Head of Sustainable Supply Chains

1. General Background 

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 5,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,400 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

Background Information –UNOPS Procurement Group

The Procurement Group (PG) is part of Implementation Practices and Standards (IPS) and is based at UNOPS HQ in Copenhagen. It leads the organization’s sustainable procurement practice and is responsible for: articulating strategy, policy positions and innovative solutions for procurement at UNOPS; enabling the operationalization and managerial oversight of UNOPS procurement activities through appropriate systems and reports; strengthening the knowledge, skills and career development of procurement practitioners; and leading the implementation of sustainable supply chains across the organization. 

As a central procurement resource for the United Nations system and its partners, UNOPS emphasizes efficient, transparent, cost-effective and sustainable delivery of goods, services and works, in line with public procurement best practices. On a yearly basis, UNOPS procures approx. USD 1 Bn worth of goods, services and works on behalf of our partners. These include a broad base of categories, including life-saving pharmaceuticals, mine action equipment, vehicles or road construction services. 

PG’s sustainability initiatives are led by the Head of Sustainable Supply Chains. 

Background Information - Job specific 

Sustainable Supply Chains go beyond simple sustainable procurement, they require strategic thinking to ensure that all activities linked to procurement integrate requirements, specifications and criteria that are compatible and in favor of the protection of the environment, of social progress and in support of economic development, namely by seeking resource efficiency, improving the quality of products and services and ultimately optimizing costs. 

Since 2015, UNOPS has been a leader in sustainable procurement, and sustainability is now one of the core principles of UNOPS Procurement. We have implemented best practices such as: 

● Sustainable Procurement Framework, effective as of 1st January 2020, which requires that most of our procurement processes incorporate sustainability and gender mainstreaming considerations. 

● Delivering Responsibility in Vendor Engagement programme (DRiVE). DRiVE is UNOPS supplier sustainability assessment, inspection and corrective action-planning programme. Its overall scope is to ensure UNOPS vendors operate responsibly and in accordance with high standards of integrity, with a focus on human rights, labour standards, equal opportunity, code of conduct, health and safety, quality management and environmental management. 

● Possibilities Programme, which is UNOPS supplier diversity and inclusion programme. 

The Procurement Group has decided to create this new position to further develop and lead its approach sustainability and supply chains across the organization, including by leveraging data for sustainability, supplier capacity building, internal training and advocacy, thought leadership and innovation in sustainable procurement.

It is expected there will be constant interaction and collaboration with other PG teams and key stakeholders, including UNOPS Regions and offices, and other HQ groups such as Strategic Initiatives (SI) and Partnerships (PLG). There will also be collaboration with other UN Agencies through the HLCM-PN with a focus on the sustainable procurement working group.

Due to the nature of the job, the selected candidate is expected to travel occasionally to field offices, to conferences and other intra-agency events when relevant.

• Leadership of the Sustainable Supply Chains team which includes data analytics, advisory services development, supplier sustainability, supplier capacity development, and internal capacity development; 

• Development, planning, and execution of the work plan for the team within the agreed timeline and quality standards; 

• Promote continuous learning within the team and collaboration across the organization; 

• Fostering and enabling a positive environment of trust, transparency and diversity; 

• Identify, attract, recruit and onboard new talent for vacant positions if applicable. 

• Develop and manage the UNOPS approach to embedding sustainability into our supply chains 

• Support the development and continuous improvement of policies, standards, guidelines, tools and systems related to embedding sustainability into UNOPS Procurement and projects; 

• Work with the Assurance team on ensuring oversight and compliance; to ensure sustainability is included within corporate results, performance indicators and appropriate governance

• Act as a subject matter expert on sustainable supply chains by providing training and other capacity building interventions to UNOPS practitioners; 

• Lead the development of tools and guidance on the implementation of the contribution goals including supplier screening and reducing GHG and improving resilience in supply chains

• Acting as an internal ambassador raising UNOPS awareness of the importance of sustainable procurement policies and frameworks

• Support Partnerships (PLG) in developing Procurement Advisory Services further across the UNOPS Regional portfolios to leverage the Advisory team in the transfer of best practice in sustainable public procurement and supply chains to government counterparts. 

• Create case studies, posts and other knowledge products for procurement practitioners, and the wider UNOPS community

• Leverage the use of data analytics in sustainable supply chains to support organisational ambitions to reduce waste, increase efficiencies, reduce GHG emissions and contribute to sustainable outcomes and impact

• Support, strengthen and improve change initiatives that will lead to enhanced knowledge, and effective application of UNOPS procurement processes and tools; 

• Keep abreast of and be adept in contemporary sustainable procurement techniques and industry practices as they impact UNOPS to implement projects; 

• Advanced Degree (Master’s Degree) preferably in Sustainability, Procurement and/or Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, Development Studies or related field. 

• A First University degree (Bachelor’s degree) in combination with 2 additional years of relevant experience, may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

• At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in the fields of sustainability, sustainable procurement or corporate social responsibility. 

• Demonstrated experience in carrying out supplier inspections or similar investigating or auditing work is required. 

• Experience in developing countries is an advantage 

• Knowledge and experience in the application of UNOPS/UN procurement policies and procedures will be considered an asset.

• Fluency in written and oral English is a requirement 

• Knowledge of French and/or Spanish is an advantage

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.

• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures,  languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 

• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process.  If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions 

• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.

• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.