Switzerland’s JPO programme and

findings of a recent study

11th meeting of national recruitment services and UN

organisations on the JPO programmes

Bonn, 26th April 2017

Patricia Barandun

Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

Agenda

1. Presentation of Switzerland’s JPO programme

2. Findings of a recent study on reasons why Swiss Professionals

join, remain in or leave multilateral organisations, including

JPOs

Goals of the Swiss JPO Programme

• Opportunity for young professionals to enter the UN system to

gather experience and build a network

• Increase Switzerland’s presence in strategically important UN

organisations and entities

• Encourage and deepen the dialogue and exchange between

Switzerland and these organisations and entities

• Reinforce and increase Switzerland’s engagement towards priority

themes and regions

The Swiss JPO Programme – decentralised

management

State Secretariat for Economic

Affairs (SECO)

4-5 JPOs per annum in

International Financial Institutions

Swiss Agency for

Development and

Cooperation SDC

11 JPOs per annum

in focus organisations

(UNDP, UNICEF,

UNFPA, UN Women,

OCHA, UNHCR,

WFP, UNAIDS,

UNRWA, IFAD,

WHO)

United Nations and international

organisations’ Division UNIOD

2-3 JPOs per annum in strategic positions at the

UN Secretariat

Human Security Division HSD

6-10 JPOs per annum in positions related to

peacebuilding, human rights,

humanitarian/migration policy mainly at the UN

Secretariat

Directorate of Political Affairs

Federal Department of

Foreign Affairs

Federal Department of Economic

Affairs, Education and Research

The Swiss JPO Programme – central coordination

• Quarterly coordination meetings between the entities that fund and deploy

JPOs to discuss issues common interest/concern.

• Operational issues such as training

• Strategic questions/concerns such as retention and how to achieve it

• Monthly compilation and distribution of «List of currently serving Swiss

JPOs» to facilitate the flow of information between the JPOs and the

Government.

• Encourage regular formal and informal exchange between theJPOs and

the FDFA

The Swiss JPO Programme - Overview

Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA

Directorate of Political Affairs

United Nations and international organisations Division

• Currently 52 JPOs in mission

• Of which 34 female and 18 male

• in 25 different UN and financial organisations (End February 2017)

• 28 in HQ offices, 7 in regional offices, 17 in country offices

• Switzerland funds 2 years fully and co-funds the 3rd year at 50%

Reasons why Swiss Professionals Join,

Remain in or Leave Multilateral

Organisations

1. Objective of Study

Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA

Directorate of Political Affairs

United Nations and international organisations Division

Objective

Validate and understand known and unknown reasons

that influence decision-making of Swiss Professionals

to join, remain in or leave a career in Multilateral

Organisations

2. Survey Design

Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA

Directorate of Political Affairs

United Nations and international organisations Division

Survey Design: Selection Criteria

Current or former employee of a

Multilateral Organisation

Employed within the last 7 years

Swiss National

Staff / JPO

Survey Design: Organisations

6 Areas & 5 Topics How important is/was the reason… when joining, remaining,

leaving

Job Conditions Financial

Aspects

Institutional

Framework Quality of Life Family Individual Reasons

Challenging

job

environment

Salary Personal

identification

Restrictions by

organisations Children

Non-conventional or

adventurous task

Multi-facetted

interesting job

content

Fringe benefits

/ allowances

Professional

developmen

t

perspectives

Social situation Career

aspects

Cultural

environment

Travelling for

the job

Pension

schemes Networking

Security situation

/ freedom of

movement

Social

situation

Opportunity to live

and work abroad

Management

responsibility

Tax

exemptions Prestige

Environmental

situation

Travelling

for the job

Personal career

perspective

Multicultural

environment

Currency

benefits

Contractual

framework Public services Parents Meaningful work

3. Response Rate and Analytical

Framework

Response Rate

CONTACTED: 468

RESPONSE RATE: 288 62%

COMPLETION RATE: 262 56% 242 Active

226 Inactive

147 Active (21 Target JPOs)

99 Inactive (24 Target JPOs)

16 Non-Target

Response Rate by selected criteria

4. Findings

5. Areas & 5 Reasons How important is/was the reason… when joining, remaining,

leaving

Job Conditions Financial

Aspects

Institutional

Framework Quality of Life Family Individual Reasons

Challenging

job

environment

Salary Personal

identification

Restrictions by

organisations Children

Non-conventional or

adventurous task

Multi-facetted

interesting job

content

Fringe benefits

/ allowances

Professional

developmen

t

perspectives

Social situation Career

aspects

Cultural

environment

Travelling for

the job

Pension

schemes Networking

Security situation

/ freedom of

movement

Social

situation

Opportunity to live

and work abroad

Management

responsibility

Tax

exemptions Prestige

Environmental

situation

Travelling

for the job

Personal career

perspective

Multicultural

environment

Currency

benefits

Contractual

framework Public services Parents Meaningful work

Most

important

Least

important

1.

7

>80% 77.2% 76.6% 72.9%

44.9

% 44.5%

n=202

85.4% 82.9% 70.7% 65%

54.8

% 48.7%

n=99

6. Conclusions

Conclusions

Key drivers for joining/remaining > ideological

driven reasons for individuals. Conviction, job and

career. (JPOs value those reasons higher when joining than staff)

Key drivers for leaving > missing professional

development perspectives, career aspects (e.g.

dual career) and contractual framework (JPOs value those reasons higher when leaving than staff)

Finances are not a driving force in any phase (JPOs value financial reasons less important when joining, and more important when

leaving)