Country: Switzerland
Closing date: 21 Aug 2019
Org. Setting and Reporting
This position is located in the United Nations Officer for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Geneva. OCHA is the part of the United Nations Secretariat responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies. OCHA also ensures there is a framework within which each actor can contribute to the overall response efforts. OCHA's mission is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors in order to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies; advocate the rights of people in need; promote preparedness and prevention and facilitate sustainable solutions.
The Chief Supply Chain and Asset Management reports to the Executive Officer. 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.
Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Chief Supply Chain Management and Asset Management is responsible for the following functions:
Management:
• Participates in the global OCHA planning process involving all OCHA offices, with attention to supply chain and procurement areas and contributes to an integrated approach and consistency in the implementation and operationalization of the delegation of authority.
• Plans, develops and manages supply chain activities of all regional offices covering requisitioning, procurement, shipping and receiving, contract management and asset management disposal, involving multi-million dollar expenditures of a broad range of commodities and services.
• 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 OCHA 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 OCHA.
• Analyzes unusually complex and/or critical procurement proposals of significant financial or operational impact; determines appropriate strategy/approach to best serve institutional interests, and ensures implementation, including the authorization of exceptions to established rules, practices and procedures, as necessary.
• Develops and implements a service optimization programme to promote continuous improvement in the quality and delivery of supply chain activities to OHCA Field and Head Quarters. This includes a regular review of critical and key procurement and 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 supply chain services across all regional 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 to ensure proper budget, accounting, procurement, financial, assets and human resources management and control of supply chain expenditures.
Advisory:
• Provides strategic advice to the Executive Officer/OCHA on the necessary managerial, logistical and administrative support required to fully implement the integrated supply chain.
• Maintains active communication with DOS/OSCM headquarters, with Global and regional service centers, and other UN entities, supporting OCHA in relation to supply chain management activities.
• 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 honors 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 is required. 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.
CIPS Certification level 2 or higher (or equivalent) 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, disposal, support field operations. 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.
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.
Special Notice
• This position is temporarily available until 31 December 2019. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.
• While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post.
• Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.
• This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15.
• Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply.Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.
• Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as "retirement." Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.
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.
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.
How to apply: