Supply & Logistics Specialist

The Supply and Logistics Specialist reports to the Dep Rep – Operations as per the Country Office (CO) set-up as well as Supply Division (SD) activities in China facilitating various SD engagement in China market, one of the biggest suppliers of UNICEF purchased goods. Having insiders understanding of Chinese market, direct contact and communication with Chinese authorities, vendors, market influencers, logistics providers, other UN Agencies should provide more efficient access to desired products and expedite procurement processes.

UNICEF’s current objectives in that particular office/division; and UNICEF China office plays a strategic role in supporting UNICEF’s global humanitarian work. In response to rapidly increasing humanitarian and development needs, UNICEF marked its sixth consecutive year of record-breaking procurement in 2022. China has been one of the top supply markets for UNICEF.

UNICEF purchases a variety of products from the China market, including but not limited to vaccines, medical supplies, and educational materials. In addition, the complex regulatory environment in China market plays a significant role in UNICEF’s global humanitarian work.

With China’s strengths in producing and delivering high quality goods and services, there is an opportunity for UNICEF China to partner with government authorities in China and other public and private sectors to realize the rights of more children in humanitarian and development contexts globally.

The specific role of the position’s section in contributing to their achievement:

• The Supply Section in the China office is managing both supply chain activities and partnership building with multiple stakeholders to proactively identify the challenges, foresee potential changes, and initiate innovative solutions and opportunities to ensure agile supply chain activities and optimal results of UNICEF’s global humanitarian response.
• This specific role will not only support all teams in Supply Division and other county offices to handle urgent procurement and shipping requests but also initiate opportunities for UNICEF China office and Supply Division regarding supply chain management and global humanitarian work in the ever-changing environment.
• To ensure efficient and effective supply chain activities in China market, this role will foresee challenges and opportunities and identify innovative solutions to proactively build strategic partnerships with government authorities and the public and private sectors in China to systematically enhance supply chain agility at UNICEF.

functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks: 

• Technical and advisory support to government/national systems
• Promote/drive supply chain strengthening and change management initiatives with governments and partners, to ensure efficient and effective supply chains for children.
• Provide input to capacity development initiatives in the area of supply chains for children, in close collaboration with programme colleagues. Support supply components of health systems strengthening as might be relevant in the country context.
• Advisory support to Governments/national systems in defining and determining supply solutions for children, such as use of procurement services; supply financing solutions; local market development; private sector engagement.
• Provide support in developing and implementing Supply and Logistics workplan for the China CO and also in collaboration with SD and other CO develop procurement plan for country-to-country procurement.
• Provide technical advice and support covering logistics aspects, including customs clearance, warehousing, and transport.

Innovation, products and markets:

• Contribute to pilots and support the actual roll-out of new products and services, in close collaboration with Supply Division.
• Identify which supplies are not available, gaps, and barriers to access for essential supplies for children in China. Use innovation for fit for purpose supplies for children in China.
• Promote critical thinking, innovative approaches, and good practices on supply chain management within the organization as well as with externals to ensure effective and efficient supply chains for children.
• Further to analysis of supply spend and related procurement strategies, in collaboration with supervisor run initiatives to ensure local market development where relevant.
• Facilitate identification of potential Vendors for development of fit-for-purpose and value-for-money products that respond to the unmet needs of children. By working with field partners and programmatic experts to understand those needs, businesses and academia to map the local market to identify capacities to make products that meet those needs, and with programming partners and donors to bring those new products to scale, product innovation at UNICEF is having a tremendous impact for children.

China market intelligence:

• Interpreting and closely monitoring Government procurement and market/supply related regulations providing SD and China CO with regular updates timely emphasizing changes and key opportunities and limitations.
• Explore market and product updates highlighting trends in supply, demand, shortages, surplus and availability of key strategic products procured by UNICEF in China.
• Assist SD in buying the right products at the right price and quality via detailed specifications, competitive tendering, smart contracting, and innovating funding mechanisms.

Networking and knowledge sharing:

• In close coordination with the SD and China CO establish and follow up with the relevant government authorities networking facilitating smooth processes in various areas of logistics, product production and warehousing.
• Establish and maintain regular contacts with Vendors (including direct manufactures) of various products of UNICEF global (and local) procurement interest.
• Provide, when required, training and informative sessions to interested Vendors about UNICEF/UN procurement framework.
• Provide, when required, training and information sessions to the SD and China CO Supply community regarding China market specific context and how to navigate various tendering processes to reach broader Vendors audience in China.

Supply chain service delivery and emergency response:

• In consultation with supervisor, participate in high level emergency coordination, implementation and monitoring meetings with internal and external partners and establish close collaboration with SD Transport Center to ensure effective and efficient logistics initiatives for children.
• In collaboration with supervisor, establish strong working relations with Regional Chiefs of Supply/Regional Chief of Operations, as well as Supply Division, to conduct root cause analysis of supply chain bottlenecks and challenges in the context of China engagement, contribute to the development of improved practices and approaches with a view to drive to achieve impactful results.

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

• An advanced university degree is required in Business Administration, Management, Economics, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Procurement, Contract/Commercial Law, International Development, Health or related social science field, or relevant first-level university degree (Bachelor’s) in conjunction with a valid relevant professional certification is required.
• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience, at the national and international levels, in supply, logistics, procurement, contracting, administration and/or other directly related technical fields is required.
• Understanding of development and humanitarian work.
• Emergency experience an advantage.
• Health supply chain management experience an advantage.
• Fluency in English and Chinese is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or a local language is an asset.

Source:  https://jobs.unicef.org/cw/en-us/job/570541