Chief of Service, Procurement

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Procurement Division (PD), Office of Supply Chain Management (OSCM), Department of Operational Support (DOS).

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 Center, Umoja Coordination Service, 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 and ensuring a competitive, fair and transparent process in accordance with established regulations, rules and procedures.

The incumbent reports to the Director of the Procurement Division.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Chief of Technology & Infrastructure Support Service (TISS) may be responsible for the following duties:

• Manages the staff serving the TISS and reporting to the Chief of TISS, and coordinates the procurement works to support the activities of the Secretariat, peacekeeping operations and special political missions.
• Directs and coordinates the work of the Service in the implementation of a responsive and coherent policy for procurement.
• Establishes priorities and set management performance goals for the Service.
• Ensures that procurement activities are carried out in a timely and cost-effective manner and follow 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 output 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 the peacekeeping operations and special political missions with guidance on procurement policy and procedural issues, conducts periodic reviews of the procurement activities and ensures that the procurement processes are efficient and effective.
• Reviews the requests for designation of procurement staff to perform the functions of Chief Procurement Officers in the peacekeeping missions and special political missions and recommends training of procurement staff serving the peacekeeping operations and special political missions.
• Provides inputs to the reports on procurement and procurement related activities and contributes to the presentation and deliberation of the reports at the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, the Fifth Committee and other policy-making organs, as appropriate.
• Performs the administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the Service, including preparation of budgets and inputs for result-based budgeting, reporting on budget performance, performance appraisal of staff, interviews and evaluation of candidates for job openings and training of staff under his/her supervision.
• 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.
• Conducts procurement assistance visits and consultancy missions to the peacekeeping operations and special political missions.
• Represents the Service at international, regional or national meetings and provides substantive expertise on procurement issues and hold substantive discussion with representatives of Member States, other organizations within the United Nations system, vendors and other entities.

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; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing.

• 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
• 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.

• 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 degree) in business or public administration, commerce, engineering, law, social sciences 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.

Professional certification 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 or logistics and supply chain management, is required.
At least seven (7) of the most recent fifteen (15) years in direct procurement experience, including the management of large scale, complex and high-value purchasing operations for the United Nations, or other similar international organization, is required.
Experience in managing various procurement categories is desirable.
Experience in making presentations to senior management, oversight bodies and external stakeholders is desirable.
Experience in budget preparation, monitoring and reporting is desirable.
Experience in supervising staff or teams at various levels 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 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

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.

The appointment or assignment and renewal thereof are subject to the availability of the post or funds, budgetary approval or extension of the mandate.

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

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

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.

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.