Chief of Section, Progamme Management, Administration

Org. Setting and ReportingThis position is located in the Enabling and Outreach Service (EOS) within the Office of Supply Chain Management (OSCM) in the Department of Operational Support (DOS). The Department of Operational Support was established to provide end-to-end operational support, advisory services, and other solutions 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, United Nations Global Service Centre, Aviation Safety Section and the Enabling and Outreach Service. The EOS supports clients in managing their supply chains to fulfill their mandates, through enabling solutions, business intelligence and monitoring of supply chain performance, offering operational supply chain guidance, providing technological platforms, tools, and business process solutions, while ensuring a diverse and inclusive vendor base, so that the various supply chains can be efficient and effective. The incumbent will report to the Chief of Enabling and Outreach Service. ResponsibilitiesWithin limits of delegated authority, the Chief of Section will be responsible for the following duties: • Provides policy guidance to the Chief of Service, on conceptual strategy development and management of the implementation of overall strategies and intra- and inter-divisional/departmental policies and procedures. • Plans and oversees the management of activities and/or projects undertaken by the Section; ensures that substantive work programmes and programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion; coordinates the work in the Section, and, in liaison with other organizations of the United Nations System, Member States, and other stakeholders as appropriate. • Manages, supervises and carries out the work programme of the Section under his/her responsibility. Co-ordinates the work carried out by the Section including work related to the developing business intelligence for category teams in relation to global markets for the goods and services they seek, to allow for identification of new and innovative market opportunities and hence continuous improvement and excellence in client service. • Manages, supervises and carries out the work programme of the Section under his/her responsibility, with focus on continuous improvement and excellence in client service. • Co-ordinates and oversees the work carried out by the Section, including work and activities related to vendor outreach, due diligence and risk management, taking into consideration category specific requirements, enabling category teams to identify qualified vendors in relation to global markets for the goods and services they seek. • Fosters and strengthens relationships with current and potential vendors, as well as with Member States, through strategies to promote supplier diversity and registration of qualified providers from a wide geographical base, particularly from developing countries and countries with economies in transition, women-owned businesses and disability inclusive vendors. • Coordinates and oversees the provision of data analytics, insights and tools to enable category teams and other clients to identify trends and opportunities to manage and improve their respective supply chains. • Provides substantive input, including analytics and statistics, in the preparation of position papers and reports for presentation to intergovernmental bodies such as the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budget Questions (ACABQ), Committee for Programme Coordination, the General Assembly and other policy-making organs, as appropriate. • Contributes to the reporting to intergovernmental bodies on budget/programme performance or on programmatic/substantive issues, as appropriate, particularly those presented in biannual and/or annual reports. Contributes to the reporting on procurement statistics and activities published on the United Nations (UN) website and annual statistical report published on behalf of all UN entities. • Ensures that the outputs produced by the Section are consistently of high quality and insightful; that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive and accurate data. • Prepares inputs for the work programme of the Service, determining priorities, and allocating resources for the completion of outputs and their timely delivery. • Carries out programmatic/administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the Section, including preparation of budgets, assigning and monitoring of performance parameters and critical indicators, reporting on budget/programme performance, preparation of inputs for results-based budgeting, evaluation of staff performance, interviews of candidates for job openings and evaluation of candidates. • Supports the recruitment of staff for the Section taking due account geographical and gender balance and other institutional values. • Manages, guides, develops and trains staff under his/her supervision. • Fosters teamwork and communication among staff in the Section and across organizational boundaries. • Represents the Organization at inter-agency meetings, seminars ,and other relevant forums, including industry symposiums, vendor outreach events and meetings with member state representatives, as required on substantive-related issues. • Participates in or contributes to working groups of the Procurement Network of the High-Level Committee on Management (‘HLCM-PN’), including (i) the Vendor management sub working group on vendor due diligence and risk management, (ii) United Nations Global Marketplace working group and (iii) gender-responsive procurement task force. • Participates in international, regional or national meetings and provides substantive expertise on vendor markets, due diligence, risk management, statistics and other issues related to the section and OSCM, hold programmatic/substantive and organizational discussions with representatives of other institutions. Competencies• Professionalism: Knowledge of the substantive field of work, including in the areas of programme management and administration and of specific areas being supervised. Ability to develop strategic plans and frameworks specific to the area of supply chain management and to lead vendor outreach, due diligence and risk management activities so as to improve sources of the supply and diversity of the organization’s supplier base. Knowledge of operational processes and applicable policies and guidelines. Ability to produce reports and papers on technical issues, including analytics and statistics, 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. • Creativity: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs; promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches. • 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. • 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 improvements; 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. • 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. EducationAdvanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in business or public administration, supply chain management, procurement, logistics, finance, accounting, law or related area. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Job - Specific QualificationCertification in supply chain management or procurement by an accredited body (e.g., ASCM, ISM, CIPS) is desirable. Certification in Project/Programme Management methodology by an accredited body (e.g., PMP, PGMP, PMI, PRINCE 2) or equivalent is desirable. Work Experience• A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in administration, supply chain management, procurement, budget, finance, or related field is required. • Experience in preparing and presenting Business Intelligence reports is desirable. • Experience working with a broad range of stakeholders (government, supplier, staff and other client groups) is desirable. • Experience supervising a multidisciplinary team is desirable. • Experience in making presentations to senior management, oversight bodies and external stakeholders is desirable. • Experience in developing strategic and proactive solutions based on client needs using data to support recommendations and decision making is desirable. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is desirable. AssessmentEvaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a competency-based interview. Special Notice• Appointment or assignment against this position is for an initial period of one year. • Staff members of the United Nations Secretariat must fulfil the lateral move requirements to be eligible to apply for this vacancy. Staff members are requested to indicate all qualifying lateral moves in their Personal History Profile (PHP) and cover letter. • The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. • Applicants, who successfully go through a competitive recruitment process and are recommended for selection and/or inclusion in the roster of pre-approved candidates for subsequent job openings at the same level and with similar functions, may have their application information and roster status shared with other UN Organizations. Such applicants may be contacted by other UN Organizations for similar job openings, subject to the confirmation of their interest. Placement on the roster is no guarantee of a future selection. • Applicants from troop and police-contributing countries who are found most suitable and recommended for selection will be given due consideration for positions in a peacekeeping operation or Headquarters support account funded positions in the Department of Peace Operations and the Department of Operational Support, taking into account their contribution to United Nations peacekeeping, in accordance with General Assembly resolutions 66/265 and 67/287. • 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 ConsiderationsAccording 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. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile 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 FeeTHE 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.