CONFIDENTIAL
Ref No DIS 305/01
THE 37TH SESSION OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES:SUB COMMITTEE ON ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL MATTERS
Brist 5(E)
ITEM 2(C) NOTE ON MANAGEMENT POLICY AND STAFFING EC/SC 2/32
UK AIMS
To support in general UNHCR's proposals to improve staff management and strengthen field posts.
LINE TO TAKE
Personnel Recruitment, Career Development, Staff Relations
Welcome these programmes which are in keeping with the High Commissioner's plans to provide maximum efficiency in UNHCR's field activities and to promote the role of field officers.
Initiatives to improve Conditions of Service in the Field
We recognise the importance of improving Conditions of Service if Field Officers are to be strengthened. But, we would hope this can be achieved without additional costs.
What is UNHCR's policy on relating promotion to field experience and occupying field jobs rather than offering hardship money to induce staff to leave HQ? We would not wish to see an increase in costs beyond those of HQ.
Staff Management Relations and Job Classification
We would expect to see economies in expenditure arising from the reorganisation with revised job classification. We should like evidence of that in due course.
Restructuring and Management Issues
We are concerned that the Evaluation Unit has been 'lost' in the Programme Management Service Dept. This may have been overcome to some extent by the establishment of the Evaluation Committee. Who leads the Committee and what role does it play, other than monitoring follow-up on evaluation reports? We would like to see the unit reporting direct to the High Commissioner or to someone interposed in the chain of command between the High Commissioner and the Regional Bureaux.
Background
This paper EC/SC 2/32 has been submitted by the High Commissioner for discussion in the sub-committee. The document takes account of the High Commissioner's reorganisation plans in so far as these have been implemented. With the introduction of High Commissioner's reorganisation plans the Evaluation Unit now forms part of the Programme Management Service Department. If it stays within the Department there is a danger that it may not have sufficient bureaucratic power to do its job properly and might get side tracked into the particular interest of the Programming Department with less stress on the accountability aspects of
A more evaluation and too much on policy and other reporting duties. detailed paper on Restructuring and Management issues is to be provided at a later stage.
Disaster and Refugee Unit
Bilateral Co-ordination Department
24 September 1986
CONFIDENTIAL