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10 Tips for Successful Temporary Assignments

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Organizations use temporary assignments for a variety of reasons. These assignments are usually loosely controlled activities of convenience for the individual, the boss, the organization, the family, or all of the above. Sometimes temporary assignments are for a specific project, such as to serve on a transition or integration team during a merger or acquisition. Many of the most respected organizations use temporary assignments as a way to enhance the skills of an individual or to test the person in different ways prior to a promotion to a higher level. If a person is truly on a fast track and being seasoned by some temporary assignments, it is imperative that he or she be told this information. That will serve as a great source of motivation and fortitude to endure the hassles.

Temporary assignments can be delightful opportunities to pick up new knowledge and to shine in a different way that has more exposure than the status quo. As all businesses become more global, temporary assignments give rising executives a convenient way to become more sensitive to cultural differences. Not all temporary assignments involve relocation; they can be just a transient change in function.

In a merger or acquisition process, there are often numerous temporary assignments because, by definition, conditions are changing dramatically. It is important to have some people pulled out of the daily business decisions to focus on the integration effort. In the steady state, these design and policy-making positions will no longer exist, so during the transition there will be numerous people in temporary slots.

Note: I am not referring to “temporary” or “contract” jobs, which are often used by organizations to reduce costs due to lower benefit costs. I am focusing on permanently employed professionals who have a defined position but are given different duties for some short period of time, usually less than 2 years.

The science of making temporary assignments work well is rather eclectic, and the track record of success is spotty. This paper deals with some of the problems that can occur and several ideas that can help improve the probability of success.

Poorly defined position – This often occurs when the reason for the temporary assignment is done for convenience. The person needs to be moved in order to eliminate some issue or to provide a slot for another individual. The assignment is drawn up hastily, often without much documentation of what this person will actually do. The focus is on getting the person moved quickly. The cure is to take the time to consider at least a partial list of duties that will be transferred with the individual. Make the assignment one that includes a real challenge, along with the authority to make professional decisions that help the organization.
Inadequate facilities – Many temporary assignments require people to perform in ad hoc or formal project teams. Finding a central location with the proper facilities in which to do the work is a typical challenge. For some period of time, individuals will have to work out of hotel rooms or sparsely-equipped community gathering places. One obvious alternative is to rent fully equipped and furnished office space from a real estate vendor whose business is providing flexible and convenient housing for professionals on the move. Another potential source of facilities is the real estate listings. Often there are buildings that are being underutilized due to bankruptcies or other discontinuities. The owner may be happy to make some low cost office space available rather than have a location atrophy while waiting for a buyer.
Inconvenient location – In most cases, people chose their domicile location to allow a reasonable balance of work function and lost time due to the daily commute. If a temporary assignment changes the pattern significantly, it can present a real hardship. Since, by definition, a temporary assignment has an end point, it is not likely the individual will go through a change of residence, and instead will choose to endure the hassle of a much longer commute. Often the need requires an individual to live in a different city and fly home on weekends for months on end. Sometimes it is possible to arrange temporary housing for the person in a convenient location to the job that allows the entire family to move in yet still maintain the original residence for the return path. This is a typical scenario for expatriates. The downside is that the vacant home needs to be made secure while unused, which can get expensive.
Lack of Authority – Since the roles of a temporary assignment are transitory by definition, individuals often feel a lack of authority at a time when they are forced to assume greater responsibility. They can see all the work and the confusion of carving out a niche of credibility, but they have little formal purchasing power to make their decisions stick. If individuals do not like or are threatened by the changes represented by the person in a temporary assignment (which is often the case), then it is possible to make the assigned person miserable through any number of ploys. Some people will get cynical and drag their feet, others will take a passive aggressive attitude, still others will undermine the individual through rumor or other hostile means. All of these methods can be like a Chinese water torture for an executive who is already under immense pressure. The antidote here is to give decision rights to the individual on the assignment and back up this person’s decisions and actions publicly.
Bad Personal Chemistry – An individual doing a temporary assignment is often entering a society with little knowledge of the people, customs, and culture. The reason for this person coming in may not have been well explained, and the individual is forced to establish new relationships from a position of distrust. That may get things off to a rocky start and require extra effort to achieve a good social balance. The antidote here is simple. The person arranging for a temporary assignment owes the person being moved a good introduction to the new group that includes an adequate rationale and an expectation of fair play.
Sense of futility – A person in a temporary assignment can become depressed simply due to a lack of foundation. The work being performed is difficult and seemingly unappreciated. Not having daily interface with former peers at the central office gives one a lonely feeling of isolation. If the assignment is working on a merger transition team, there is the constant pressure of who will be the survivors on the ultimate team. Not being in close physical proximity to the top decision makers on a daily basis can lead to additional anxiety that the person might be overlooked. In this situation, top managers need to assure the individual that it is precisely due to this person’s worth to the organization that he or she was picked to help design the integration process. There will be a good job at the end of the ordeal. Actually, people on the integration team have a natural advantage because they help invent the structure and rules for the merged entity. It is the people left behind to run the ongoing business who have the greater jeopardy once the musical chairs game comes to an end.
Burn out – When temporary assignments are for the purpose of designing details of a merger or acquisition, the technical detail and amount of work can be overwhelming. Transition teams are usually kept lean because, during the integration, both of the former businesses need to keep operating at top efficiency as well. There are just not enough resources to cover everything, so both the ongoing business resources and the integration team are forced to stretch to the limit. It is easier for the ongoing business to stretch because some people from lower levels can step up to temporary management positions to cover. For the transition team, life is more difficult. There are literally thousands of details to consider, and many mutual processes that need to be invented. The work is endless, critical, urgent, and highly emotional in nature. That, coupled with the individual living or working out of temporary housing, causes many people in these assignments to burn out, have health problems, or get fed up and leave. For this reason, senior managers need to provide some modicum of work-life balance or “R&R breaks.” One observation is that people on the edge of total burn out often do not realize their peril. One must consider the ongoing health and welfare of each person serving on a transition team.
Guilt or sense of punishment – Some individuals will over-analyze the nature of a temporary move. They may feel a sense of failure; after all, other people were not moved out. They wonder if this is a signal from top management that there is a serious issue or some chemistry problem with the senior people. The individual may feel he or she is being punished for being too aggressive, outspoken, or some other interpersonal skill shortage. If there is a suspicion of this flavor in the body language, it will seriously undermine the motivation of the moved individual to do a good job. To prevent unwarranted worry, top managers need to be transparent and share the true reason for a temporary assignment. If there are issues, then the individual is due an explanation and a chance to mitigate the damage to his or her reputation before being moved out.
Squishy Return Arrangements – It is common for a person on a temporary assignment to have no visibility to his or her return path. Will there be a good job at the end of the assignment? When will the assignment end? Was this little adventure good or bad for the person’s ultimate career? It can be a lonely and scary situation for a good performer to find him or herself in a remote site with little connection to the home office and no concrete way back home. A simple fix is to have frequent communications with the remote individual to assure him or her that the temporary service is appreciated and a return path is not going to be forgotten. It is easy for managers to get embroiled in the urgent matters of daily decisions and neglect individuals in remote areas who may be feeling insecure about their future.
The pasture – Unfortunately, some groups use a series of temporary assignments to encourage an under-performing individual to leave the organization. The jobs have marginal value, yet keeping the person on organizational life support seems kinder than pulling the plug. People who are being led out to pasture are usually well aware of the intent. Many upper managers hope it will cause the person to quit and leave, unfortunately in a lot of cases it causes the person to quit and stay. Here again, the antidote is candor and transparency. Let the individual know the truth so he or she can make appropriate choices rather than guess.

