Chief, Supply Chain Management

Special Notice

The United Nation Secretariat maintains rosters of qualified and available candidates to fill anticipated job openings in peacekeeping operations, special political missions, and other field operations.

The purpose of this job opening is to generate a list of qualified candidates for inclusion in the Chief Supply Chain Management P5 roster.

The entire assessment process takes an average of six months; all applicants will be notified in writing of the outcome of their application (whether successful or unsuccessful) within 14 days of the conclusion of the process. Successful candidates will be placed on the roster and subsequently will be invited to apply for field mission vacancies open only to roster members. Roster membership does not guarantee selection

Org. Setting and Reporting

These positions are located in United Nations Field Peace Operations and Special Political missions. The Chief Supply Chain Management typically reports to the Chief of Mission Support. S/he is responsible for the overall management of an integrated supply chain, covering the areas of planning and execution including providing guidance and policy on acquisitions, procurement, warehousing, asset and inventory management, transportation and freight planning (air, land, sea), expediting movement and tracking.

Applicants will be expected to serve in hardship duty stations with difficult working and living conditions. An updated list of missions and additional information on working in the field can be found at http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/about/dfs/

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Chief Supply Chain Management is responsible for the following functions: (These duties are generic and may not be performed by all Chief Supply Chain Management)

Management:
•Participates in the mission planning process throughout the mission lifecycle, with particular attention to supply chain areas and contributes to an integrated approach and consistency in the implementation and operationalization of the integrated supply chain within the mission.
•Initiates the development and implementation of the supply chain work plan, including supply chain forecasts, priorities and anticipated requirements. Implements policies and procedures to facilitate achieving work plan goals.
•Ensures coordination and monitoring of overall strategies and programmes for the supply chain activities of the mission and takes the lead in consolidating the required human and financial resources for the service. Rapidly redirects the work plan to accommodate and support major operational changes in the mission.
•Develops and implements a service optimization programme to promote continuous improvement in the quality and delivery of supply chain activities to mission clients. This includes a regular review of critical and key supply chain processes to identify and resolve bottlenecks, delays and inefficiencies. Further this also includes the establishment of relevant strategic supply chain performance indicators which provide data and analysis for the review of senior management.
•Ensures that all processes and systems in place are relevant and cost effective. Ensures, through collaboration with all stakeholders, the implementation of the end-to-end supply chain programme.
•Establishes priorities and sets management performance goals for staff. Recommends and coordinates training programs for supply chain staff. Actively engages in management performance duties and ensures the provision of management, guidance, development, training, constructive feedback, performance evaluation and appraisal, and provision of administrative support and other management functions to staff in the areas of his/her responsibility.
•Ensures good order and discipline of staff under his/her overall supervision. Develops initiatives to promote the welfare and well-being of supply chain staff.

Budget and Finance:
•Ensures that the supply chain budget, human resources, and assets are optimally budgeted and allocated to support effective and cost efficient suopply chain services across all mission components and provide advice to any reprioritization of resources during the budget period, in line with priorities that support effective mandate implementation.
•Establishes a set of robust policies, procedures, practices, standards and tools for the management of the supply chain that is consistent with UN regulations, rules, policies and practices in order to ensure proper budget, accounting, procurement, financial, assets and human resources management and control of supply chain expenditures.
•Chairs or is member of field mission administrative and financial bodies. Assumes responsibilities of a Certifying Officer for the mission supply chain budget.

Advisory:
•Provides strategic advice to the CMS on the necessary managerial, logistical and administrative support required to fully implement the integrated supply chain.
•Maintains active communication with UN headquarters and the global and regional service centers supporting the mission in relation to supply chain management activities.
•Actively engages with civilian, police and military components within the mission to ensure coordinated, high quality supply chain support in accordance with their operational requirements. Provides effective management of human, financial and material resources of the supply chain.
•Liaises, negotiates and coordinates with national authorities with respect to supply chain matters. Provides guidance, support and supervision to senior administrative and logistics support staff within the supply chain service as well as audit and evaluation services, as appropriate.

•Carries out other duties as assigned.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of the substantive field of work in the areas of Supply Chain Management. 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. Ability to apply discretion and sound judgment in applying technical expertise to resolve complex and/or sensitive issues. Knowledge of Supply Chain operations, procedures and practices. Knowledge of project management. Ability to develop and apply Supply Chain Management procedures and programmes. Ability to provide professional technical advice in a broad range of Supply Chain Management areas. Knowledge of institutional mandates, policies and guidelines related to Supply Chain Management. Excellent negotiating and leadership skills. 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.

Planning and Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; Identifies priority activities and assignments; Adjusts priorities as required; Allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; Foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; Monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; Uses time efficiently.

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 improvement, 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.

Judgement/Decision-making: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; Gathers relevant information before making a decision; Considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; Takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; Proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; Checks assumptions against facts; Determines that the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; Makes tough decisions when necessary.

Education

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

Supply Chain Operations Reference – Professional (SCOR-P) certification is desirable.
Certification in PRINCE2 or equivalent project management methodologies is desirable.

Work Experience

A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in at least three of the following supply chain management areas is required: demand/acquisition planning, procurement, supply chain planning, logistics, warehousing, asset and inventory management, passenger and cargo transportation, programme/project management or contract management. Four (04) years of management experience in the areas of supply chain management is required. Experience in the areas of supply chain management at the international level is desirable. Experience in planning, managing or supporting supply chains in a complex, volatile, conflict or post-conflict settings is desirable. Experience in leading a change management initiative, programme or project is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English (oral and written) is required. Working knowledge of French is highly desirable. Knowledge of another UN official language is desirable.

Assessment

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

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, including but not limited to, respect for international human rights and humanitarian law. Candidates may be subject to screening against these standards, including but not limited to, whether they have committed or are alleged to have committed criminal offences or violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

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.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the At-a-Glance on "The Application Process" and the Instructional Manual for the Applicants, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The screening and 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, including but not limited to, their education, work experience, and language skills, according to the instructions provided on inspira. Applicants will be disqualified from consideration if they do not demonstrate in their application that they meet the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations. Applicants are solely responsible for providing complete and accurate information at the time of application: 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 a reference-checking process to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at midnight (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.