CHIEF ACQUISITION PLANNING OFFICER

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 [insert job code] 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.

These positions are located in the United Nations in peacekeeping operations, special political missions, and other field operations. The Chief Acquisition Planning Officer usually reports directly to the Chief Supply Chain Management in the Mission Support Component of the mission.

The Chief Acquisition Planning Officer is responsible for overall management of the Acquisition Section. He/she administers, monitors and tracks all aspects of the Mission’s supply chain to ensure a continuous supply of goods and services are available to meet operational requirements and monitors overall logistic supply chain plans including logistics forecasting, supply schedules, priorities, and assessment and resolution of urgent supply chain requirements.

Within delegated authority, the Chief Acquisition Planning Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

• Coordinates with Mission Support Services and Procurement Section to prepare a detailed Acquisition Plan based on the budget and provide quarterly update reports for submissions to the headquarters Department of Field Support (DFS).
• Monitors the Acquisition Plan and ensures that specifications / scopes of work (SOWs) are made available and procurement action is initiated in a timely manner by raising relevant requisitions (shopping carts) for goods, services and freight.
• Monitors and tracks budget allocation and recommends readjustments in consultation with the MSD senior management and Chief Budget Officer (CBO).
• Ensures effective coordination on the provision of supply chain support to all mission components (military, police and substantive sections) with overall planning, guidance and the delivery of services to ensure effective integrated with all stakeholders.
• Coordinates with all major stakeholders and clients, such as Mission Support Division senior management, self-accounting units, the mission support center, the mission military component, the mission police component, substantive sections, etc., on all matters concerning the supply chain priorities, requisitioning, stock levels, prepositioning and distribution of goods and services.
• Makes recommendations to improve the efficiency and ensuring optimal use of supply chain, resources and cost-effective logistics support to all mission component.
• Coordinates with Mission Support Center in implementing the policy direction given by the Director of Mission Support and translates it into supply chain support plans and activities in order to meet the requirements of the mission.
• Provides integrated, timely and accurate reports for all stakeholders on the state of the mission supply chain.
• Prepares reports which will allow for timely decision-making to minimize supply chain gaps and ensures effective reordering and rationalization of stock held and their levels.
• Develops and implement an overall supply chain process including forecasting, replenishment schedules, priorities and other requirements in consultation with all mission components.
• Acts as Certifying Officer, as/when required, and may be required to chair or be a member of administrative and financial bodies.
• Manages and coordinates all multifunctional support supply chain issues between the UN Headquarters, mission components and other UN and non-UN entities to ensure efficiency and cost effectiveness of the support operations.
• Acts as the principal liaison between the mission and UN Headquarters staff for supply chain matters and co-ordinates day to day support of supply chain operations.
• Ensures that supply chain activities take account of gender-specific requirements.
• Manages and supervises an integrated civilian-military mission support organization.
• Participates in the selection of senior military or police staff officers working within the Mission Support component
• Will act as Deputy Chief Supply Chain Management Service in the latter’s absence.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Core Competencies:

Professionalism:
-Demonstrated knowledge of and exposure to a substantive field of work in the areas of supply chain management, acquisition planning, warehousing, inventory management, distribution and procurement;
-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.

Planning & 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

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:

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

BuildingTrust:
-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

Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in supply chain, business administration, public administration, engineering, logistics or related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience might be accepted in lieu of advanced university degree.

A minimum of ten (10) years progressively responsible professional experience in planning, coordinating and/or managing multi-functional supply chain and logistics support operations in a military, police, commercial or international organization is required. Experience in managing supply chain, logistics, and/or procurement in an international environment is desirable. Experience with MRP (Materials Requirements Planning) and/or ERP (Enterprise resource planning), e.g. SAP ECC (ERP Central Component) or SRM (Supplier Relationship Management) in the areas of production planning or similar, scheduling, inventory control, procurement and logistics processes is desirable.

The working languages of the UN Secretariat are English and French. For this vacancy fluency (both oral and written) in French or English is required. Knowledge of English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage

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

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.

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.