These are just 10 of the common issues with temporary assignments and how upper management can reduce the stress and pain having to do with them. Properly managed, temporary assignments can be invigorating and helpful to both the individual and the organization. If done poorly or without care for the individual, they can be a real problem.

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Bob Whipple, MBA, CPLP, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust. He is author of: Trust in Transition: Navigating Organizational Change , The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals , Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online , and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind . Bob had many years of experience as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations.

Bob Whipple is currently CEO of Leadergrow, Inc., an organization dedicated to growing leaders. For more information or to bring Bob in to speak at your next event, contact him by email, phone 585-392-7763, fill in the contact form on the Leadergrow Website, or BLOG.

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Temporary assignments vs Fixed-term contracts when hiring Business Support staff

Permanent roles are straightforward to understand, but when it comes to temporary and contract recruitment , many find it difficult to distinguish the difference.

Temporary assignments.

A temporary assignment gives both employees and employers flexibility.

For instance, if an employer requires reception cover because their receptionist is out ill and they’re unsure as to how long they will be on leave for, a temp would be the best option.

Nobody is bound into a formal contract and both parties are aware of this, therefore the employer has the flexibility to keep the temp on for as long as needs be depending on their availability. This will be discussed ahead of the assignment.

Find out how we can help with your Business Support recruitment .

Why do professionals choose to temp over seeking permanent positions?

There are a number of reasons for this and we would be happy to talk through this with you ahead of confirming a candidate.

The main benefit of a temporary assignment is that there is no notice period for both the employer and employee up to 13 weeks of employment. One week's notice will be required by both parties thereafter

Fixed-term contracts (FTC).

Another great option with many benefits is a fixed-term contract (FTC) .

FTCs give both the employer and employee more security. The reason for this is that they sign a contract and the employee feels like they are part of the company and team in comparison to just filling the gap for somebody who is off.

While some candidates love the idea of temping, as they have the ability to work around their schedule, others want a greater level of security.

No candidate's situation is the same, so it’s important for us as recruitment consultants to find out exactly what each candidate is looking for and what their motivation is.

FTCs provide employers with commitment from the employee, due to the contract, so if you are looking for a strong candidate to stay in a role for the required time I would highly recommend going with the option of offering a fixed-term contract.

Working with Morgan McKinley will make both options extremely easy for the following reasons:

We meet and screen all of our candidates.

This includes talking through and reviewing their resume or CV , covering all aspects. For example; any lengthy career gaps, why they left previous employment, education, their current situation, why they are looking to temp, their personality and whether or not they would be a good fit for your company.

For us to be able to fully gauge this, I would suggest organising a meeting with your recruitment consultant . This will allow us to get an idea of your company culture and would give you a chance to find out all you need to know about the process.

We would be more than happy to call out to your office at a time that is convenient to you to discuss possible roles, inform you of any stand-out market trends, talk in more depth about what positions we recruit for across the board and how we can help and provide the best service possible.

We complete reference checks and all of the compliance required.

A majority of our temps and contractors have completed a number of assignments through Morgan McKinley, which means that we receive regular feedback from clients. This feedback allows us to confirm a candidate with confidence.

Our temporary and contract roles vary in length from a day to 11 months, which means that we can get a temp into your company at short notice.
If your colleague is out unexpectedly and you require cover or you need an extra bit of help, all you need to do is pick up the phone and we can confirm somebody with you.

When you hire Business Support contractors or temps through us , you benefit from our innovative Contractor Experience team. This takes a lot of work away from your teams , reduces your time to hire , and ultimately makes your life easier .

Internal compliance
Handling of pay
Pre-employment screening
Issue resolution
Post-placement care

So whether you require a temp, are recruiting for a maternity leave contract, or just want to organise a meeting with a recruitment consultant so you can discuss future needs within your organisation, please feel free to get in touch with us today .

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Short-Term Assignments: Key Considerations and Essential Information

By Tracy Langlois, CRP, GMS

Short-term work assignments have been steadily increasing over the years and certain factors like the pandemic have shined a light on vulnerabilities within numerous industries. For instance, the demand for travel nurses has never been higher, as certain staffing agencies need to fill voids and provide additional support at hospitals all over the US. Other companies are asking employees to train new hires at different locations or attend workshop programs and conferences out of state. Those working in media may need to spend days, weeks, or months in different locations covering news stories. HR representatives are focusing on talent mobility, which may require employees to take on short-term work assignments for specialized training and upward growth within a company.

No matter the industry or reason, employers are recognizing the value of short-term assignments, as well as the logistical steps required to smoothly transition their employees from point A to B. With that in mind, CapRelo put together an overview of short-term assignments, so your company knows what is needed to assist your employee during the hectic transition of a short-term assignment.

What is a Short-Term Assignment?

A temporary assignment is defined as a work stint lasting for one year or less. A short-term assignment can be a series of shorter rotational assignments or an assignment that requires an employee to stay in one place for the entire duration. Similar to temporary duty assignments in the military, short-term assignments are not permanent and are meant to carry out a specific purpose. Companies may send one employee or a whole team out on temporary assignments, depending on the industry and work goal.

What is the Purpose of a Short-Term Assignment?

There are plenty of different reasons why companies would send their staff out on short-term assignments. For instance, an employee may need to assist a branch that’s struggling to perform and help them to increase their sales numbers. It’s also not uncommon for staff to oversee different departments during a company merger, requiring temporary assignments to ensure company policies are being carried out consistently across the board. Perhaps limited resources have prevented staff at different locations from being properly cross-trained, necessitating the need for temporary work trips.

Whether three weeks or three months long, short-term assignments typically require companies to cover lodging, food, transportation, and other travel-related expenses with stipends.

Benefits and Challenges of Short-Term Assignments

While short-term assignments sound like a breeze, they can pose some serious challenges for both the employee and the company itself. International short-term assignments can pose tax and immigration issues if companies don’t comply with the laws and regulations in each country. Secondly, some countries have turbulent landscapes, which could potentially put staff at risk. Employees may also get stranded in the assignment country due to canceled flights or COVID-related concerns, further implicating the company when temporary assignments do not go according to plan.

