Enabling agility in emergencies: GSSC’s contribution to UNDP’s crisis response

When crisis strikes, speed and preparedness can determine the difference between delay and decisive action. The Global Shared Services Centre (GSSC) has been working closely with the UNDP Crisis Bureau to support the development of UNDP’s Early Recovery Packages. Each package provides key messages, a step-by-step guide, a predesigned Project Initiation Plan (PIP), Terms of Reference (ToRs), Country Office (CO) examples and other tools to enable implementation, including guidance notes, pro-docs, specifications, and more.    

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A key component has been the development and pre-classification of 171 generic job descriptions and ToRs by the GSSC. These cover a range of crisis-related functions—from debris management and livelihoods, recovery, to restoring local governance functions, advancing gender equality, and delivering essential services such as health, energy, and community security. These resources give COs access to standardized, ready-to-use templates specifically tailored for crisis operations.   

For COs working in fragile and fast-moving contexts, the value of this work is clear. Instead of drafting and classifying new job descriptions and terms of references from scratch, they can now rely on pre-classified profiles designed for crisis settings. This streamlines administrative processes, speeds up recruitment, and safeguards compliance with UNDP classification standards, allowing COs to concentrate on what matters most: staying and delivering in crisis-affected communities.   

"In a crisis, speed is everything. Thanks to the Crisis Bureau’s Pre-Approved Special Measures on Human Resources, the implementation of Early Recovery Packages has gained momentum through a timely collaboration with GSSC and UNDP’s Office of Human Resources (OHR). This joint pre-classification effort now enables Country Offices to quickly access and deploy a set of job profiles tailored for crisis response and recovery," said Navindra Persaud, Programme Specialist at the SURGE Delivery Lab, Crisis Bureau.   

By ensuring that job descriptions and terms of reference are compliant, transparent, and adaptable, the GSSC has helped minimize ambiguity, reduce audit risks, and strengthen UNDP’s overall agility and responsiveness. The result is a faster, and more reliable foundation for mobilizing qualified personnel at the onset of emergencies.   

This effort reflects the GSSC’s ongoing role in delivering critical, behind-the-scenes support that enhances operational effectiveness and empowers leadership in times of need—ultimately reinforcing UNDP’s ability to stay and deliver where it matters most.