty stations in relation to
your profile and career aspirations. You may also research the webpages of duty
stations which are of interest to you to learn more about the programmes in that
particular country. You may also contact your HRA who may provide suggestions
based on vacant JPO positions.

3. I am a SARC/Coordination Specialist at the P3 level. Can I also reassign in my third year?

 No. The reason for supporting reassignments for JPOs is to give them the
opportunity for greater exposure as part of their learning and career development,
as they are normally in the beginning of their career.
 The SARC/Coordination Specialist job is not an entry level position and does not
have the same focus on learning as a JPO position.

4. I do not work with UNDP or UN Women, but am still interested in reassigning. Who should I
contact?
 You should contact your HR focal point in the agency that you work with for further
guidance.