On the flip side, a company can create a robust talent mobility strategy with initiatives that reward current and new hires willing to take on short-term assignments. For instance, paying employees during travel time can lead to higher retention rates. Companies can also train staff across locations to improve their skills, eliminating any consistency errors. A change of scenery might help employees to improve productivity as well, especially in locations that offer plenty of sunshine and warm weather for post-work relaxation.

Short-Term Assignment FAQs

Are Short-Term Assignments International? Short-term assignments can be either domestic (within a country) or international (across country borders). Certain companies like Amazon, FedEx, and Apple are known for leading the way with the most corporate travel, requiring employees to rack up airline miles to fulfill their job duties.
How Does the IRS Define Short-Term Assignments? The IRS defines short-term assignments as work in one location that can be reasonably completed in one year or less (and is). Employees typically file taxes with their home state. If a work assignment lasts for longer than a year then it is considered an indefinite assignment, prompting an employee’s tax home to change.
What is Relocation Tax Assistance? Before 2018, any moving-related payments or reimbursements to employees were not included in their annual reportable wages. These expenses did not require withholding taxes and would have been paid by the employee and later deducted. The Tax Cuts and Job Act of 2017 changed the way payroll handled relocation expenses. Nowadays, employers can offer relocation tax assistance or tax gross-ups . A tax gross-up simply means that a company provides a larger payment sum to the employee to compensate for the taxes that will be withheld from their payment if that employee is relocating somewhere new.
Do Family Members Join Employees on Short-Term Assignments? When it comes to temporary assignments, most companies do not assist families to join the employee in the new location if the assignment is expected to have a duration of six months or less. Assignments greater than six months may include company support for family accompaniment. Some companies will offer to pay for visits home after a certain amount of time has passed for employees who are not accompanied. This could be anywhere from 8 to 12 weeks after the start of the assignment but depends on the company’s unique policies.

How Can Companies Assist Employees?

Companies should have well-defined relocation policies in place before sending employees out on temporary assignments. The policy should include details on the relocation services and benefits which will be provided to employees and who will be assisting them with these services. It is important to note for international cases that proper immigration documentation is required before the start of the assignment. Letters of assignment (LOA)s should also be created for employee and company signature and should include specifics on the location and duration of the assignment and specific benefits. Companies should have a dedicated budget in place to assist with short-term assignment relocation expenditures; a comprehensive cost estimate including tax costs can be prepared in advance to ensure appropriate approvals can be obtained. A survey of HR professionals conducted in partnership with CapRelo found that 33% of participants stated their relocation policies have been updated to accommodate employees’ mental health and well-being, which is another factor that should be taken into consideration to help employees cope better with their new surroundings.

Do You Need a Relocation Program?

So, you’re ready to send your employees out on short-term assignments, but don’t know where to start? Whether you need help transferring one employee intra-country, or flying a whole team across the globe for specialized training, we can help.

At CapRelo , we provide relocation solutions for companies that need them, covering a host of services including cost estimate preparation, corporate housing, auto shipment, property management, travel services, immigration coordination, and much more.

Our team specializes in seamless transfer operations and sorts out all of the logistical steps before your employee’s short-term assignment so you can have peace of mind knowing that they are in the best of hands. Allow us to take one more thing off your plate and contact our highly qualified team at CapRelo today to get started.

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Temporary Assignments Policy

[Company Name] may periodically re-assign employees to other work locations for temporary duty based on business need. The purpose of this policy is to complement [Company Name]'s relocation policy and its business travel policy. Under this policy, temporary assignments are not less than 60 days and not more than 180 days.

Temporary assignments are subject to a written agreement detailing the terms of the assignment and the approximate duration. The distance of the new work location must be greater than 50 miles from the employee's regular work location. If the distance is less than 50 miles, the assignment is handled under the business travel policy.

Allowances during Temporary Assignment

Travel costs to and from the temporary work location by public transportation, personal vehicle or rental car will be reimbursed by [Company Name]. For public transportation, travel arrangements must be made through [Company Name]'s contracted travel service and costs will be paid directly by [Company Name]. For personal vehicle use, reimbursement will be made based on the standard mileage rate of [current IRS rate] per mile. All rental vehicles should be reserved through our contracted travel service.

Costs for return visits to the employee's home location every two weeks during the temporary assignment will be covered.

Per Diem and Lodging

The employee will receive per diem and lodging allowances during the temporary assignment. If known in advance that the duration of the assignment will be for more than three months, arrangements with a corporate apartment provider will be handled through our travel service. If the duration is unknown, the employee will be required to stay at a hotel scheduled through our travel service.

Payment of Expenses

Any expense that is authorized by [Company Name] will be paid through accounts payable. Expenses for lodging, meals and incidental expenses paid by the employee should be submitted weekly to the accounting department for reimbursement.

Tax Considerations

Reasonable expenses incurred due to temporary assignments are considered proper business expenses that can be deducted by the company and are not considered taxable income to the employee. Thus, actual expenses reimbursed to an employee are not subject to federal or state withholding.

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Finding the Right Compensation for Temporary Assignments

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Determine the criticalness of the assignment. There are various instances where an organization will need to temporarily fill a role, and how they go about compensating the employee assigned to the temporary role should be preset and determined on how critical it is to the business.
Filling in for an employee on leave. In a scenario in which an employee goes on leave and a person is asked to take over their job responsibilities for a defined time, a compensation bump should be added as a premium in the form of a line item of pay with their typical paycheck.
Put a formal process in place. Having an established process makes good business sense because when an employee takes on a new role for a period of time, exercising the same responsibilities as the employee on leave, they should have the same pay opportunity.
Quick-fix scenarios. Some work scenarios are more difficult to formalize a compensation structure for temporary assignments, such as an employee in a call center not showing up for work for an extended period without notice. Employees who fill in when needed should receive other reward items such as free lunches or gift cards that say “thank you” for picking up the additional workload.

Temporary assignments, or the assignment of duties to an employee outside their regular scope on a short-term basis, often come with an increase in direct compensation.

But how should that amount be determined?

It all depends on whether the assignment is for a new project or simply a fill-in for a missing employee, said Julian Pawlowski, senior principal at Mercer.

“[Temporary assignments] are common practice in the context of a major project and typically involve an additional scope of responsibility,” he said.

On the other hand, with constant organizational changes, such as a promotion or other employee transitions such as maternity/medical leave, organizations may need to assign an employee to a temporary role to both support that transition and any gaps in the workflow that a change creates.

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“Some roles have less influence on results and pay should be commensurate with that,” he said.

Therefore, leaders must first determine the criticalness of the assignment to the business, Pawlowski said.

“What will be the impact if someone’s not in place?” he said. “There really has to be a discussion about the risk if the project isn’t completed on time. What’s the risk if no one is covering that person’s responsibilities? Risk must be determined up front.”

With core strategic projects, for example, there typically are very defined project plans with dependencies and outcomes so that organizations understand the scope of work that’s occurring and the employee understands the part of the workflow and outcome they are responsible for.

