SENIOR BENEFITS ASSISTANT

Contract

This is a G-7 contract. This kind of contract is known as General Service and related categories. It is normally only for nationals. It usually requires 7 years of experience, depending on education. More about G-7 contracts.

Org. Setting and Reporting These position is located in the Pension Entitlement Section of the Operations Service of the Pension Administration of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF). The incumbent reports to Benefits Officer. The Pension Entitlement is responsible for ensuring that all eligible participants, retirees and other beneficiaries are serviced in accordance with the Regulations, Rules and Pensions Adjustment System of the Fund, while fully adhering to the communications, quality management and internal control policies as outlined in the Fund's management charter.

Responsibilities The Senior Benefits Assistant serves as a resource person and benefit system specialist to the Section/Unit. Within delegated authority, the incumbents will be responsible for the following duties:

Pension: - Provides information and advice and assists in the analysis and disposition of the most complex benefit cases. - Assists in monitoring of continuing eligibility of beneficiaries to pension benefits in light of fraud prevention strategy; - Prepares responses to enquiries and/or provides guidance to beneficiaries and member organizations with respect to complex issues of interpretation and application of the Regulations and Rules and Pension Adjustment System of the Fund as they relate to participation and benefit determination. - Prepares periodic and ad-hoc circulars and reports issued to all member organizations of the Pension Fund, e.g., application of special index, cost-of-living differential factors, new internal procedures and various status report on the processing of benefits. - Participates in the data analysis and reporting including facilitating development of new KPIs and BI reports in relation to benefits processing. - Responsible for quality assurance of IPAS data, reports and results. - Provides technical assistance with respect to the electronic collection of data to enrol participants in the Fund and maintain their pension records. - Provides guidance to Benefits Assistants and assists to ensure that clients are provided with accurate information as to pension participation and benefit entitlements; - Audit and/or calculate all types of pension benefits, computer generated or manually processed, including the application of the Pension Adjustment System. - Lead and/or participate in projects as required

Programme of work: - Assists in monitoring programme of work with respect to various audit observations and recommendations on a regular basis; - Suggests/drafts changes to processes, systems, and implements as necessary; - Drafts/Updates/Revises procedures, guides and/or other administrative documents for approval; - Serves as a subject matter expert on system issues/enhancements; - Assists in developing training materials; - Serves as the focal point for complex and possible exceptions to established procedures for recommendation to senior management for approval.

General: - Provides on-the-job training to colleagues with particular emphasis on manual calculations and the development and application of the provisions of the benefits system - Deputizes for Benefit Officer/Unit Chief in his/her absence in overseeing the operations of the work Unit. - Performs other duties as may be required.

Competencies - Professionalism: Knowledge of various employee benefit schemes related to health, life insurance and pension. Knowledge of accounting processes and procedures applicable to the administration of employee benefit schemes. Ability to maintain accurate records, interpret and analyze a wide variety of data. Ability to identify and resolve data discrepancies and other problems. 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. Commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of work. - Creativity: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs; promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches. - 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 his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.

Education High school diploma or equivalent.

Work Experience A minimum of ten years of experience in employee benefits administration or related area is required.

Experience performing transactions using ERP systems, such as IPAS or similar systems, is required

Experience handing sensitive and confidential information is desirable.

At least five years of experience in the field of pension administration is desirable.

Experience in supervising staff or work of others in a diverse multinational and multicultural environment is desirable.

Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

Assessment Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice The UNJSPF is an inter-agency body established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1949. The Pension Fund pays benefits in 17 currencies to about 80,000 beneficiaries who reside in more than 190 countries, and services more than 130,000 participants who work in the 25 Member Organizations of the Pension Fund. The applicable human resources procedures are governed by a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Fund and the UN Secretariat. Any candidate from a member organization of the UNJSPF applying for these posts is considered as an internal candidate provided he/she has been appointed through the appointment and promotion procedures applicable in his/her respective organization. These positions are subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. All staff in the General Service and related categories shall be recruited in the country or within commuting distance of each office, irrespective of their nationality and of the length of time they may have been in the country. A staff member subject to local recruitment shall not be eligible for the allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment. Passing the Global General Service Test (GGST) is a prerequisite for recruitment consideration in the General Services and related categories in the United Nations Secretariat. Applicants who have not passed the GGST at the time of application may be invited for the test after submitting an application. Having passed the Administrative Support Assessment Test in English at the United Nations Headquarters, Economic Commission for Africa, Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, United Nations Office at Geneva, United Nations Office at Vienna, International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda or International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia; or the United Nations Accounting or Statistical Assistant Examination at the United Nations Headquarters may be accepted in lieu of the GGST. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary- General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.

United Nations Considerations 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.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

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.

No Fee 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.