Senior Finance and Insurance Specialist

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.

The post is located in the Office of the Chief Economist at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Reporting Lines

• The Senior Finance and Insurance Specialist reports to the FAO Chief Economist and works in close collaboration with the Divisions/Offices/Centres under his direct supervision and with other units and Decentralized Offices across the Organization

Technical Focus 

• Provide technical, operational and partnership liaison support and advice in line with the activities and objectives of the Chief Economist and issues related to Insurance, blended financing, innovative financing solutions and capital markets.

Tasks and responsibilities

Technical and Operational advice on investment, innovative financing, insurance as well as partnership building in accordance with Divisional/Office/Centre objectives and the FAO Strategic Framework, in particular:

• Lead and advise on the design and operationalization of a financing facility and self-insurance fund.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams to assist in the identification, assessment and implementation of investment operations, innovative and blended financing in the fields of food security, nutrition and agrifood systems.
• Coordinate insurance product development, including the review and analysis of issues and trends.
• Test the feasibility of a disaster risk financing structure to respond to an early food crisis with significant efficiencies and cost savings.
• Deploy resources to operationalize the recommendations in creating the recommended disaster risk financing structure.
• In collaboration with an expert group identify and assess the types of market-ready insurance products and triggers needed for insurable risks.
• Build public-private partnership for financing and innovative methods to expose funds to risk (self-insurance mechanisms and reinsurance arrangements),
• Lead the work on a Financial Optimization Tool to be created to support active management of blended finance sources.
• Conduct an analysis will also investigate the alternative which could be a self-insurance fund that uses economic capital to facilitate premium retention.
• Guide strategic management and financial aspects and growth trajectory
• Perform other related duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced University degree in international development, finance, risk management, political science and/or fields related to agriculture, food security and nutrition.
• Minimum 10 years of relevant experience in insurance, financial innovation, capital market and blended financing.
• Working knowledge of English. Another FAO language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) would be considered as an asset.

Source: https://jobs.fao.org/careersection/fao_external/jobdetail.ftl?job=2403572