From an administrative perspective, this should include an assignment letter, a plan document explaining the terms and conditions of the program, the award amount, timing and any actions that occur if a person leaves.

“All that should be in place before the project begins so they are clear about what they are eligible for, how they earn it and when they earn it.”

But the extra compensation — paid out at the completion of preset milestones — should not just be based on an individual’s performance, Pawlowski said.

“There’s the participant’s support and input that should be measured individually, but also the team’s outcome,” he said. “So a composite score should determine that temporary assignment’s compensation range.”

In a scenario in which an employee goes on leave and a person is asked to take over their job responsibilities for a defined time, however, the compensation bump should be added as a premium — a line item of pay with their typical paycheck.

“That way the person is recognized immediately for the time and work done, and reinforces the idea that the person is getting the opportunity and extra money immediately,” Pawlowski said. “It really helps with both employee motivation and retention.”

Formalizing the Process

For McKesson Canada and its 4,500 employees, temporary assignments that last a minimum of three months occur often enough that the company has a formal process in place.

Isabelle Brissette, a McKesson Canada compensation consultant, noted the company had 29 temporary assignments for the past fiscal year. “Some of our maternity/parental leaves can last up to 18 months,” she said.

Having a formal process in place makes good business sense, Brisette said, because when an employee takes on a new temporary role, exercising the same responsibilities as the employee on leave, they should have the same pay opportunity.

McKesson Canada employees on temporary assignments receive a compensation package that al teast matches the new career grade’s minimum salary range, Brisette said.

For roles in which the employee will take on new responsibilities for three months or more — sometimes up to 18 months to cover maternity/parental leaves — the employee will be placed in the new job code, with the new grade level and get the new bonus target associated with that role.

Base pay, however, will not be increased.

“We will put in a temporary bi-weekly premium as a percentage of base,” she said. “This bi-weekly premium usually ranges from 5% to 15%.”

However, in light of new pay transparency standards , as well as because the employee will have access to the new salary range, McKesson ensures that the bi-weekly premium added to the base pay comes to at least the minimum of the new range.

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Once the assignment is over, the employee goes back into their regular position and grade level, and the bi-weekly premium stops.

McKesson has another process for a temporary assignment for extra responsibilities, Brisette said.

“This is where an employee would remain in their current role but take on responsibilities from a colleague or a superior who is on leave for an unknown period of time (short-term leave, jury duty, etc.).”

In these cases, she said, compensation is simply made by a lump-sum payment.

Other Scenarios

Some work scenarios, however, are more difficult to formalize a compensation structure for temporary assignments, Mercer’s Pawlowski noted.

“Maybe there’s an employee in a call center who doesn’t show up or leaves unexpectedly and the remaining team picks up the workload,” he said. “That’s fairly common and there needs to be consideration in other areas beside direct compensation.”

Employees who fill in when needed should receive other reward items such as free lunches or gift cards that say “thank you” for picking up the additional workload.

“That’s a really important detail,” Pawlowski said. “There are many cases where it’s not formalized and there are gaps in the work and workers still need to pick up the slack.”

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Debunking the Myths of Domestic Temporary Assignments 10.8.2014 | Jennifer Connell

Domestic Assignments
Short Term Assignment
Workforce Mobility

As companies strive for greater flexibility to respond to the increasing speed of business and broader range of opportunities, temporary domestic assignments have grown in popularity.

In fact, according to the results of our 2014 Workforce Mobility Survey , more than half of companies now offer such assignments.

As their usage becomes more widespread, so have some myths concerning temporary domestic assignments. In this article, I’ll address and debunk them.

Myth: Temporary assignments only help us complete project work.

While the majority of organizations use domestic temporary assignments for project work-based needs, our survey revealed that a growing number of companies in the U.S. and Canada use them to develop future leaders and high potentials. In fact, high growth companies (companies with revenue growth of more than 5% over the past year) tend to use fewer short term assignments for “project work” and instead rely on these programs for career development purposes.

Myth: It’s less expensive to send my employee on a temporary assignment than a permanent move.

This is a common misconception. For short-term assignments, the vast majority of costs are typically covered by the company, including housing. While there is a favorable tax impact, companies are experiencing an increase among assignments that extend beyond one year. Not only does this increase the costs, it may affect the taxability of the provisions.

Prolonged family separation and other personal issues that arise over time could lead to more return trips home, dependent visits or time away from the project or assignment to tend to family issues. The costs involved in a permanent move may be comparable to the costs of a long-term assignment (greater than 12 months) when tax consequences are taken into account.

Myth: Temporary assignments are easier to administer than permanent moves because we only have to worry about the employee on the assignment.

Separation from family was cited as one of the top obstacles in using temporary assignments and can have a negative impact on productivity as the employee attempts to manage their home from the assignment location and connect with family. This can ultimately lead to higher turnover and retention issues and subsequently increasing recruiting and staffing costs.

Many companies structure temporary assignments based on the duration of the assignment and the family status (accompanied or unaccompanied). These aspects are closely aligned because not many families are willing to be separated for long-term assignments (more than 12 months). In addition, the longer the anticipated assignment length, it’s more common to develop a long-term policy that addresses accompanying family costs or the costs of property management.

Myth: Assignments that extend beyond a year are still not taxable.

Our survey indicates that more companies are extending the length of temporary assignments or transitioning them into permanent moves. This is not without tax consequences.

Therefore, when planning a temporary move, certain things need to be considered:

Time limit. In the United States, under federal tax law, certain reimbursed expenses incurred while on a short-term assignment (or “temporary assignment” in tax parlance) of up to 12 months could potentially be considered non-taxable to the employee.
Types of expenses. Expenses that may be considered non-taxable include travel between the home and the assignment location, accommodations at the assignment location, and meals or per diems while at the assignment location.
Intended length of the assignment. Consider the timeframe anticipated for the assignment and when the decision was made to extend the assignment past 12 months, if applicable.

For example, if your company has an employee nine months into a 12 month assignment and a decision is made to extend that assignment beyond the 12 month limit, any reimbursements made after that nine month point are considered taxable income to the employee. Likewise, if an assignment has not surpassed the one-year limitation, yet the assignment was expected to last one year or more, the IRS considers this a taxable event. At the point that an assignment is believed to be greater than one year, the taxability of the reimbursed expenses begins.

Myth: A lump sum should cover all of the living costs incurred on the temporary assignment.

Lump sums can be difficult for employees to manage for a temporary assignment, particularly if their attention is divided among their family/home residence and the demands of their position in the new location. If the funds are not managed closely, this can negatively impact the employee’s productivity and can lead to subsequent requests for additional funds. If using a lump sum, the simple (but costly) solution is to consider all lump sum allowances as income and tax protect those payments.

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Top Benefits of Temporary Work

There are a number of great benefits for professionals to take on a short-term assignment.

