A Message from Ms. Cihan Sultanoglu,
Director of the Office of Human Resources,
UNDP Bureau of Management

Dear JPOs,

It is my pleasure to welcome you, as the Director of the UNDP Office of Human Resources, to the JPO Career Management Website, which provides a platform of information, tools and resources for career planning purposes.

The Junior Professional Officer (JPO) Programme offers the opportunity to get experience in development management and multilateral development cooperation, as well as exposure to the UN System. The Programme also represents one of the entry points for employment with the UN System. More than one-third of UNDP JPOs have been retained in the UN System over the last 10 years and approximately 25% of our present UN Resident Coordinators are former Junior Professional Officers.

The JPO Programme offers you an entry-point to a career in the UN System, with a focus on multilateralism, as well as to the development sector in general. Building and managing a successful career relies greatly on being pro-active and paying attention to critical elements such as networking, learning and reputation management.  In addition, it is also vital that you remain engaged and competitive to embrace opportunities as they emerge.

I encourage you to take ownership of your own career development throughout your JPO assignment, to be proactive, and to use the resources which are available to support you in this process. We, at the UNDP Office of Human Resources and the JPO Service Centre, will continue to do our best to provide you with the support and training you need and to inform you of the different placement opportunities.

In this Website you will find useful information to guide you through the career planning process, which may assist you developing a career strategy and preparing your CV and application or for  the competency-based interview. The Website also provides valuable information about career opportunities within UNDP and the United Nations System. I encourage you to visit the Website frequently and to use it as a resource and supporting tool to plan and manage your career.

Let me take this opportunity to also wish you an exciting and successful JPO experience and to thank you for your commitment to UNDP’s mission and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

Best wishes,

Cihan