Contract Modalities
FTA, TA, SSA

UNDP offers different types of contracts for international staff depending on the position and type of service requirements as follows:

Fixed Term Appointment (FTA)

The Fixed Term Appointment contract modality is used for employment with UNDP for positions under core budget funding, extra-budgetary or project- funding. FTAs are contracts for a period of one year or more, up to five years at a time, administered by the Office of Human Resources, Staff Administrative Services. They can be renewed multiple times, but do not carry any expectancy of renewal and shall not be converted to any other type of appointment.

Temporary Appointment (TA)

A Temporary Appointment is a staff appointment governed by the amended UN Staff Regulations and new Staff Rules for activities to be of a finite and short duration not exceeding 364 calendar days, to meet seasonal or peak workloads and specific short-term requirements. As such, it is a stand-alone appointment and cannot be converted into any other type of appointment. However, an initial TA may be renewed on an exceptional basis for up to one additional year, not exceeding, under any circumstances, two years. A TA does not carry any expectancy, legal or otherwise, of renewal and shall not be converted to any other type of appointment either.

After the serving period of 364 days is completed, a mandatory break in service of at least three months must take place prior to being appointed for another TA in the same duty station and one month where there is a change in duty station.

All international and external TA positions are advertised on UNDP jobs. TA vacancies may also be advertised on other web-sites including those of Country Offices, Regional Centres or jobs web-sites.

Staff under a TA contract is eligible to apply for any UNDP internally advertised post. They will be given due consideration, after reviewing all other staff members governed under an FTA, on the basis of seniority and only if determined to be fully qualified for the post.

Special Service Agreement (SSA)

The purpose of the SSA contract is to recruit skilled professionals who can provide services on a short-term basis, not exceeding eleven months. SSA contracts are managed by the recruiting UNDP business unit.

Consultants on Special Service Agreement (SSA) have non-staff contracts for short duration activities, for non-staff functions of temporary assistance and/or consultancies. However, the SSA contract may possibly be an entry point for other longer term appointments, subject to their respective recruitment procedures and guidelines. If you wish to pursue this opportunity, your networking and management skills may be one of the requirements.

All SSA vacancies are advertised on UNDP jobs.