There are a number of great benefits for professionals to take on a short-term assignment. Temporary job opportunities are a great way to fill gaps in your resume, build your network of connections, explore new professional opportunities, and put money in your pocket! You might also find your next full-time position with this strategic move.

Here are some of the top benefits of taking on a temporary assignment:

1. TEMPORARY WORK ALLOWS YOU TO EXPERIENCE A NEW POSITION OR INDUSTRY.

Are you thinking of making a career change? A temporary assignment offers you the unique opportunity to test out a career move before fully investing yourself and your time into a permanent position. If you’re committed to moving into a new industry or role, completing a temporary job assignment in a related field can help get your foot in the door. Companies look to hire candidates with similar industry experience because you can quickly make an impact once you join the team.

2. TEMPORARY WORK FILLS THE GAPS IN YOUR RESUME.

It often takes more than a month to find a permanent job opportunity. Temp work can help keep income coming in and fill in gaps on your resume as you search – providing additional experience in the process. It keeps you going, growing, and looking good to potential future employers. It’s also an opportunity to build valuable references for future positions.

If you’re early in your professional career, landing your dream role without a long CV can make it challenging to get your foot in the door. Taking on a temporary role not only provides networking and upskilling opportunities, but also helps build your professional portfolio and adds professional experiences to your resume.

3. TEMPORARY WORK HAS FLEXIBILITY AND BETTER WORK/LIFE BALANCE.

Temporary positions often allow you to manage your work-life balance better than permanent ones. In between assignments, you’re able to spend time on your “side-hustle”, whether that’s your family, your Etsy business, Uber, or anything else. Depending on the type of position, there also may be limits on overtime so your work hours don’t encroach your personal time, and you’d be eligible for overtime pay that you wouldn’t otherwise have in a salaried position.

4. TEMPORARY WORK ALLOWS YOU TO EXPAND YOUR SKILLSET.

Not every temp job will be perfectly aligned with your skillset, and actually, that’s what makes temp work such a great opportunity for you. Not only can you continue to sharpen some of your current skills, but you can also pick up skills that may be brand new to you and learn new platforms you wouldn’t otherwise have exposure to. Research shows that every 4-5 years your skills become half as valuable. And for technology, it’s even less. By learning new skills and keeping your existing expertise up-to-date, you become the top candidate for future roles and an expert industry best practices.

5. TEMPORARY WORK ALLOWS YOU TO BUILD YOUR NETWORK.

You never know who you will meet while working on a contract job, who they know, and where they can potentially make introductions. Working a contract position only helps to expand your professional network. An estimated 85% of jobs are filled through networking . In addition to meeting valuable contacts, you have an opportunity to gain recommendations on LinkedIn to help build your portfolio of skills.

6. TEMPORARY WORK COMES WITH A BUILT-IN SUPPORT SYSTEM.

Staffing companies, like our team at LHH, are here to help guide you through each assignment you take. Our recruiters are trained to work with you to ensure that you’re working on the right assignment, with the right company, for the right compensation. You’ll receive benefits and a steady income, in addition to professional career guidance from your recruiter, all at no expense to you.

If you’re ready to explore short-term opportunities, we’d love to talk! Take a look at our open temp roles or reach out to discuss your goals with one of our talent recruiters.

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Temporary job assignment vs. indefinite assignment

By tracy bunner, talkin taxes - | jul 6, 2015.

There are job expenses that can be deducted for job assignments that are temporary assignments that take the taxpayer away from the taxpayer’s home.

However, in order for job expenses such as housing, food and travel to be taken as a deduction, the taxpayer must determine whether the assignment is truly temporary.

A temporary assignment in a single location is one that is realistically expected to last (and does in fact last) for one year or less.

If the job assignment meets the criteria then the taxpayer’s home does not change in relationship to job expenses. The taxpayer is considered to be away from home for the whole period he/she is away from the main place of work.

If the job is initially temporary and then becomes indefinite due to a change in the circumstances, the taxpayer may no longer deduct job related expenses.

A misconception is that the taxpayer can take a break or leave for a period of time to keep the job assignment under the one year mark. The IRS considers a series of assignments to the same location, all for short periods but that together cover a long period to be considered an indefinite assignment. If the assignment is considered indefinite the location is considered to be the taxpayer’s new home and expenses cannot be taken.

Temporary job assignments often occur with traveling nurses and construction workers. Amounts paid for food, lodging, mileage, and other expenses necessary to maintain a temporary home may be deductible.

A taxpayer must be able to show that the assignment is indeed temporary and was not expected to turn into an indefinite assignment.

If the taxpayer receives an allowance for living expenses and the assignment becomes indefinite, the taxpayer must include in income any amounts received from the employer for living expenses. This is true even if the amounts are called travel allowances and the taxpayer accounts to the employer for them.

The taxpayer may be able to deduct the cost of relocating to the new tax home as a moving expense. Expenses for moving have some limitation to what is deductible.

Tracy Bunner is an enrolled agent and tax preparer with an office in Harrisville. She can be reached at 801-686-1995 or at [email protected].

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End of Temporary Assignment: What to Do

Are you nearing the end of temporary work assignment? When a temp assignment ends it can start to feel a bit precarious at times. If you have your next assignment lined up you may feel a sense of relief, accomplishment or even a sense that you will miss your current work assignment. All of that is normal and valid.

At the end of a temporary assignment you may feel pressure and stress. The best thing to do is to make the most of the time you have left on the job. The more prepared you are for the time when a temp assignment ends, the more you will set yourself up for success with your next assignment.

Temporary assignments are unique experiences. Many workers are accustomed to moving from job to job and it feels like old hat. For other workers , it can be jarring or hindering to move from one job to the next. If you fall into that category you will want to arm yourself with a few tips for the end of temporary assignment periods.

End on a good note

Make sure your manager knows that you have enjoyed working on the assignment. Stand out from other workers by making it clear that you enjoy your job and take pride in your work. Leaving on a good note when a temp assignment ends is a great way to ensure future call backs or good references.

Have a reputation as a good coworker

Your coworkers are not your managers, however it is still important to develop your reputation as a solid team member and someone others enjoy working with. Being known as reliable and knowledgeable among your coworkers is a great way to end a temporary assignment.

Update your resume

You may not realize the nuances of the current work assignment you are on, but when you sit down and put pen to paper there are many ways you can update your resume to reflect the work that you have done on your current job assignment. Turning to experienced resume builders is a great way to make sure you have accurately captured the depth of your experience.

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How to Get a Tax Break for Temporary Work Assignments

The IRS often views business travel expense deductions with a healthy dose of skepticism. Consult with your professional tax advisor to ensure you’re on firm ground.

Ken Berry, JD

Sep. 12, 2023

If you travel away from your tax home on business in your vehicle, you can deduct your gas and related expenses. However, you generally can’t write off the regular expenses of getting back and forth from work, even if you travel a long distance each day. The IRS considers this daily commute to be a nondeductible personal expense.

