Sustainable Procurement & Oversight and Analytics Interns, Multiple positions

UNOPS supports the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to serve people in need by expanding the ability of the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, infrastructure and procurement in a sustainable and efficient manner.

Working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, our vision is to advance sustainable implementation practices, always satisfying or surpassing our partners’ expectations.

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

Within UNOPS, Implementation Practices and Standards (IPS) is responsible for the UNOPS delivery practices. IPS provides thought leadership, standards and oversight as support to the successful delivery of programmes and projects within UNOPS service lines (infrastructure, procurement, project management, human resources and financial management services). 

IPS is comprised of the Infrastructure and Project Management Group and the Procurement Group which aims to reduce organizational risks, improve project performance, and promote excellence across UNOPS projects through the Standards Management Framework; and provides organisational oversight on the application of standards. These Groups also support the positioning of UNOPS in the UN system and development sector in Infrastructure, Project Management and Procurement. It also includes the Portfolio Support unit which aims at building up and managing the organisational readiness of UNOPS and therefore supports the implementation of the UNOPS global portfolio.

Background Information - PG 

The Procurement Group (PG) is part of Implementation Practices and Standards (IPS) and is based at UNOPS HQ in Copenhagen. It leads the organization’s procurement practice and is responsible for: articulating strategy, policy positions and innovative solutions for procurement at UNOPS; enabling the operationalization and managerial oversight of UNOPS procurement activities through appropriate systems and reports; strengthening the knowledge, skills and career development of procurement practitioners; and leading the implementation of Sustainable Procurement across the organization.

As a central procurement resource for the United Nations system and its partners, UNOPS emphasizes efficient, transparent, cost-effective and sustainable delivery of goods, services and works, in line with public procurement best practices. On a yearly basis, UNOPS procures over USD 1 Bn worth of goods, services and works on behalf of our partners. These include a broad base of categories, including life-saving pharmaceuticals, mine action equipment, vehicles or road construction services. 

Since 2015, UNOPS has been a leader in sustainable procurement, receiving awards such as the Gold Certificate in Sustainable Procurement from CIPS and has implemented best practices in procurement including on procurement policy, ethics and fraud prevention, e-Procurement, and business intelligence and procurement advisory services.

1. Duties and Responsibilities 

Under the overall guidance and supervision of a Procurement Analyst, the successful candidates will be responsible for supporting a variety of tasks and work packages with a focus on data analytics support as follows: 

The successful candidate for the Sustainable Procurement team will support the team with the analytics, visualization, and reporting of supplier risk and due diligence data. As well as to support the further development of the UNOPS Supplier Sustainability-programme’s continued implementation. 

The successful candidate for the Oversight and Analytics team will support in particular the collation, verification, analysis and publication of United Nations procurement data as part of the Annual Statistical Report on United Nations Procurement (ASR). In addition, the intern will be involved in the design, analysis and production of procurement business intelligence projects for UNOPS.

Some of the specific tasks for which the interns may be involved with include, but are not limited to:

• Data Analysis: Assist in the collation, verification, and analysis of procurement data

• Data visualization and reporting: Assist with the development of dashboards, reports, and key conclusions from the analysis of procurement data. Support the development of regular communications for internal and external audiences

• Development: Assist in the maintenance of the PG datasets, data extraction, and other improvements to the programme

• Research and analysis: Support research projects (i.e. data collection, market research), including trends and innovations in the area of procurement, supply chain, sustainability, or other related fields, as well as on internal improvement. 

• Coordination support: Provide support in project coordination with internal and external partners. Support training events/initiatives including set up, logistics and implementation.

2. Training components and learning elements

   At the end of this internship, the successful candidates will have gained in: 

• Experience through exposure to UNOPS procurement framework, corporate standards, and activities;

• Experience through analysing and presenting large data sets of diverse context into meaningful and decision orientated analysis and data visualization; 

• Experience in supply chain due diligence and risk-based assessments;

• Exposure to international personnel in a UN headquarters and through interaction with field offices and other UN organizations (where applicable).

3. Participation in missions or training courses

  As part of the internship, the incumbent will have the opportunity to access UNOPS’ Learning Zone, which contains various courses about procurement, project management etc. 

Education

• Completion of secondary school or equivalent is required
• Applicants must be enrolled in a university degree such as a Bachelor, Masters or Ph.D., or have graduated within three years prior to the application date of the internship.
• We anticipate candidates’ qualifications and experience will be in a field related to mathematics, statistics, data science, engineering, finance, business management or equivalent.
  
  
  

Experience

While previous work experience is not required, the ideal candidate will be knowledgeable in data analytics, reporting and visualization. Knowledge and interest in sustainability, human rights, procurement and supply chain risk and business or corporate reporting will be considered an asset.

Verbal and written fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Spanish is desirable. Knowledge of another official UN language such as French, Arabic, Chinese or Russian or will be considered an asset.

Computer Literacy

•  Essential: 

  • knowledge in data analysis (e.g. creating charts, pivot tables, advanced functions) using spreadsheet tools such as Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel 

  • creating documents and presentations using tools such as Google Docs / Slides or Microsoft Word / PowerPoint

• Desirable:

  • using and creating dashboards in visualization tools such as Data Studio, PowerBI, Tableau

  • knowledge of database maintenance and use of Google Big Query

  • experience in SQL / Google Apps Script will be seen as an asset

Contract type: Intern
Contract level: Intern
Contract duration: 6 months (with possibility of extension)

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

Work environment:

IPS offers a unique work environment in UNOPS headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark, located in the UN City building, one of Copenhagen’s landmarks. UNOPS HQ offers a safe, family-friendly environment with multiple opportunities for networking and an active lifestyle in a city known for its excellent urban design and planning.
The IPS team is a diverse team in terms of age, nationalities and family situations. IPS is very dynamic and welcomes agility, autonomy and self-drive. The work of IPS is oriented towards exciting opportunities which have a corporate, global impact and is in touch with the whole of UNOPS. UNOPS has a hosting agreement with the Government of Denmark under which both national and international candidates are eligible for HQ-based positions. UNOPS officials are exempt from Danish taxes on UN incomes. EU citizens in particular may opt to be registered with the Danish State Administration as an EU migrant worker, and keep the rights associated with that status, or register through UNOPS with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. EU citizens may apply for the free public Danish health insurance or special health card depending on their choice of registration. Non-EU citizens will be registered by UNOPS under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 
IPS is very respectful of the UNOPS approach to work-life balance, including flexible working hours and remote working arrangements. IPS is keen on improving diversity in the team with a current focus on gender equality and equal representation.