UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to access

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does, in programmes, advocacy and operations. UNICEF’s equity strategy focuses on the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families and translates its commitment to children’s rights into action.

How can you make a difference?

Join UNICEF’s Latin America and Caribbean Regional Office in Panama City as a Procurement Services Specialist and help shape innovative, sustainable procurement solutions that deliver results for children. In this strategic role, you will drive the implementation of the Regional Procurement Services Strategy 2025–2029, strengthen national supply chains, and foster partnerships that unlock financing and resources for children. Working across the region, you will provide expert guidance, promote collaboration, and turn opportunities into measurable impact. Bring your expertise, strategic vision, and passion for results to UNICEF—apply today and help make a lasting difference for children across Latin America and the Caribbean!

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

Lead implementation and results monitoring of the LACR Procurement Services Regional Strategy 2025-2029.
Expand strategic Procurement Services engagement with governments and partners
Advance supply financing, fiscal space and innovative financing solutions
Develop strategic engagement with International Financial Institutions.
Strengthen national supply chains, markets and resilience
Build regional capacity, knowledge and partnerships

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Download File Job Description Procurement Services Specialist.pdf

To qualify as a champion for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements:
Education: A completed advanced university degree (Master’s degree) in supply chain management, procurement, business administration, public administration, economics, finance, international development or another relevant technical field. A completed first level university degree (Bachelor degree) in a relevant area combined with two (2) additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
Work Experience: A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible professional experience in procurement services, public procurement, supply chain management, supply financing, partnership development, programme management or a related field, including relevant experience in international development is required.
Skills: Demonstrate Procurement Services and Public Procurement Expertise
Strengthen Supply Chain Systems and Supply Financing
Drive Strategic Analysis and Business Development
Build Strategic Partnerships and Engage Stakeholders
Communicate, Influence and Advocate Effectively
Build Capacity and Promote Knowledge Management
Language Requirements: Proficiency in English and Spanish are required.

Desirables:

Language: Intermediate knowledge of French is desired.
Experience working with governments on public procurement, supply chain strengthening, or health, education and social sector programmes is an asset.
Experience engaging with International Financial Institutions (e.g., World Bank, IDB, CAF) or development financing mechanisms is desired.
Knowledge of innovative financing mechanisms, including pre-financing, domestic resource mobilization, pooled procurement or fiscal space initiatives is desired.
Experience supporting supply chain assessments, system strengthening initiatives, or national supply chain reform programmes is an asset.
Experience designing and delivering capacity-building, training and knowledge-sharing initiatives for diverse stakeholders is an asset.
Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts is desired.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships
(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
(3) Drive to achieve results for impact
(4) Innovates and embraces change
(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity
(6) Thinks and acts strategically
(7) Works collaboratively with others

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, discrimination, fraud, corruption and other forms of serious misconduct.

UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference, safeguarding and background verification checks. These checks may include verification of academic credentials and employment history, screening against relevant United Nations misconduct databases, and requests for misconduct disclosures from current and former employers, professional associations, other relevant organizations and participating organizations under inter-agency safeguarding initiatives, including the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (MDS), where applicable.

Appointment, selection and continued engagement are subject to the satisfactory completion of all required checks. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information and consent to enable UNICEF to undertake these checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments are conditional on the selected candidates' willingness to comply with current or future vaccination requirements, should UNICEF mandate it for personnel. Failure to comply with such requirements, where applicable and without a duly approved medical exemption from the relevant UN authority, will result in the cancellation of the selection or may lead to other administrative measures, including separation from service.

Remarks:

As per 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.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants' bank account information.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF's Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

Procurement Services Specialist (P-3), TA, 364 days, #00139011, Regional Services Division- Operations Section, Panama City - Panama, LACRO