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’s Crisis Bureau to support certain elements of UNDP’s Early Recovery Packages. Each package provides key messages, a step-by-step guide, a predesigned Project Initiation Plan (PIP), pre-classified 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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An important component has been GSSC’s support in pre-classifying 171 generic job descriptions and ToRs. 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. As part of UNDP’s Pre-Approved Special Measures, developed by the Crisis Bureau and BMS, the implementation of Early Recovery Packages has gained momentum through a timely collaboration with GSSC and UNDP’s Office of Human Resources (OHR) on issues relating to accelerated recruitment. This 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.   

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, supporting UNDP’s ability to stay and deliver where it matters most.