Conversely, suppose you’re working on a project that takes you far away from home for several months. In that case, you may qualify for a special tax law exception if this temporary assignment lasts less than one year. As a result, you may be able to deduct your travel expenses between your home and the temporary job site.

However, if the assignment lasts indefinitely, you won’t qualify for deductions under this special tax law exception. It all has to do with the way the IRS defines your “tax home” and “temporary assignments” for tax purposes. Let’s take a closer look.

Basic rules : If your assignment or job away from your main place of work is temporary, your tax home doesn’t change. You’re considered to be away from home for the entire period while you’re away from your main place of work. Accordingly, you can write off your travel expenses if they otherwise qualify for deductions.

Generally, a temporary assignment in a single location is one that is realistically expected to last (and does in fact last) for one year or less. However, if your assignment or job is indefinite, the location of the assignment or job becomes your new tax home. Thus, you can’t deduct your travel expenses while you’re there.

An assignment or job in a single location is considered indefinite if it is realistically expected to last for more than one year—whether or not it actually lasts for more than one year.

If your assignment is indefinite, you must include in your income any amounts received from your employer for living expenses, even if they are called travel allowances and you account to your employer for them.

Note : Previously, employees could personally deduct unreimbursed travel expenses as miscellaneous expenses, subject to a floor of 2% of adjusted gross income (AGI). But the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) suspends the miscellaneous expense deduction for 2018 through 2025. Thus, this is not currently an option, regardless of AGI.

Finally, remember to carefully observe the rules stated above and keep the requisite records to back up your claims. If you handle things the right way, you may even be able to deduct your travel expenses of coming home on the weekend after spending the workweek at a temporary job site.

Caution : The IRS often views business travel expense deductions with a healthy dose of skepticism. Consult with your professional tax advisor to ensure you’re on firm ground.

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Temporary reassignments: Detail benefits to you, us, and them

Posted by Dr. Dana | Jul 24, 2017 | Career Advice , Staying sharp |

Temporary reassignments are known to most government employees as details. For the most part, details are seen as an opportunity to meet workforce needs of the agency and a developmental opportunity for employees for hands-on work experience. Unofficially, details are also seen as a way to manage poor performers out of an organization.

It’s that third intent that most government employees think of when they hear of someone being detailed. And it is for that reason, that many employees do not see details as a positive developmental opportunity. So, in this post, I cover the broad benefits of a detail or temporary reassignment. And why YOU should apply to one if you see an opportunity.

Myth of temporary reassignments and poor performers

In my experience in government, I often hear about detailing poor performers. The hope was that the receiving organization would take them on as permanent employees. But, in the short term, the agency sending them (i.e., loosing office) would have relief from performance management.

Despite this common myth, a quick google search of details, temporary reassignments, and poor performers yields no relevant results. With no search results, I have to wonder whether this myth is as widespread as my experience suggests. Given that 3 of 4 agencies I’ve worked in unofficially used these methods I have to believe that it’s just not something people openly discuss.

All that being said, I do want to offer one hole in this myth of using temporary reassignments to manage poor performers. In order to qualify for a detail, an employee must have a satisfactory performance rating during their prior rating cycle. Thus, if the employee truly is a poor performer, they will not be able to apply to a detail.

What is the true intent of details?

Let’s first be clear about what a detail is. Oddly enough, I couldn’t find much detail about the intent of details on OPM’s site . The best description I could find was instead through an Army’s page.

According to the Army, a detail is a temporary assignment to a different position for a specified period when the employee is expected to return to his or her regular duties at the end of the assignment. Details are intended for meeting temporary needs of the agency’s work, program or mission requirements when necessary services cannot be provided by other means. Details can be used in situations such as temporary shortage of military or civilian personnel or emergency work situations.

What I find most fascinating about this description is that it does not mention that details are used for, nor opportunities for, developing employees.

And yet, the benefits of details can reach beyond just meeting a temporary work requirement.

3 benefactors of details and temporary reassignments

Depending on your perspective, the benefit of temporary reassignments may be limited. When in fact, using details can have wide reaching benefits to not only you, us, and them – but to the government as a whole. Let me explain.

Benefit to the employee (i.e., you)

In a prior post, we talked about the limited benefits of classroom training . The benefits are limited because unused knowledge is quickly lost. Another limitation is that classroom training typically lacks real world context to perform in your own work environment. So what better opportunity to develop new skills than to learn them while doing the job?

Beyond that, temporary reassignments also offer you opportunities to broaden your professional network. In working in another office or agency, you gain stronger connections than you could in a setting like a classroom (assuming other agencies are represented) or a conference (if your agency allows you to go). These connections will prove especially valuable if you ever need them again for something like a job reference or access to materials/information.

Temporary reassignments also provide you an opportunity to gain new perspectives. Even if you detail into a position similar to your current permanent position, you will learn new ways of doing work. For better or worse. You may learn new processes that you can bring back with you. Or, identify processes you should definitely NOT bring back with you. Further, you may discover linkages between your current office and your temporary reassignment that could improve the functioning of both.

Benefit to the losing office (i.e., us)

It’s typically a tough sell to the losing office to allow a high performing employee to be detailed to another office. This is because the loss of the employee means that there will be work left undone or transferred to other employees that remain. When a manger is faced with impossible timelines and already short-handed, it’s hard to see the benefit of temporary reassignments.

I could tell you that the employee will come back with new skills and new connections. Because that is true. I could tell you that the employee will think more broadly in ways that will benefit you. Because that is also true. But, I understand those benefits are not top of mind when you have a hole in your team.

So here are some other benefits of temporary reassignments:

High performers often take up a lot of the job responsibilities of the team. In their departure, hidden gems of employees may surface when they take on those responsibilities. Underutilized employees can rise to the challenge and shine. In a sense, those who didn’t take a detail will benefit by taking on new responsibilities and develop new skills. Unexpectedly, the strengths of your team actually show greater than you previously realized. Further, the morale of your team may actually rise with their added opportunities to shine and stretch.

Hidden inefficiencies may surface, allowing you to improve existing processes.

Finally, by allowing your high performer to take a temporary reassignment, you may retain them. You may retain them by showing that you care in their development and growth. Retention may also come by giving them a break from work that had become boring to them. And, you may prevent a resignation by letting that employee see that the grass isn’t greener in the other office.

Benefit to the receiving office (i.e., them)

The benefits to the receiving office seem the most obvious. They have a work requirement, and they have an employee to meet the requirement. But, when used effectively, the benefits of temporary reassignments are huge.

First, if you are considering hiring the person who is temporarily reassigned, you get to test out whether they fit with low commitment. That is, if the person doesn’t fit well, they will return to their ‘losing office’ only a few months later.

Other benefits which were mentioned for the employee and losing office are also benefits to the receiving office. For example, the network connections and outsider’s perspective of the work being performed.

