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 a Champion

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF Supply Division (SD) is the UN’s largest end-to-end supply chain entity, dedicated to ensuring children in development and humanitarian contexts have access to life-saving supplies. The division focuses on strategic procurement, humanitarian response, and supply chain optimization. These goals are supported by key strategies in financing, digitalization, and localization to protect children's rights globally.

The SFC oversees Procurement Services (PS) by providing partnership coordination and monitoring support across UNICEF’s global offices. Within this center, the Partner Interface and Engagement Unit (PIE) serves as the primary operational link for partners, including governments, NGOs, and international financial institutions like the World Bank.

PIE manages the entire lifecycle of procurement requests, from initial screening and business unit assignment to KPI monitoring and complaint handling. The unit also serves as a normative "Help Desk," providing essential guidance, training, and system improvements (such as CRM and concept notes) to handle increasingly complex transactions. Based in Copenhagen, this specific position reports to the Procurement Services Manager within the PIE sub-unit.

Purpose for the job:

Under supervision and guidance of the sub unit lead, Procurement Services Manager, responsible for processing requests with emphasis on complex projects and initiatives from analyses/assessment of partner’s needs, timely and accurate processing of cost estimates and sales orders; issuing and expediting of orders and deliveries and reporting to meet/satisfy the needs and expectations of partners including leading and undertaking coordination across BUs and other centres.

Scope of the responsibility of the job is to provide on-going support for PS transactions in Supply Financing Centre.
The incumbent exercises judgement in performing all procurement services activities in compliance with the existing rules and regulations.
The incumbent refers to the supervisor with problems that require a management solution or if some deviation from procedures and standards is required.
The incumbent frequently works with other colleagues in PS function across SD as well as external PS partners and acts as lead Focal Point vis a vis the Partner.
The incumbent is expected to make recommendations for improvements to the operational/transactional processes.

Key Responsibilities:

Performs all procurement services activities in compliance with the UNICEF Financial Rules and Regulations, Supply Division Manual and other applicable procurement procedures.
Leads, manages and monitors transactions including Key Accounts and complex Projects for assigned partners, under the guidance of the Procurement Services Manager and in line with procedure requirements.
Analyses requests, identifies and addresses any potential operational risks, suggests and develops risk mitigations as needed, and communicates with partners, country offices and SD centres to ensure aligned expectations, the clarity of specifications, appropriateness, delivery requirements and delivery dates.
Co-lead Screening Review Groups as required for assigned projects and initiatives including ensuring relevant tools are applied (e.g. RACI, roles and responsibilities).
Leads coordination and follow up of transactions for a Partner across Centres.
Prepares cost estimates for warehouse items with focus on complex projects and initiatives, including freight quotes in collaboration with business units and shipping unit. Prepares sales orders for warehouse items and monitors and follows up on progress of sales orders to ensure that commitments entered into when preparing the cost estimates are met. Ensures budgetary limits of the sales orders are respected.
Expedites purchase orders and deliveries to ensure timely delivery. Transmits all relevant information to partner to facilitate delivery and customs clearance of shipments.
Develops, prepares and provides complex, timely and regular status / monitoring reports to partners and other offices in UNICEF ensuring clarity and progress.
Closing of transaction files, ensuring adequacy and completeness of information in accordance with guidelines.
Ensures good communication and support to partners throughout the whole procurement process.
Provides active inputs to the discussions and analysis on PS operational improvements contributing to the normative unit.
Other duties as may be required.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Download File ProcurementServicesAssociate_G6.docx

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements
1. Education: High School Diploma/A levels and technical university level courses in Business Administration or related field.
2. Work Experience: 6 years of relevant work experience in Procurement Operations, Project Management, Partner Relationship Management, Transaction Management
3. Skills: SAP, Microsoft Office, Project Management, Procurement, Analytical Skills, Customer Service
4. Language Requirements: English - Proficient/Fluent

Desirables
1. Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language
2. Developing-country experience, UN system experience, maternal health, neonatal health, humanitarian preparedness
3. Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.

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 and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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 may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

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.

UNICEF staff members holding fixed-term, continuing, or permanent appointments who are considered to be on abolished post status may apply for this temporary position and, if selected with a start date before 31 December 2025, may take it up as a temporary assignment, in line with UNICEF guidance on separation due to the abolition of posts or staff reduction. They will retain their fixed-term entitlements but will not hold a lien to their abolished post. For other scenarios where a Temporary Assignment may be possible, please refer to Additional guidance on IP to IP temporary assignments after completion of the full TOD.pdf (accessible to UNICEF personnel only).

The conditions of a temporary assignment, including relocation entitlements, will depend on the status of the staff member's original appointment and may be limited in accordance with applicable UNICEF policies, procedures, and practices in force.

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.

Visa residence requirements: i.e. UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category.

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 Associate, G-6, Temporary Appointment, 6 months, Supply Financing Centre (SFC), Supply Division, Copenhagen, #00138101