Investment Officer (Global Emerging Markets)

Org. Setting and Reporting

The United Nations Secretary-General is responsible for the investment of the assets of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF). The Secretary-General has delegated this responsibility to the Representative of the Secretary-General for the investment of the assets of the UNJSPF (RSG). The RSG is, in turn, assisted in this function by the Office of Investment Management (OIM). OIM manages approximately $90+ billion multi-asset class, global investment portfolio, about 85% of which is actively managed in-house. Asset classes under management comprise global equities, fixed income, foreign exchange, private equity, real estate, infrastructure, timber and commodities. OIM’s staff are all based in New York but come from over 30 countries. For more information, please visit OIM’s website at https://oim.unjspf.org/. This position is located in the Global Emerging Markets Equity Team of OIM. The incumbent reports to the Senior Investment Officer.

Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the Senior Investment Officer, the incumbent will perform the following duties: 1. Conducts careful and thorough research, focusing on company specific investment opportunities, using various valuation tools and incorporating qualitative factors, including but not limited to, environmental, social and governance (ESG) aspects. 2. Makes specific investment recommendations: • Plans and conducts meetings with company management of potential interest to the Fund, and meetings with management where the Fund is invested. • Regularly discusses and reviews recommendations with other team members and Senior Investment Officer • Implements investment strategy, taking into account existing guidelines approved by the Representative of the Secretary General (RSG) for the Investments of the Fund. 3. Researches the global macroeconomic environment and outlook, with a focus on the CEEMEA region (Central & Eastern Europe, Middle-East and Africa), and Latin America, and recommends appropriate strategies. 4. Analyzes geopolitical environment, with a focus on the CEEMEA region and Latin America, in order to help assess and manage the portfolio’s overall risk. 5. Attends seminars and conferences on Emerging Markets equity investments and related topics. 6. Contributes to the formulation of recommendations on asset allocation for the Fund’s total portfolio by providing the economic outlook and the valuation on the assigned markets. 7. Helps the Senior Investment Officer implement specific purchases and sales of securities, and exercises delegated authority on Emerging Markets equity investments with the utmost of care and discretion. 8. Reporting: • Prepares management reports on investment matters for submission to appropriate United Nations governing bodies. Ensures that accurate data is available in a timely manner for the Investments Committee, the Pension Board, the Fifth Committee, ACABQ and the General Assembly. • Interacts effectively with external and internal auditors to ensure that the Fund’s assets are fully protected and to promote the highest standard of transparency and accountability in the management and record-keeping of the assets of the Fund. • Performs other related work as required.

Competencies

Professionalism: • Demonstrated ability and sound knowledge of applied macroeconomics, portfolio management and security analysis; • Ability to work under pressure accurately, efficiently and effectively; having the highest level of integrity; • 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 situation; • Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. Teamwork: • Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; • Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; • Places team agenda before personal agenda; • Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; • Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings. Accountability: • Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honors 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

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in Business Administration (MBA), Finance, Economics, or related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with additional two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. A certification as a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) is desirable. An additional university degree in political sciences or in computer sciences is desirable.

Job – Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible investment experience in Emerging market equities is required. Experience in buy side portfolio management is required. Experience in Central & Eastern Europe, Middle-East and Africa (CEEMEA) is desirable. Experience in Latin America is desirable. Experience using the Credit Suisse Holt valuation engine is desirable. Experience in quantitative methods is desirable.

Languages

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

Assessment

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

Special Notice

• 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. • The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. • Appointment at the United Nations is subject to mandatory adherence to the United Nations Financial disclosure Programme. An appointment to the Office of Investment Management (OIM) of the UNJSPF additionally requires compliance with the rules and regulations pertaining to OIM’s Code of Ethics, Personal Securities, Gift and Hospitality policies. • For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or underrepresented in the UN Secretariat as of 31st July 2024, are strongly encouraged to apply: Angola, Belize, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Kiribati, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Sao Tome and Principe, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, China, Cuba, Germany, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Libya, Malta, Micronesia (Federated States of),Monaco, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Republic of Korea, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Turkmenistan, United States of America.

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. 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 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.