But most importantly, you are setting groundwork for future recruitment. If the temporarily reassigned employee has a positive experience, he/she will talk about it with their friends and colleagues. And, since people tend to spend time with people similar to themselves – those friends and colleagues are likely other high performers. So when you put out a job announcement in the future, your detailee is likely to recommend working for you or for your agency.

In close, whether you are considering a detail or your employee is asking for a temporary reassignment, I hope this article provides a bit of insight into why it would be beneficial for all involved.

About The Author

My mission is to help people think about things differently. With equal footing between research and actual government experience - I offer actionable career advice that works in the government environment. I received my doctorate in Industrial Organizational Psychology in 2009 from the University of Central Florida.

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10 Tips to Improve Temporary Assignments

Many of the most respected organizations use temporary assignments as a way to enhance the skills of an individual or to test the person in different ways prior to a promotion to a higher level. If a person is truly on a fast track and being seasoned by some temporary assignments, it is imperative that he or she be told this information. That will serve as a great source of motivation and fortitude to endure the hassles.

Note, I am not referring to “temporary” or “contract” jobs, which are often used by organizations to reduce costs due to lower benefits. I am focusing on permanently employed professionals who have a defined position but are given different duties for some short period of time, usually less than 2 years. The science of making temporary assignments work well is rather eclectic, and the track record of success is spotty. This paper deals with some of the problems that can occur and several ideas that can help improve the probability of success.

1. Poorly defined position – This often occurs when the reason for the temporary assignment is done for convenience. The person needs to be moved in order to eliminate some issue or to provide a slot for another individual. The assignment is drawn up hastily, often without much documentation of what this person will actually do. The focus is on getting the person moved quickly. The cure is to take the time to consider at least a partial list of duties that will be transferred with the individual. Make the assignment one that includes a real challenge, along with the authority to make professional decisions that help the organization.

2. Inadequate facilities – Many temporary assignments require people to perform in ad hoc or formal project teams. Finding a central location with the proper facilities in which to do the work is a typical challenge. For some period of time, individuals will have to work out of hotel rooms or sparsely-equipped community gathering places. One obvious alternative is to rent fully equipped and furnished office space from a real estate vendor whose business is providing flexible and convenient housing for professionals on the move. Another potential source of facilities is the real estate listings. Often there are buildings that are being underutilized due to bankruptcies or other discontinuities. The owner may be happy to make some low cost office space available rather than have a location atrophy while waiting for a buyer.

3. Inconvenient location – In most cases, people chose their domicile location to allow a reasonable balance of work function and lost time due to the daily commute. If a temporary assignment changes the pattern significantly, it can present a real hardship. Since, by definition, a temporary assignment has an end point, it is not likely the individual will go through a change of residence, and instead will choose to endure the hassle of a much longer commute. Often the need requires an individual to live in a different city and fly home on weekends for months on end. Sometimes it is possible to arrange temporary housing for the person in a convenient location to the job that allows the entire family to move in yet still maintain the original residence for the return path. This is a typical scenario for expatriates. The downside is that the vacant home needs to be made secure while unused, which can get expensive.

4. Lack of Authority – Since the roles of a temporary assignment are transitory by definition, individuals often feel a lack of authority at a time when they are forced to assume greater responsibility. They can see all the work and the confusion of carving out a niche of credibility, but they have little formal purchasing power to make their decisions stick. If individuals do not like or are threatened by the changes represented by the person in a temporary assignment (which is often the case), then it is possible to make the assigned person miserable through any number of ploys. Some people will get cynical and drag their feet, others will take a passive aggressive attitude, still others will undermine the individual through rumor or other hostile means. All of these methods can be like a Chinese water torture for an executive who is already under immense pressure. The antidote here is to give decision rights to the individual on the assignment and back up this person’s decisions and actions publicly.

5. Bad Personal Chemistry – An individual doing a temporary assignment is often entering a society with little knowledge of the people, customs, and culture. The reason for this person coming in may not have been well explained, and the individual is forced to establish new relationships from a position of distrust. That may get things off to a rocky start and require extra effort to achieve a good social balance. The antidote here is simple. The person arranging for a temporary assignment owes the person being moved a good introduction to the new group that includes an adequate rationale and an expectation of fair play.

6. Sense of futility – A person in a temporary assignment can become depressed simply due to a lack of foundation. The work being performed is difficult and seemingly unappreciated. Not having daily interface with former peers at the central office gives one a lonely feeling of isolation. If the assignment is working on a merger transition team, there is the constant pressure of who will be the survivors on the ultimate team. Not being in close physical proximity to the top decision makers on a daily basis can lead to additional anxiety that the person might be overlooked. In this situation, top managers need to assure the individual that it is precisely due to this person’s worth to the organization that he or she was picked to help design the integration process. There will be a good job at the end of the ordeal. Actually, people on the integration team have a natural advantage because they help invent the structure and rules for the merged entity. It is the people left behind to run the ongoing business who have the greater jeopardy once the musical chairs game comes to an end.

7. Burn out – When temporary assignments are for the purpose of designing details of a merger or acquisition, the technical detail and amount of work can be overwhelming. Transition teams are usually kept lean because, during the integration, both of the former businesses need to keep operating at top efficiency as well. There are just not enough resources to cover everything, so both the ongoing business resources and the integration team are forced to stretch to the limit. It is easier for the ongoing business to stretch because some people from lower levels can step up to temporary management positions to cover. For the transition team, life is more difficult. There are literally thousands of details to consider, and many mutual processes that need to be invented. The work is endless, critical, urgent, and highly emotional in nature. That, coupled with the individual living or working out of temporary housing, causes many people in these assignments to burn out, have health problems, or get fed up and leave. For this reason, senior managers need to provide some modicum of work-life balance or “R&R breaks.” One observation is that people on the edge of total burn out often do not realize their peril. One must consider the ongoing health and welfare of each person serving on a transition team.

8. Guilt or sense of punishment – Some individuals will over-analyze the nature of a temporary move. They may feel a sense of failure; after all, other people were not moved out. They wonder if this is a signal from top management that there is a serious issue or some chemistry problem with the senior people. The individual may feel he or she is being punished for being too aggressive, outspoken, or some other interpersonal skill shortage. If there is a suspicion of this flavor in the body language, it will seriously undermine the motivation of the moved individual to do a good job. To prevent unwarranted worry, top managers need to be transparent and share the true reason for a temporary assignment. If there are issues, then the individual is due an explanation and a chance to mitigate the damage to his or her reputation before being moved out.

9. Squishy Return Arrangements – It is common for a person on a temporary assignment to have no visibility to his or her return path. Will there be a good job at the end of the assignment? When will the assignment end? Was this little adventure good or bad for the person’s ultimate career? It can be a lonely and scary situation for a good performer to find him or herself in a remote site with little connection to the home office and no concrete way back home. A simple fix is to have frequent communications with the remote individual to assure him or her that the temporary service is appreciated and a return path is not going to be forgotten. It is easy for managers to get embroiled in the urgent matters of daily decisions and neglect individuals in remote areas who may be feeling insecure about their future.

