National Project Officer on Insurance and Risk Finance

The collaboration between the development sector and the insurance industry has significantly grown through the years. Increasingly, these partnerships are moving beyond policy to programming and implementation, with a strong focus on not only delivering insurance and risk financing solutions to countries and communities, but also on long-term transformational change of insurance markets that contribute to sustainable development. 

UNDP and the Insurance Development Forum have been exploring the potential support to the Royal Thai Government in developing insurance and risk financing solutions and integrating these solutions into the development planning and financing of the country. This will aid the government in leveraging the expertise from the private sector, particularly the insurance industry and helps mitigate the impact of risks on people, particularly the poor and most vulnerable populations who are often hit the hardest, upholding the Leave No One Behind principle.

Within the framework of the Tripartite Agreement between UNDP, the Insurance Development Forum (IDF) and the German government, UNDP has conducted a diagnostic study on inclusive insurance and risk finance for Thailand. The study points to the need for a comprehensive financing framework to promote inclusive insurance and national disaster risk financing strategies to support the different phases of disaster risk management. It also identifies opportunities to integrate risk transfer instruments such as insurance into ex-ante and ex-post risk financing. After the completion of the diagnostic study, the working group on insurance and risk finance is formed to develop a project concept on insurance as a disaster risk transfer mechanism to enhance the resilience of the vulnerable population.

To support the development of insurance and risk finance solutions for Thailand, a National Project Officer (NPO) is needed to support the overall management of in-country activities, ensuring a proper workplan and budget for the proposed solutions is in place and implemented within set timelines, with an effective national team and strong partnerships.

Under the overall supervision and guidance of the Senior Development Economist, with technical support and guidance from the Insurance and Risk Finance Facility (IRFF) Regional Specialist, the National Project Officer’s scope of work includes:

Ensure Effective Project Management and Resource Mobilization

• In consultation with the UNDP Country Office and Global IRFF Team and supported by the Regional Specialist, elaborate/revise the work plan and budget and submit draft workplans/budgets timely for the bi-annual budget revision process (30 June and 31 December of each year.
• Lead the strategic implementation of the country workplan and relationship-building with key actors in government, private sector and broader development community. 
• Oversee the identification, selection and supervision of national consultants and experts, in close collaboration with the UNDP team, particularly UNDP Country Office and the IRFF team, and write/revise terms of reference for review by relevant team members.
• Supervise the work of contracted national experts and institutions to ensure outputs are delivered on time, within the set budget, and to high quality standards.
• Organise all relevant project workshops in a consultative manner, involving a wide variety of stakeholders, including the government, private sector, NGOs, donors and academia.
• In consultation with UNDP team, discuss and implement with government partners and other key stakeholders the requirements for coordination and steering of the initiative.
• Ensure the alignment and synergy of the insurance and risk finance work with the Country Office portfolio of initiatives and actively seek opportunities for resource mobilization.
• Ensure a timely identification of risks in implementation at the national level and communication to the UNDP team.
• Organise regular coordination meetings with UNDP team. 

Monitor and report on progress in implementing project activities and achieving the targets and communication results set.

• Conduct project monitoring, reporting and evaluation at national level, draft monthly and quarterly reports for review by the Regional Specialist and submission to the global IRFF team; Develop and disseminate reports from workshops, seminars, trainings.
• Assess and signal any delays in national deliverables compared to the workplan, propose and implement mitigation measures. 
• Develop briefing notes, case studies, press releases, web articles and other media products as required.
• Facilitate with research and write and edit sections of technical reports as required.
• Review all national level deliverables to ensure quality and consistency with the IRFF methodology.

Facilitate knowledge and capacity building, knowledge sharing and advocacy relevant to the assigned thematic area(s). 

• Identify, synthesize and document best practices and lessons learned that are generated from the project and implementing partners.
• Participate in and ensure sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice on project related issues. Support establishment of knowledge platforms for the project, facilitate innovative mechanisms for dissemination of knowledge from the project, and develop knowledge resources and products to share with project partners and to support UNDP’s engagement in this area.
•  Promote advocacy on development trends and opportunities to collaborate in coordination with the project partners, stakeholders, and UNDP communications staff.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization

Competencies

Core competencies: 

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements 
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible 
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Business Direction and Strategy: 

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities, linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions; Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP
• System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system

 Business Development   Collective:

• Intelligence Design: Ability to bring together diverse groups of people, data, information or ideas, and technology to design services or solutions 

Business Management

• Results-based Management: Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results

2030 Agenda: Partnerships           

• SDG Finance: Insurance for development

Partnership management              

• Private sector engagement: Ability to identify, conduct outreach, and manage relationships with the private sector; External Relations and Advocacy

Communications

• Advocacy strategy and implementation: Ability to create and implement advocacy strategies which lead to impactful change

• Fluency in written and spoken English and Thai is required.