Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Client Services Service (CSS) of the Pension Administration (PA) of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF) office in New York. The incumbent will report to the Benefits Officer in the Duty Station, under the overall supervision of the Chief of the Client Services Service.

The goal of CSS is to provide all participants, retirees and other beneficiaries of the Fund with responses to their inquiries in an accurate, timely and professional manner, with an aim of enabling such individuals to make informed financial decisions concerning their entitlements from the Fund, as well as to maintain an accurate records management of correspondence and other documents.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Benefits Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:
• Provides information to individual participants and retirees/beneficiaries as well as administrative staff of member organizations of the Pension Fund with respect to participation, entitlements, and benefits, including validation, restoration, and all benefit options available.
• Screens and sorts all incoming communications and ensures these are addressed as appropriate in a timely manner.
• Responds to clients’ standard pension inquiries in person, on the phone or in writing, drafts routine correspondence, and prepares various pension certificates and statements at the request of clients.
Undertakes necessary research to provide accurate information to standard pension queries, ensuring that responses to queries conform to the provisions of the Regulations and Rules of the Pension Fund and the Pension Adjustment System, and contacts appropriate member organizations to resolve issues.
• Provides annual pension statement to participants upon request and answers questions related to statement contents.
• Determines eligibility to validate, restore, transfer pension rights and communicates with (former) participants and employing organizations in this regard. If eligibility confirmed, processes by taking related administrative actions and procedures.
• Advises Pension Fund members on the administrative actions or procedures required in relation to changes in the status of individuals, e.g., personal data, family history, change in employment situations, etc.; initiates required administrative actions in the Fund’s PA.
• Reviews and advises clients on status of individual pension files from enrollment to separation ensuring that all relevant documentation for standard separation case processing has been received.
• Carries out quality control check and follow up for cases relating to the activation, continuation, suspension and/or termination of benefits in relation to the annual Certificate of Entitlement exercise.
• Calculates and provides estimates of future benefit options as well as estimates under the Pension Adjustment System.
• Reviews documentation required for implementation of local track or for changes in country of residence to determine eligibility and effective date. Processes confirmed cases and submits for auditing.
• Reviews and handles queries and cases related to the Certificate of Entitlement exercise and advises clients in this context.
• Reviews and determines eligibility to grants from the Pension Fund’s Emergency Fund.
• Participates in the standardization of procedures and texts for communications originated by the Section.
• Participates in training activities related to the Section’s work, including the preparation of drafts and training material; compiles relevant information for training purposes for internal and external use.
• Performs other related duties, as assigned.

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.

• COMMUNICATION:
Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

• 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.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent.

Work Experience

A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in employee benefits administration or related area is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to three (3) for candidates who possess a first-level university degree or higher.

At least two (2) years of experience working within a pension fund or post-employment benefit scheme is desirable.

Client Services experience is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French is desirable. Knowledge of another UN official language is also desirable.

Assessment

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

Special Notice

This position is available until 31 December 2023. The selected candidate is expected to start as soon as possible. Please note that this is a temporary job opening, open to internal as well as external candidates.

Recruitment for this position is done on a local basis, whether or not the candidate is a resident of the duty station.

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 more than 80,000 beneficiaries who reside in 190 countries, and services more than 134,000 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 the post is considered as an internal candidate provided he/she has been appointed through the appointment and promotion procedures applicable in his/her respective organization.

This position is 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.

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 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.

Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.

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.