Chief of Service – Financial Operations

About the role

The Chief of Service, Financial Operations Service, is based in the Common Administrative Platform at United Nations Headquarters in New York. Reporting to the Director of Administration, the incumbent leads the Financial Operations Service, overseeing global payroll, accounts payable, tax, insurance and financial monitoring functions.

Key responsibilities

• Manage the Financial Operations Service, including global payroll (onePayroll), income tax, travel claims, vendor invoice processing and commercial insurance.
• Provide policy guidance to senior officials on insurance, benefits, payroll and related service areas, ensuring compliance with UN regulations.
• Act as Risk Manager for UN property and casualty insurance, coordinating risk assessments and coverage requirements across UN entities.
• Oversee development and enhancement of systems and procedures to deliver high‑quality client service and accurate accounting of disbursements.
• Lead, supervise and coordinate the work programme of the Service, preparing reports for intergovernmental bodies and ensuring high‑quality outputs.
• Recruit, train and evaluate staff, fostering teamwork and communication across the Service and the wider organization.

Required profile

• Professionalism: deep knowledge of financial operations, ability to produce and review technical reports, and apply UN rules and regulations.
• Accountability: ownership of responsibilities, delivery of outputs on time, cost and quality standards, and compliance with organizational regulations.
• Client orientation: ability to understand client needs, maintain productive partnerships and communicate progress effectively.
• Leadership: role‑model behavior, ability to empower teams, develop strategies, resolve conflicts and represent the Division at international meetings.