Finance Officer

Org. Setting and ReportingThis position is located in the Commercial Insurance Section (CIS), in the Division of Administration (DOA), Department of Operational Support (DOS). The Commercial Insurance Section assists client offices (United Nations, Funds and Programmes) in the review of risks and hazards and obtain risk mitigation solutions through the implementation of eighteen Commercial Insurance Policies. These are: Air Travel, Cargo, Cash in Transit, Charterers’ Liability, Crime, Domestic General Liability, Excess Liability, Fine Arts, Flood, Foreign General Liability, Headquarters Vehicles, Malicious Acts, Master Aviation, Mobile Equipment, Property, Terrorism Unmanned Aerial vehicles and Worldwide Vehicles. The Section reviews and processes claims, manages Self Insurance Funds for incidents at the United Nations Headquarters complex in New York, provides insurance contract advice to requisitioning offices such as the Procurement Division (PD) and the Office of Legal Affairs (OLA) and manages the technical aspect of Broker’s Exercise Request for Proposals (RFPs). The incumbent will report to the Chief of Commercial Insurance Section, Division of Administration. ResponsibilitiesWithin limits of delegated authority and under the general guidance of the Chief of the Commercial Insurance Section, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties: • Supports the Chief of the Commercial Insurance Section and the Team with the day-to-day administration of commercial insurance programmes covering United Nations (UN) offices, peace-keeping missions, Agencies, Funds, and Programmes at Headquarters and overseas. • Supports the Chief of Commercial Insurance Section and the Team with auditing premium billings and allocating premium costs, monitoring expenses and estimating cost implications due to changes in exposures. • Liaises with brokers, insurers, and clients to review and analyze risk exposures. • Makes recommendations related to appropriate coverage and financing alternatives in line with existing policies. • Assists in the development, negotiations and recommendations pertaining to the purchase of appropriate insurance policies. • Identifies and assists in negotiating improvements in coverage and/or costs with UN brokers. • Drafts presentations on insurance procurement for approval as appropriate. • Undertakes and ensures that correspondence and queries from UN Offices at Headquarters and overseas as well as UN Agencies, Funds, and Programmes on risk management and commercial insurance matters are appropriately handled. • Reviews contracts referred by Procurement Services and other offices to ensure that appropriate insurance provisions, adequate coverage and appropriate protections are in place. • Facilitates procurement process for Brokerage Services. • Reviews, analyzes and process insurance claims. • Responsible for the guidance and training of staff to facilitate mastery of the subject matter. • Responsible for the development of staff under his/her supervision. • Undertakes and performs special assignments as and when needed, particularly with respect to risk management initiatives. Competencies• Professionalism: Knowledge of insurance fundamentals and risk financing mechanisms, management and administration; knowledge of insurance and procurement contracts, industry practices, as well as current insurance market conditions; ability to integrate knowledge with a broader strategic policy and overall operational objectives. Knowledge of administrative, budgetary, and financial policies and procedures. Ability to apply various United Nations administrative rules and regulations in work situations. Conceptual, analytical, and evaluative skills to conduct independent research and analysis. Ability to identify issues, formulate opinions, make conclusions and recommendations. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. • Planning & Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently. • Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be \"clients\" and seeks to see things from clients' point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients' needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients' environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client. • Managing Performance: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority; makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member; accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills; monitors progress against milestones and deadlines; regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff; encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative; actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff; appraises performance fairly. EducationAdvanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent degree) in finance, business administration or related area. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Job - Specific QualificationNot available. Work Experience• A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in business administration, accounting or finance with responsibilities for risk management is required. • Experience in the selection and management of commercial insurance contracts is required. • Experience providing risk management solutions for a large organization is required. • Experience in supervising a team is required. • Experience in the United Nations common system or comparable international organization is desirable. • Experience in interpreting and applying financial and staff regulations, rules and procedures including insurance policies in an international organization is desirable. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another United Nations official language is desirable. AssessmentEvaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a competency-based interview. Special Notice• Appointment or assignment against this position is for an initial period of one year. • The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. • Applicants, who successfully go through a competitive recruitment process and are recommended for selection and/or inclusion in the roster of pre-approved candidates for subsequent job openings at the same level and with similar functions, may have their application information and roster status shared with other UN Organizations. Such applicants may be contacted by other UN Organizations for similar job openings, subject to the confirmation of their interest. Placement on the roster is no guarantee of a future selection. • At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. United Nations ConsiderationsAccording to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date. No FeeTHE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.