Background

The Pacific Financial Inclusion Program (PFIP) is a Pacific-wide programme helping low-income households gain access to quality and affordable financial services and financial education. PFIP’s target is to increase the number of Pacific islanders who have on-going access to appropriate financial services and financial education by one million by 2019. To achieve this target PFIP focuses on three main programmatic areas:

• Financial Innovation
• Policy and Regulation
• Consumer Empowerment

Insurance sector innovation plays a vital role in deepening insurance penetration and building levels of resiliency. Insurers in South Pacific countries provide a range of conventional insurance products that cater for businesses, individuals, non-government organisations and government sectors.  However, some products are limited or are lacking.

PFIP will be setting up an Inclusive Insurance Innovation Lab to help research, design and prototype insurance products, services and schemes that can help get more people insured, especially the low-income and vulnerable sections.  Segments of the population that will be researched will include owners of small businesses, farmers, teachers, students, villagers etc. Type of insurance covers that will be investigated for analysing market potential will include funeral expenses, natural events like cyclones, business, microinsurance, crop and livestock.

The National University Volunteer will work as part of the Pacific Financial Inclusion Program (PFIP) team under the UNDP Pacific Office, located close to the city centre in Suva. The National University Volunteer will adhere to and observe all UNDP Pacific Office working hours and conditions, holidays and human resource and security procedures at all times.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Regional Inclusive Insurance Specialist and the Financial Inclusion Specialist (Fiji), the National University Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

• Support the PFIP team in planning research studies and in dealing with logistical arrangements and data collection exercise. The work will include:
  • Liaising with stakeholders, brief and arrange visits and focus groups etc. The list of stakeholders to meet & interview will be guided by the Regional Inclusive Insurance Specialist & the respective country technical specialists;
  • Carrying out field work to collect information, data and opinions;
  • Interviewing people and entering responses into pc tablets;
  • Preparing reports presentations and spreadsheets and assist in delivery of briefing sessions;
  • Maintaining documents related to the field studies; and
  • Any other work related to the Inclusive Insurance Innovation Lab and PFIP Workstream areas (W1: Financial Innovation, W2: Policy & Regulation including G2P P2G, W3: Consumer Empowerment including Financial Education) as directed by PFIP Management.
• Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to:
  • Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day);
  • Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
  • Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities;
  • Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
  • Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers;
  • Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.
• Results/Expected Outputs
  • Reports covering the research findings from market surveys on insurance products, services and schemes
  • Reports that provide additional insights in to consumer perceptions, attitudes and behaviours towards insurance and its value;
  • Analysis and profiling of defined sectors or segments of the population that will be researched, that may include owners of small businesses, farmers, fishers, teachers, students, villagers and families;
  • Reports on the results of product concept tests investigated, that include bundled microinsurance, crop and livestock coverages and PFIP Workstream projects;
  • Reports covering findings or assessments on assigned PFIP Workstream projects;
  • The development of capacity through coaching, mentoring and formal on-the-job training, when working with (including supervising) national staff or (non-) governmental counterparts, including Implementing Partners (IPs);
  • Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment;
  • A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed.

Competencies

• Integrity and professionalism: demonstrated expertise in area of specialty and ability to apply good judgment; high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures in a politically sensitive environment, while exercising discretion, impartiality and neutrality; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented.
• Accountability: mature and responsible; ability to operate in compliance with organizational rules and regulations.
• Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment.
• Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities.
• Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working
• relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity and gender;
• Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; ability to maintain composure and remain helpful towards the staff, but objective, without showing personal interest; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups;
• Flexibility, adaptability, and ability and willingness to operate independently in austere, remote and potentially hazardous environments for protracted periods, involving physical hardship and little comfort, and including possible extensive travel within the area of operations; willingness to transfer to other duty stations within area of operations as may be necessary;
• Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards the UN core values.

Required Skills and Experience

Education: Bachelor's degree; Bachelor’s Degree preferably in Mathematics, Statistics, Accounting /Finance, Economics/Commerce or a related discipline. Economics, finance, administration and human resources

Experience: minimum years of experience: 0

Language Skills:     English