Org. Setting and Reporting

These positions are located in the Procurement Division (PD), Office of Supply Chain Management (OSCM), Department of Operational Support (DOS). The incumbents report to the Director of Procurement Division.

The Department of Operational Support was established to provide operational advisory services to operating 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, the Logistics Division, the Procurement Division, the Uniformed Capabilities Support Division, Global Service Centre, Aviation Safety Section and the Enabling and Outreach Service.

The mandate of the Procurement Division is to provide responsive, effective, and quality expert procurement services and business advice to United Nations (UN) Headquarters, field missions, and other UN organizations, while achieving best value for money, ensuring a competitive, fair and transparent process in accordance with established regulations, rules and procedures. The Procurement Division includes cross-functional Category Teams to implement supply chain solutions aligned with established strategies.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Chief of Service may be responsible for the following duties:

• Manages the Service and coordinate the procurement works to support the activities of the global Secretariat, peacekeeping operations and special political missions.
• Directs and coordinates the work of the Service to ensure a responsive and coherent implementation of procurement activities in line with the policy for procurement.
• Establishes priorities and sets management performance goals for the Service in line with the overall OSCM and DOS strategic direction.
• Oversees the work of the Service’s resources within Category Teams, performing their prescribed roles aligned with the organization’s Category Strategies.
• Ensures that procurement activities are carried out in a timely and cost-effective manner following the Financial Regulations and Rules, as well as established procurement policy and procedures of the organization.
• Develops procurement procedures and guidance to ensure a competitive, fair and transparent procurement on a wide geographical basis with clear lines of authority, accountability, responsibility and internal control mechanisms.
• Ensures that the outputs produced by the Service maintain high-quality standards.
• Reviews, negotiates and approves proposals to award complex and high value contracts on behalf of the organization.
• Provides clients in Headquarters, the field, Office Away from Headquarters, Regional Commissions with guidance on procurement policy and procedural issues, and conduct periodic reviews of procurement activities ensuring procurement processes are efficient and effective.
• Reviews the requests for designation of procurement staff to perform the functions of Chief Procurement Officer, in Headquarters, the field, Office Away from Headquarters, Regional Commissions, and recommend training of procurement staff clients in Headquarters, the field operations, Office Away from Headquarters, and Regional Commissions.
• Provides input for reports on procurement and procurement related activities and contributes to the presentation and deliberation of the reports at the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budget Questions, Committee for Programme Coordination, Economic and Social Council, Fifth Committee, the General Assembly and other policy-making and budgetary organs, as appropriate.
• Ensures that the outputs produced by the Service maintain high-quality standards; that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data. Ensures that all outputs produced by the Sections under his/her supervision meet required standards before completion to ensure they comply with the relevant mandates.
• Assists the Director in preparing the work programme of the Division, determining priorities, and allocating resources for the completion of outputs and their timely delivery.
• Conduct procurement assistance visits and consultancy missions to the field operations, Office Away from Headquarters, and Regional Commissions.
• Undertakes or oversees the administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the Service, including preparation of budgets, reporting on budget/programme performance, evaluation of staff performance (PAS), interviews of candidates for job openings, evaluation of candidates and preparation of inputs for results-based budgeting.
• Within delegated authority, recruits staff, taking due account of geographical balance, gender equality and regional diversity.
• Manages, guides, develops and trains staff under his/her supervision.
• Fosters teamwork and communication among staff in the Service and across organizational boundaries.
• Leads and supervises the organization of meetings, seminars, etc. on substantive issues. Manages the substantive preparation and organization of such meetings or seminars.
• Represents the Service at international, regional or national meetings and provides substantive expertise on procurement issues, and have the ability to hold substantive discussions with representatives of Member States, other organizations within the United Nations system, vendors and other entities.

Competencies

• Professionalism: Knowledge of procurement services in large organizations in general and of specific areas being supervised. Ability to produce reports and papers on substantive topics and to review and edit the work of others. Ability to apply 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.

• 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.

• Building Trust: Provides an environment in which others can talk and act without fear of repercussion; manages in a deliberate and predictable way; operates with transparency; has no hidden agenda; places confidence in colleagues, staff members and clients; gives proper credit to others; follows through on agreed upon actions; treats sensitive or confidential information appropriately.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in business or public administration, commerce, law, supply chain or related area is required. 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 such as Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply certification (CIPS Level 4) or equivalent is desirable.

Work Experience

• A minimum of fifteen (15) years of progressively responsible experience in procurement or related functions, such as contract management, contract administration, category management, logistics or supply chain management is required.

• A minimum of seven (7) years of experience in procurement, including the management of large scale, complex and high-value international purchasing operations in an (public or private) international setting during the most recent fifteen (15) years is required.

• A minimum of five (5) years of experience in managing multiple cross functional teams in an international organization is desirable.

• Experience in developing and implementing category specific sourcing strategies is desirable.

• Experience in developing strategic and proactive solutions based on client needs using data to support recommendations and decision making is desirable.

• Experience in leading business transformation projects and/or multiple key tactical and strategic initiatives in parallel, is desirable.

• Experience in fraud risks and prevention practices in procurement is desirable.

• Experience in making presentations to senior management, oversight bodies and external stakeholders is desirable.

Languages

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

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

• Appointment or assignment against this position is for an initial period of one year.

• Staff members of the United Nations Secretariat must fulfil the lateral move requirements to be eligible to apply for this vacancy. Staff members are requested to indicate all qualifying lateral moves in their Personal History Profile (PHP) and cover letter.

• Staff members appointed to the current position are required to submit a financial disclosure statement upon assignment or appointment and annually thereafter.

• 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, who successfully go through a competitive recruitment process and are recommended for selection and/or inclusion in the roster of pre-approved candidates for subsequent job openings at the same level and with similar functions, may have their application information and roster status shared with other UN Organizations. Such applicants may be contacted by other UN Organizations for similar job openings, subject to the confirmation of their interest. Placement on the roster is no guarantee of a future selection.

• 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.

• For one of the positions advertised, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or underrepresented in the UN Secretariat as of 30 June 2023, are strongly encouraged to apply: Afghanistan, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Djibouti, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Monaco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu.

• For one of the positions advertised, 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 Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Field Support, taking into account their contribution to United Nations peacekeeping, in accordance with General Assembly resolutions 66/265 and 67/287.For the latest list of troop- and police-contributing countries, visit the following website: https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/troop-and-police-contributors.

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.