The Position:

The Head of Pillar 4 – Support Services position is located in the UNFPA Supply Chain Management Unit (SCMU). The position reports directly to the Chief, SCMU. The Head of Pillar 4 – Support Services will work closely with other SCMU colleagues, other HQ Business Units, the Regional Offices and the Country Offices and with a number of external partners.

The Head of Pillar 4 – Support Services will support the Chief, SCMU, to ensure that critical infrastructure aligns with the UNFPA SCMU’s Terms of Reference (TOR). This encompasses overseeing financial management, inventory control, human resources, ICT, general administration, and liaison with the Host Government.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA occupies a unique position in the sexual and reproductive health commodity ecosystem as a critical player in supply chain management, a leading public procurer of sexual and reproductive health commodities, a trusted partner to national governments, and one of the few organizations with the scale and partnerships necessary to build accountability for last mile delivery.

The UNFPA Supply Chain Management Unit (SCMU) is self-funded and was made operational in January 2022. It is tasked with ensuring that UNFPA is able to effectively and efficiently support the delivery of life-saving reproductive health products and other programme supplies to the end user when and where they are needed. To achieve this, it is important to strengthen the capacity of governments and implementing partners to ensure coordination, end-to-end visibility and accountability on all supply chain and logistics management related activities, in particular for programme supplies, across all UNFPA programmes.

Job Purpose:

The Head of Pillar 4 – Support Services plays a critical leadership role in strategically guiding effective resource utilization and ensuring the highest standards of support function excellence to facilitate the SCMU’s TOR. The position will provide strategic oversight and management of a dedicated Pillar.

Main Task and Responsibilities

You will be responsible to support the Chief, SCMU with:

1.Strategic leadership and management of Pillar 4 – Support Services ensuring:

• Coordinate SCMU’s annual planning and budgeting exercise, monitor allocations and expenditures, implement corrective measures for deviations and maintain efficient resource utilisation.
• Oversee financial operations, ensure compliance with UN policies and procedures, integrity of financial systems, effective revenue management and ensure integrity and accuracy in inventory accounting and financial reporting.
• Together with Division for Human Resources (DHR), manage human resource activities in line with UNFPA rules and procedures, providing expert advice on staff conditions, managing vacancy and staffing table control.
• Together with Information Technology Solutions Office (ITSO), manage ICT operations including hardware, network support, asset management, and contribute to UNFPA’s Enterprise Resources Planning (ERP) system and SCM data initiatives for enhanced decision-making and reporting.
• Manage travel, visa and Danish permits processing for new personnel, oversee the coordination of events and official delegation visits to SCMU, manage UN common services functions and handle asset reporting.
• Support and implement activities related to UNFPA’s Governance, Risk, Compliance and Reporting function.

2. Capacity Strengthening

• Developing and implementing UNFPA’s capacity-strengthening initiatives.
• Advocate for the training of supply chain professionals
• Coach and mentor UNFPA personnel to strengthen their capacity to provide informed technical guidance in the supply chain management function.

3. Thought Leadership, Knowledge Sharing and Advisory

• Champion UNFPA’s supply chain thought leadership through actively engaging with industry experts, participating in relevant forums, contributing to research and publications, and representing UNFPA’s expertise in various supply chain management discussions and initiatives.
• Foster an environment for knowledge retention and sharing and the creation of a community of practice for supply chain.
• Provide counsel and support on the full range of supply chain management issues, incorporating best practices and continuous improvement across UNFPA.

4. Partnerships and Resource Mobilization

• Prominently contribute to the development of UNFPA’s value proposition and relationships with donors and partners.
• Support SCMU’s collaboration with the Division for Communication and Strategic Partnerships to diversify funding opportunities.
• Support SCMU’s oversight of resource mobilisation proposals for quality assurance purposes

5. Collaboration and Representation

• Establish effective collaboration with relevant stakeholders within UNFPA to ensure coordinated and effective tailored solutions for each area of intervention.
• Lead the fostering of relationships with key supply chain partners with the purpose of increasing the efficiency of UNFPA’s supply chain function.
• Represent SCMU and UNFPA in meetings related to supply chain management functions particularly in the High-Level Committee on Management (HLCM) Procurement Network.

6. Team Management

• Create a conducive working environment aligned with UNFPA’s 2030 People Strategy.
• Lead and supervise team.

7. Carry out any other duties as may be required by the Chief, SCMU.

Qualifications and Experience:

Education:

Advanced university degree required. An advanced degree in Commerce, Accounting, Finance, Public Administration, Business Administration, International Development, Public Policy, Supply Chain Management, Risk Management, or other related fields is an added advantage. Specialist training or qualification on United States and/or European Union funded Grant Management and Grant Compliance, Anti-Corruption, Due Diligence, Accountability, and/or Enterprise Risk Management would be an added advantage.

Knowledge and Experience:

• A minimum of seven (7) years of relevant, progressively responsible experience in operations management area, particularly in budget; financial management and general administration. Candidates should demonstrate experience in the below key areas, with the understanding that these experiences may overlap:
• At least three (3) years of hands-on experience working with diverse and senior level stakeholder groups or multi-stakeholder partnerships in development and/or complex humanitarian operating environments in low-resource countries. Candidates must demonstrate a deep understanding of the unique challenges and regulations specific to these contexts. This field experience is required.
• Additionally, at least two (2) years of experience in managing operations with funding from Donors such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the European Union, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) or the United Nations system or equivalent, with an understanding of their compliance and reporting requirements.
• Experience in Results-Based Management is a requirement.
• Demonstrated expertise in change management, with a strong track record in guiding teams through significant organisational changes.
• Experience in managing a team, particularly within a remote and/or matrix organizational structure is required.
• Strong interpersonal skills and capability to develop and maintain broad diversified partnerships is required.
• Professional written and spoken presentation skills, including for the development of reports, presentations, and the ability to synthesize complex supply chain documents for both technical and non-technical audiences is required.
• Experience using Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems is required.
• Basic knowledge of the principles and operational aspects of sexual and reproductive health commodities in global development and humanitarian setting is an asset.

Languages:

Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of another official UN language is an asset.

Required Competencies:

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system
• Embracing cultural diversity
• Embracing change

Core Competencies:

• Achieving Results
• Being Accountable
• Developing and Applying Professional Expertise/Business Acumen
• Thinking analytically and Strategically
• Working in Teams/Managing Ourselves and our Relationships
• Communicating for Impact

Functional Competencies:

• Organizational leadership and direction,
• Ensuring operational effectiveness and accountability for results,
• External and internal communication and advocacy for results mobilization,
• Managing the organizations financial resources,
• Providing procurement services,
• Aligning human resources management with the organization’s strategic direction

Managerial Competencies (if applicable):

• Providing strategic focus,
• Engaging staff and partners,
• Leading, developing and empowering people/creating a culture of performance,
• Making decisions and exercise judgement

Compensation and Benefits:

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA’s workforce – click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants’ bank accounts.

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.