THIS JOB OPENING IS ISSUED ON BEHALF OF THE UNITED NATIONS JOINT STAFF PENSION FUND (UNJSPF), NEW YORK.
The UNJSPF is an inter-agency body established by the United Nations General Assembly and independent of the United Nations (UN). The applicable human resource procedures are governed by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Pension Fund and the UN Secretariat.
In accordance with the Regulations of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF) (the “Pension Fund”), the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) - Pension Fund Administrator - performs the functions under the authority of the UNJSPF Board (the “Pension Board”). The Pension Fund pays benefits in 15 currencies to 78,000 beneficiaries who reside in 190 countries and services 127,000 participants who work in the 23 Member Organizations of the Pension Fund.
The CEO is an appointed position under a five-year fixed term contract with the opportunity, upon Pension Board approval, for one additional five-year contract. The CEO reports to the Pension Board annually.
The CEO is responsible for administering the Pension Fund servicing the stakeholders – participants, retirees, Pension Board members, and participating employers; and the observance, by all concerned, of the Pension Fund's Regulations, Rules and Pension Adjustment System.
The relevant functions include:
•Establishing strategic policy;
•Overseeing the Pension Fund's operations and managing its staff of over 200;
•Participating in the meetings of the Pension Board, its Standing Committee, the Audit Committee, the Committee of Actuaries and other related bodies;
•Representing the Pension Board in meetings of the Fifth Committee of the UN General Assembly, the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) and any other pertinent bodies; and
•Effectively collaborating with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Investments, and the Office of Investment Management (OIM) which has responsibility for investment of Pension Fund assets.
The CEO is also responsible for providing a range of administrative functions to ensure the smooth functioning of the Investment Management Division.
•Professionalism: Strong knowledge of pension funds and/or social security schemes. Excellent conceptual, analytical and innovative skills with knowledge in the administration of pension schemes and/or social security systems in the areas pertaining to pension operations (preferably in benefit entitlements and client servicing), finance; operations; actuarial and plan design studies; asset liability modelling; strategic planning and reporting; legal and compliance; and information management; knowledge of the UN system and UNJSPF. Shows pride in work and 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.
•Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates; provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.
•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.
•Leadership: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow: empowers others to translate vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; drives for change and improvements; does not accept the status quo; shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing.
•Vision: Identifies strategic issues, opportunities and risks; clearly communicates links between the Organization’s strategy and the work unit’s goals; generates and communicates broad and compelling organizational direction, inspiring others to pursue that same direction; conveys enthusiasm about future possibilities.
•Building Trust: Provides an environment in which others can talk and act without fear of repercussion; manages in a deliberate and predictable way; operates with transparency; has no hidden agenda; places confidences in colleagues, staff members and clients; gives proper credit to theirs; follows through on agreed upon actions; treats sensitive or confidential information appropriately.
•Judgement/Decision-making: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.
Advanced university degree in public or business administration, finance, economics, law or related fields. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
At least fifteen (15) years in executive or managerial positions in, on, or with a national or international pension fund or social security system or comparable professional experience is required. Proven management and leadership experience is required. Candidate must have a thorough knowledge of pension funds and/or social security schemes obtained through working experience, including substantive direct working experience and professional acumen in at least three of the primary pension fund management responsibilities (e.g. finance, operations, actuarial and plan design studies, asset-liability setting, strategic planning and reporting, and legal and compliance), as well as the interdisciplinary skills to manage these at an international level. Knowledge of the UN system and Pension Fund would be an asset.
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French is desirable. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise, which may be followed by competency-based interview. Short listed candidates may be requested to make a presentation to the Pension Board as part of the assessment/selection process.
Net annual salary: $220, 062 plus other benefits. Please visit the International Civil Service Commission website at www.icsc.un.org and the UN website www.un.org/depts/OHRM/salaries_allowances/salary.htm for information on salaries and benefits.
Please use the United Nations INSPIRA e-Recruitment website at https://careers.un.org/ to apply for this UNJSPF position. The system provides instructions and support for online application procedures.
According 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.
Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side 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.
THE 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.