RC Pool Candidates

What is it and who is in it?

The RC pool serves as an interagency roster of candidates who have passed the RCAC and are eligible to take up RC positions.  The pool consists of three sub groups:

Pool A:  candidates who are immediately available for assignments. 

Pool B:  currently serving RCs.

Pool C: candidates who will be available in future including a) former RCs who are serving on other assignments but who could be available subject to exigencies of service; and b) candidates who have passed the RCAC but who are serving on other assignments.   

External candidates:  such candidates continue to be sponsored by the respective UN entity that has initiated the arrangements for them to undertake the RCAC.  In particular, the sponsoring UN entity puts up such candidates for inclusion into the RC pool as well as nominations for RC vacancies that match their profile.  Additionally the sponsoring UN entity is responsible for supporting and monitoring competency development for those candidates with identified development needs.
    
Criteria for retention in the RC pool
 
Pool A: candidates are nominated by their sponsoring UN entity for RC posts that match their profile, with a minimum of 1 nomination per year.  Candidates who do not meet this criterion will be taken off the Pool A list and moved to Pool C.  Exceptions to this rule, allowing candidates to remain in Pool A, include the following reasons: a. personal/family issues (health, spousal employment and/or education) that do not allow the candidate to apply for the available vacancies; and b. short term corporate priorities associated with the candidate’s current assignment that do not permit the candidate to be available for RC assignments during the calendar year. 

Pool B:  all candidates currently on assignment as RC are retained during their tenure.

Pool C:  candidates are retained for a 2 year period after which time their case is reviewed by their respective nominating UN entity with DOCO support, for suitability to remain in the pool.  Candidates who express a continued interest to serve as an RC are retained in Pool C for a maximum duration of 4 years when assigned to field duty stations and a maximum of 6 years when assigned to a headquarter duty station, in total.  Alternatively, those candidates who do not express any interest in taking up any future assignment as an RC are removed from the RC pool.

Maintenance of the RC pool

The RC pool is managed and maintained by DOCO on behalf of the IAAP and is updated on a regular basis, once per annum in the first quarter. The overall purpose is to ensure an active roster of viable candidates for RC positions.  The exercise is conducted on behalf of and in consultation with the IAAP members and is structured around the following,

• Step 1:  At the beginning of each calendar year, DOCO sends a communication to HR Directors, requesting them to indicate whether their respective RC pool candidates are interested to remain in the RC pool for the current year. This communication is copied to the respective RC pool candidates.
• Step 2: based on the response of each UN entity concerning the status of their respective RC pool candidate (s), the following actions may be taken,

Pool A:  candidates who have not met the requirement for retention in the pool or indicate they are no longer available for RC positions may be put in Pool C, as per the request of their sponsoring UN entity.  Candidates who indicate they are no longer interested in the RC position will be removed from the RC pool. 

Pool B:  candidates remain in this pool as long as they are serving RCs.

Pool C:  candidates will remain in Pool C for a maximum of 4 years when assigned to field duty stations and a maximum of 6 years when assigned to a headquarter duty station. Those candidates who become available and wish to be considered for RC positions will be moved to Pool A, as per the request of their respective sponsoring UN entity.  Candidates who are no longer interested to pursue RC positions should formally inform their HR Director as well as DOCO and are subsequently removed from the list.  See below under Other Considerations for another option concerning re entry to the RC pool.

Other: 
If a candidate turns down a formal offer for an RC post, for which he/she has been approved by the Secretary-General, the candidate is removed from the pool.  Exceptions to this rule, consists of those circumstances not foreseen at the time of the application and require the approval of the IAAP.  A formal letter must be submitted by the sponsoring Agency to the IAAP indicating the nature of the problem and requesting that the IAAP retain the candidate on the RC pool list.

Candidates who are removed from the RC pool but later wish to re enter may be resubmitted by their respective sponsoring UN entity to the IAAP.  This is done through a formal written communication to the IAAP Chair with a brief explanation on the candidate’s changed circumstances leading to a request to have the person reinstated into the pool.