Martha Helena Lopez is the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources in the Department of Management, Strategy, Policy and Compliance at the United Nations following an impressive career in human resources management. She reveals how she aims to take the Organization forward by contributing to a positive and stable workforce.

How would you define the role of Human Resources in the UN?

The role of Human Resources at the UN is to foster a dynamic, adaptable, mobile workforce with the highest level of competence and integrity to effectively and efficiently serve the mandates of the Organization. Our office works to develop the strategies and policies to ensure the Secretariat is better equipped to carry out its functions both at Headquarters and in field offices. We also provide policy leadership in organizational human resources management areas including: strategic workforce planning; talent management; organizational and staff development (and career planning); performance management; organization-wide mobility and appropriate duty of care, for all Secretariat staff. The Office also supports the implementation of the Secretary-General’s system-wide strategy on gender parity, the equitable geographical representation of Member States in the Secretariat, and the establishment of benchmarks towards achieving greater regional diversity.

The Office of Human Resources (OHR) is made up of two divisions: the Administrative Law Division and the Global Strategy and Policy Division. The Administrative Law Division provides client-focused strategic, policy, and legal expertise; and guidance for all aspects of human resources application within the internal justice system and manages the administrative appeals for human resources matters. The Division oversees and coordinates the necessary actions required to address disciplinary cases for staff and non-staff personnel, as well as preventive efforts, including comprehensive risk management and accountability mechanisms. 

The Global Strategy and Policy Division serves as the strategic authority for policy matters pertaining to the management of human resources. It ensures that the Organization can attract, develop and retain a talented and diverse global workforce, and is also responsible for the conduct of the staff-management consultations.

What does your role as Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources entail?

My role is twofold: to represent the Secretary-General on matters pertaining to Human Resources, including before relevant expert and intergovernmental bodies, and to lead the Office of Human Resources as we work to develop and implement human resources policies and strategies that uphold the mandates of Member States, the needs of staff, and the priorities of the Secretary-General. These policies include promoting equitable geographical distribution, gender parity, strategic workforce planning, mobility, and the standards of conduct for UN personnel.

The UN is an intergovernmental Organization, meaning that Member States are the ultimate decision-makers. How do you balance the needs of Member States with the interests of the Organization and its staff?

Through resolutions and reports in intergovernmental bodies, Member States have regularly emphasized their support for the Secretary-General’s efforts to support the Organization and its staff. Member States want the Organization to run effectively and efficiently, our staff to be safe and supported in their career development, our workforce to be diverse and representative of the world that we serve, and to see accountability for misconduct and underperformance. Our role in OHR is to translate the mandates from Member States into policies and structures that support staff. To do this, we regularly communicate with Member States through intergovernmental bodies like the General Assembly Fifth Committee and the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions. 

What does the UN do to stay up to date with best practices in the field of Human Resources?

We are all witnessing and experiencing the unprecedented rate at which the world continues to evolve, particularly in the field of technology. It is crucial for the Organization to keep pace with this change and without doubt, human resources have a key role to play. 

Innovation: Artificial IntelligenceOHR has been actively exploring the use of generative AI over the last 1.5 years. We conducted dedicated workshops, developed use cases, explored available AI platforms, collaborated with OICT on specific problems, participated in the Hackathon, solicited input from commercial providers, and issued an RFP for a specific use of gen AI. These efforts have helped us better understand use-cases for which gen AI could be successfully deployed. In terms of pursuing next steps, an AI policy framework on the use of AI is needed and better access to publicly available tools, such as MS Copilot Studio, or similar. That said, time to experiment and gain skills to develop solutions in-house, as well as adequate resourcing, are challenges we are currently navigating. Of course, in line with the Organization’s overall stance, we remain committed to the ethical and responsible use of Artificial Intelligence. AI should always remain a tool to enhance the work that we do and OHR will continue to embed ethical considerations into our explorations of how this technology can help us better serve our mandate.

Behavioral science (change management clinics) 

To keep our human resources practices relevant, the UN is always on the move, adapting to the ever-changing and unpredictable environments we work in. 

In 2023 and 2024, we’ve focused on ‘Change Clinics,’ a hands-on program developed with the UN System Staff College. These clinics help project teams apply behavioral science insights to their work. The main goal is to engage stakeholders to understand what helps or hinders certain actions and behaviors. 

Foresight: new GJPs 

In alignment with efforts towards building a workforce that is future-ready for a UN 2.0, OHR initiated in 2022 a comprehensive job analysis initiative for undertaking skills-based and forward-looking job analysis. This focused on delivering prioritized job profiles (Generic Job Profiles 2.0), such as data- and AI-related jobs, cyber security, data protection and privacy, and strategic communications. 

What changes would you like to see in the field of human resources at the UN?

There are many initiatives that OHR is championing in the field of human resources. I will highlight just a few here as illustrative examples.

For one, we want to improve staff selection – to have a more streamlined system that is fair, effective, efficient, agile, and enables the Organization to have a diverse, inclusive and future-ready workforce that delivers on evolving mandates. This goes hand in hand with our efforts to empower existing staff to grow professionally, explore diverse career paths, and expand their skills. This is enabled through a variety of initiatives, such as a clear understanding of the skills and jobs we will need in the future, learning and mentoring, enabling an inclusive work environment, and the mobility program through which staff can serve in different duty stations within the UN Secretariat. We are working to provide flexible human resources policies and efficient services to enable entities with delegated authority to deliver their mandates in a streamlined manner.

Another area where we hope to facilitate greater understanding is on the role of the Internal Justice System. This role adds value to human resources management in the Organization. One final example I would like to raise is the further integration of automated human resources systems across Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB) entities, such as using the database which ensures that individuals with a record of serious misconduct are not engaged/hired by, or re-engaged/re-hired by a UN System organization.

As the Chair of the Mental Health Board, how do you preserve your own mental health despite your demanding job?

While sometimes it can be difficult, I always try to maintain a positive attitude both in my professional and personal life. I dedicate time to reading, listening to classical music, walking, gardening, and enjoying good food.