Skip to content

General Information

Position Title
Director, Procurement Group
Job Category
Leadership
Duty Station(s)
Copenhagen
Seniority Level
Executive Level
ICS Level
ICS 14
Contract Type
Staff - IP - FTA
Contract Level
IP D-2
Posting Start Date
27-Mar-2026
Posting End Date
26-Apr-2026
Duration
2 years initially, renewable, subject to satisfactory performance and funding availability

Job Highlight

Lead UNOPS’ global procurement and supply chain agenda, shaping sustainable sourcing strategies, expanding diverse supplier markets, and advancing collaborative standards across the UN system.

About the Group

The Procurement Group (PG) leads UNOPS’ effort to enable public procurement to be a catalyst for sustainable development. Based in Copenhagen but connecting all parts of the organization that contribute to sustainable procurement, we articulate the organization’s sustainable procurement practice strategy and provide thought leadership to position UNOPS with its partners. We foster innovative solutions for responsible supply chains, manage critical data and systems, drive digital innovation, develop systems to support effective purchasing, and drive our suppliers’ responsibility. Furthermore, PG is actively developing capacities for data-driven decision-making and foresight to enhance procurement outcomes. PG enables the operationalisation of the public procurement principles. It aims to bridge the gap between policy and implementation, and supports UNOPS teams worldwide through strategic advice, organization-wide knowledge-sharing, capacity building, insightful reporting and managerial oversight of UNOPS procurement activities. We promote procurement that not only delivers value for money, fairness and transparency, but also empowers institutions, supports local economies, and reduces environmental impact. Working across sectors and contexts, PG helps ensure that public procurement is used as a powerful lever to drive equitable development and long-term impact.

Role Purpose

Reporting to the Deputy Executive Director (DED) for Management and Policy, the PG Director serves as an institutional steward, responsible for formulating and implementing the strategic vision that guides UNOPS global sustainable procurement and supply chain management practice. 

The role acts as a world-class expert and senior advisor to executive leadership, regional directors, partners, and governing bodies promoting sustainable and ethical procurement approaches which strengthen systems development for a broad base of partners including governments. 

The PG Director represents UNOPS’ values and leadership to Member States, donors, partners, and the UN system, ensuring a coherent sustainable procurement agenda while building global networks and championing management and leadership excellence to strengthen UNOPS’ future readiness.

Functions / Key Results Expected

1. Organizational Leadership and Strategic Direction


  • Serve as a senior organizational leader contributing to UNOPS’ corporate strategy, advising the Executive Director and senior management on emerging global trends, risks and opportunities in procurement and supply chain management. 
  • Translate UNOPS’ organizational mandate into a strategic vision and multi-year plan for procurement and supply chain management that leverages innovation, strengthens organizational coherence and enhances UNOPS’ global positioning
  • Envision and advocate for the role of procurement and supply chain management as core drivers of sustainable development and operational excellence within and beyond UNOPS.
  • Ensure alignment between PG priorities and organizational goals, while championing initiatives that strengthen leadership capacity, institutional resilience, and long-term impact.



2. Functional Stewardship, Policy Leadership and Organizational Standards


  • Lead the development, implementation and continuous evolution of global standards, policies, governance structures, and risk frameworks that define UNOPS’ procurement and supply chain management practice.
  • Exercise stewardship over the integrity, quality and performance of procurement and supply chain management services across the organization.
  • Promote devolved, empowered decision-making models that place accountability and authority closest to the point of delivery while ensuring coherence and organizational learning.
  • Guide regional and country teams on strategic negotiations, programme design and high-impact engagements with partners, ensuring alignment with UNOPS priorities and global standards.
  • Provide authoritative advice to the Executive Director, DED, Regional Directors, governing bodies and external partners on complex and politically sensitive matters.


3. People Leadership, Culture and Organizational Capacity


  • As a member of UNOPS global leadership team, role-model UNOPS values and behavioral competencies. 
  • Drive leadership development and talent pipelines, ensuring the cultivation of the next generation of infrastructure and project management leaders.
  • Promote teamwork and collaboration across PG, ensuring team members have clear direction, objectives and guidance to enable them perform their duties responsibly, effectively and efficiently. 
  • Foster a positive work environment that is respectful of all. Ensure appropriate focus on team well-being, empowerment, diversity and inclusion and that the highest standards of conduct are observed.
  • Champion organizational learning, continuous improvement, and a high-performance culture.


4. Partnerships, Representation, Advocacy and Influence 


  • Build and sustain strategic partnerships, networks and coalitions that bring expertise, visibility and resources to UNOPS’ mandate.
  • Represent UNOPS at the highest levels in inter-agency bodies, executive boards, governing bodies and major international forums.
  • Engage with Member States, donors, international financial institutions, host governments and implementing partners to advance UNOPS’ strategic interests and expand  opportunities for collaboration.
  • Serve as a spokesperson and thought leader on procurement and supply chain management, elevating UNOPS’ profile globally.
  • Strengthen collaboration across the UN system, ensuring UNOPS contributes to collective results and sector-wide standards.


5. Knowledge Leadership, Innovation and Future Readiness Management


  • Lead the development of UNOPS’ knowledge agenda for procurement and supply chain management, ensuring the organization remains at the forefront of global best practice and technological innovation.
  • Drive the creation of research, evidence and strategic insights that inform policy development and strengthen organizational decision-making.
  • Promote a culture of experimentation and learning that anticipates future needs and positions UNOPS to respond to global shifts

Skills

Contract Negotiation, Corporate Governance, Enterprise Risk Management, Organizational Leadership, Stakeholder Management, Supplier Development, Supplier Management, Supply Chain Management, Strategic Thinking
Strategic Perspective
Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organisation. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organisation.
Respect
Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organisational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.
Collaboration
Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.
Partnerships
Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).
Excellence
Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.
Adaptability
Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.
Decision-making
Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.
Communication
Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Education Requirements

Required

  • Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline with 12 years of relevant experience OR Master’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline with 10 years of relevant experience is required.


Desired

  • Procurement/ Supply Chain Management certification (e.g. CIPS) is desired.

Experience Requirements

Required

  • Relevant experience is work in strategic and managerial leadership of procurement and supply chain management in large international organizations or corporations.

  • Advanced knowledge and demonstrable application of sustainable supply chain management principles and approaches is required.

  • Demonstrated senior-level experience in negotiation, collaboration, and organizational representation across inter-agency and multi-partner environments, with a proven record of advancing sector-wide alignment and shared standards, is required. 

  • Experience leading global procurement strategies promoting market development at local and regional levels leading to diversified supplier networks is required.


Desired

  • Experience of working in multicultural environments or UN system organizations is desired.

  • Experience in development or humanitarian contexts is desired.

  • Demonstrable understanding of supply chain issues in international development is desired.

Language Requirements

LanguageProficiency LevelRequirement
EnglishFluentRequired
ArabicBasicDesirable
SpanishBasicDesirable
Chinese, MandarinBasicDesirable
FrenchBasicDesirable
RussianBasicDesirable

Additional Information

  • Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
  • Please note that UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
  • Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. 
  • Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments. 
  • UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 
  • UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience requirements outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to considering all candidates in a fair and transparent manner, and we value diverse perspectives and experiences, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals with diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.
  • We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.
 
Terms and Conditions
 
  • For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 
  • For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here. 
  • For more details about the contract types, please click here.
  • All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda. 
  • It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.