10. The pasture – Unfortunately, some groups use a series of temporary assignments to encourage an under-performing individual to leave the organization. The jobs have marginal value, yet keeping the person on organizational life support seems kinder than pulling the plug. People who are being led out to pasture are usually well aware of the intent. Many upper managers hope it will cause the person to quit and leave, unfortunately in a lot of cases it causes the person to quit and stay. Here again, the antidote is candor and transparency. Let the individual know the truth so he or she can make appropriate choices rather than guess.

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Technical Officer (NCDs Health Service Delivery) - (2405155)

Objectives of the programme.

The Department of Healthier Populations and Noncommunicable Diseases (HPN) regionally leads a strategic, evidence-based, country-centred, coordinated action to improve NCD services to achieve SDG target 3.4.1 and contribute to SDG 3.8. The department contributes to provision of guidance and support for strengthened demand for and improving access to quality and affordable essential package of NCD services at primary health and all levels of care as part of integrated people-centred NCD services. Key elements include planning and advocacy, leveraging finance, improving access, quality and use of NCD medicines & products and building NCD workforce capacity to deliver the services. This will be undertaken through supporting focused-countries to implement evidence-based guidelines, tools and technical packages in the South-East Asia Region.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Under the overall supervision and guidance of Director, Department of Healthier Population and Noncommunicable Diseases (HPN)and in collaboration with the Technical Officer and Regional Adviser (NCD), the incumbent is expected to:

Provide technical support to Member States implementing specific NCD projects (E.g.; Norway, Denmark and any other NCD projects) through WHO country offices in planning and implementing evidence-based and people-centred integrated NCD service delivery in primary health care.
Plan and manage regular coordination meetings between the project implementing teams and provide continuous feedback to the country teams and update the HPN department and WHO country offices on the matters relating to projects in countries.
Facilitate building capacity of relevant staff and programme implementers for NCD interventions
Closely monitor the progress of the project and liaise with country offices and ensure regular compilation of the implementation reports and share with WHO HQ and the donor.
Analyze information on NCD service performance measures and other relevant activities to assist the department in monitoring and ensuring coordination of different projects in focus countries.
Develop protocols to evaluate the project data and compile implementation reports, write case studies on progress of the Norway Government supported projects and submit to the department and relevant stakeholders on a regular basis and as needed.
Share the lessons of projects within the units and collaborate to integrate multiprong approaches to NCD capacity building and delivery of people-centred NCD services at the primary health care level.
Undertake other duties as required by the Supervisor, and the Director.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Essential : Degree in Health Sciences with a postgraduate degree in Public Health/preventive and social medicine from a recognized university. Desirable : A post graduate degree in any of the health system building blocks

Essential : At least 5 (Five) years of experience, in the field of public health, preferably in the area of NCDs, with responsibilities for planning, management; and use of advance skills on data analysis and research with some international exposure. Desirable : Experience in project management, research and evaluation in health systems specially in low- and middle-income settings, and teaching/training of health personnel / providers. Experience in UN and other international organisations

Technical and managerial competencies in public health for management of chronic NCDs.

Well-versed in community-based health initiatives.

Leadership skills and ability to establish harmonious relationships with government officials

WHO Competencies

Teamwork Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences Communication Producing results Ensuring the effective use of resources

Use of Language Skills

Essential : Expert knowledge of English. Desirable :

REMUNERATION

WHO salaries for staff in the Professional category are calculated in US dollars. The remuneration for the above position comprises an annual base salary starting at USD 64,121 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable), a variable post adjustment, which reflects the cost of living in a particular duty station, and currently amounts to USD 2479 per month for the duty station indicated above. Other benefits include 30 days of annual leave, allowances for dependent family members, home leave, and an education grant for dependent children.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level
Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
A written test and/or an asynchronous video assessment may be used as a form of screening.
In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/ . Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.
According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible.
Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual.
Staff members in other duty stations are encouraged to apply.
The WHO is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The WHO recruits and employs staff regardless of disability status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, race, marital status, religious, cultural, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, or any other personal characteristics.
The WHO is committed to achieving gender parity and geographical diversity in its staff. Women, persons with disabilities, and nationals of unrepresented and underrepresented Member States ( https://www.who.int/careers/diversity-equity-and-inclusion ) are strongly encouraged to apply.
Persons with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations to enable participation in the recruitment process. Requests for reasonable accommodation should be sent through an email to [email protected]
An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential. WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.
WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.
Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with WHO and an underlying premise of the international civil service. Candidates appointed to an international post with WHO are subject to mobility and may be assigned to any activity or duty station of the Organization throughout the world.
WHO also offers wide range of benefits to staff, including parental leave and attractive flexible work arrangements to help promote a healthy work-life balance and to allow all staff members to express and develop their talents fully.
The statutory retirement age for staff appointments is 65 years. For external applicants, only those who are expected to complete the term of appointment will normally be considered.
Please note that WHO's contracts are conditional on members of the workforce confirming that they are vaccinated as required by WHO before undertaking a WHO assignment, except where a medical condition does not allow such vaccination, as certified by the WHO Staff Health and Wellbeing Services (SHW). The successful candidate will be asked to provide relevant evidence related to this condition. A copy of the updated vaccination card must be shared with WHO medical service in the medical clearance process. Please note that certain countries require proof of specific vaccinations for entry or exit. For example, official proof /certification of yellow fever vaccination is required to enter many countries. Country-specific vaccine recommendations can be found on the WHO international travel and Staff Health and Wellbeing website. For vaccination-related queries please directly contact SHW directly at [email protected] .
WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
For information on WHO's operations please visit: http://www.who.int.
*For WHO General Service staff who do not meet the minimum educational qualifications, please see e-Manual III.4.1, para 220.
In case the website does not display properly, please retry by: (i) checking that you have the latest version of the browser installed (Chrome, Edge or Firefox); (ii) clearing your browser history and opening the site in a new browser (not a new tab within the same browser); or (iii) retry accessing the website using Mozilla Firefox browser or using another device. Click this link for detailed guidance on completing job applications: Instructions for candidates

Contract Duration (Years, Months, Days): 2 years

Closing Date: Jul 18, 2024

Organization: SE/HPN Healthier Populations & Noncommunicable Diseases

Schedule: Full-time

Link to apply:

WHO Careers Website: Careers at WHO
Vacancies (staff member access): https://careers.who.int/careersection/in/jobsearch.ftl
Vacancies (external candidate access): https://careers.who.int/careersection/ex/jobsearch.ftl

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Technical Officer (NCDs Health Service Delivery)
OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMMEThe Department of Healthier Populations and Noncommunicable Diseases (HPN) regionally leads a strategic, evidence-based, country-centred, coordinated action to improve NCD services to achieve SDG target 3.4.1 and contribute to SDG 3.8. The department contributes to provision of guidance and support for strengthened demand for and improving access to quality and ...