Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Forward Support Deployment Hub (FSDH) of the Logistics Division, Office of Supply Chain Management in the Department of Operational Support based in the Regional Service Centre in Entebbe. The Chief of Section, FSDH reports to the Director of the Logistics Division or designated official. The post is based in FSDH located in Entebbe, Uganda.

The Department of Operational Support was established to provide operational advisory services to client entities across the Secretariat, including other departments, offices away from headquarters, field missions, and regional commissions.

The Office of Supply Chain Management includes the Office of the Assistant Secretary-General for Supply Chain Management, Logistics Division, Procurement Division, Uniformed Capabilities Support Division, Global Service Center, and the Enabling and Outreach Service.

The Logistics Division performs a central role in the implementation of end-to-end supply chain management across the United Nations operations. The Division provides direction and advice on logistical matters, manages, monitors and assesses the delivery of strategic transportation and support services, and directs the delivery of transportation and specialist support services in the functional areas of air transport, ground transport, engineering, medical and supply, inclusive of fuel, rations and general supplies and security equipment.

The Forward Support and Deployment Hub (FSDH) is located in Entebbe, it is structured into three units: the Air Support Unit, the Movement Operations and Freight Forwarding Support Unit and the Regional Deployment Stock Unit. The FSDH aims to enhance the operational and administrative effort through the implementation of policies and technical guidance provided by OSCM; and coordination, management, and monitoring of logistics and supply
chain management operations for efficient, responsive, and reliable support to regional and adhoc operational requirements.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Chief of Section will be responsible for the following:
• Develops, implements and provides policy guidance to the Division Director, on development and implementation of overall strategies and intra and interdivisional/departmental policies and procedures related to the work of FSDH.
• Plans and oversees the management of activities undertaken by the Section; ensures that substantive work programmes and programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion, coordinating diverse projects in the Section, and, in liaison with other organizations of the United Nations System, donors and agencies as appropriate.
• Manages, supervises and carries out the work programme of the Section under his/her responsibility. Co-ordinates the work carried out by the Section; provides programmatic and substantive reviews of drafts prepared by others.
• Exercises managerial and supervisory control over FSDH units, and in collaboration with the Movement Control Section, the Air Transport Service, Supply Chain Planning Service and the Global Service Centre:

• Identify regional requirements in terms of freight forwarding, air cargo transport, and regional deployment
stock/solutions.
• Explore and establish relevant fit-for-purpose solutions to enhance responsiveness to client entities in the
region.
• Coordinate crisis response in support of regional entities to allow for supply chain solutions to be established
in respect of the operational tempo.
• Oversee the management of the regional deployment stocks and ensure seamless delivery to client entities
in the region.

• Enables support to client entities in the region, including with the establishment of thirdparty logistics contracts in coordination with the Global Procurement Support Section (GPSS) in Entebbe.
• Develops and monitors the relevant Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to meet supply chain performance expectations, such as responsiveness and reliability on delivery.
• Provides substantive input in the preparation of position papers and reports for presentation to intergovernmental bodies such as the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budget Questions, Committee for Programme Coordination, Economic and Social Council, the General Assembly and other policy-making organs, as appropriate.
• Contributes to the reporting to intergovernmental bodies on budget/programme performance
or on programmatic/ substantive issues, as appropriate, particularly those presented in biannual and/or annual reports.
• Provides technical and professional response to Board of Auditor and OIOS audit observations and ensures that agreed observations are implemented in a timely manner.
• Ensures that the outputs produced by the Section maintain high-quality standards; that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data. Ensures that all outputs produced by the units under his/her supervision meet required standards before completion to ensure they comply with the relevant mandates.
• Prepares inputs for the work programme of the FSDH, determining priorities, anticipating requirements and allocating resources for the completion of outputs and their timely delivery.
• Carries out programmatic/administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the Section, including preparation of budgets, assigning and monitoring of performance parameters and critical indicators, reporting on budget/programme performance, preparation of inputs for results-based budgeting, evaluation of staff performance (PAS), interviews of candidates for job openings and evaluation of candidates.
• Recruits staff for Section taking due account geographical and gender balance and other institutional values.
• Manages, guides, develops and trains staff under his/her supervision.
• Fosters teamwork and communication among staff in the Section and across organizational boundaries.
• Represents the Organization at inter-agency meetings, seminars, etc. on substantive-related issues.
• Participates in international, regional or national meetings and provides programmatic/substantive expertise on an issue or holds programmatic/substantive and organizational discussions with representatives of other institutions.

Competencies

• Professionalism: Knowledge of the substantive field of work in general and of specific areas being supervised. Ability to produce reports and papers on technical issues and to review and edit the work of others. Ability to apply UN rules, regulations, policies and guidelines in work situations. 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 situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

• Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours 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.

• Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Managerial Competencies
• Leadership: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow: empowers others to translate vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; drives for change and improvements; does not accept the status quo; shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing.

• Managing Performance: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority; makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member; accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills; monitors progress against milestones and deadlines; regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff; encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative; actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff; appraises performance fairly

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in supply chain management, logistics, business or public administration, or related area. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job – Specific Qualification

Professional certification in supply chain (CSCP), Supply Chain Operations Reference (SCOR-P), MCIPS, or equivalent is desirable.

Certification in Project/Programme Management methodology by an accredited body (e.g.
PMP, PGMP, PRINCE 2 Foundation Project Management certification or practitioner level) or equivalent is desirable.

Work Experience

A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in at least three areas of supply chain management: logistics, warehousing, asset and inventory management, passenger and cargo transportation and/or air operations or related field is required.

At least four years of management experience in the area of supply chain management and/or logistics operations in an international environment is required.

Experience in managing highly complex supply chain management operations in a conflict or
post-conflict environment with scarcity of resources is desirable.

Experience in change management is desirable

Experience in planning, deployment or sustaining field operations is desirable.

Experience in managing a multidisciplinary team is desirable.

Languages

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

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a 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.
• This position is funded by the Support Account. The Appointment or assignment against this position is for an initial period of one year.
• The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.
• Applicants from troop and police-contributing countries who are found most suitable and recommended for selection will be given due consideration for positions in a peacekeeping operation or Headquarters support account funded positions in the Department of Peace Operations and the Department of Operational Support, taking into account their contribution to United Nations peacekeeping, in accordance with General Assembly resolutions 66/265 and 67/287.
• Pursuant to section 7.11 of ST/AI/2012/2/Rev.1, candidates recruited through the young professionals’ programme who have not served for a minimum of two years in the position of their initial assignment are not eligible to apply to this position.
• At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.

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.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side 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.