Logistics Specialist, P3 – Second Population and Housing Census, Kinshasa

About the role

The UNFPA is supporting the Democratic Republic of Congo's second General Population and Housing Census, which requires moving hundreds of thousands of items (tablets, solar chargers, power banks, uniforms, training materials and IT infrastructure) to field personnel across 26 provinces. The Logistics Specialist, reporting to the Census Programme Coordinator and guided by the Census Chief Technical Adviser, oversees end-to-end supply chain management, distribution logistics, warehousing, customs clearance, asset tracking and reverse logistics across mapping, pilot and main enumeration phases.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the Census National Logistics Master Plan and distribution schedules for all 26 provinces, standardize multimodal transport (air, road, river, foot) and set procurement timelines, packaging standards and INCOTERMS with the Procurement Unit.
• Oversee international shipments and customs clearance with government ministries, ports and airports; run central and regional warehouses with security, climate control and inventory controls; build an electronic inventory tracking system using barcodes/QR codes.
• Support asset management for high-value items such as mobile CAPI tablets, solar kits and generators, and implement the reverse logistics strategy to collect, inspect, reconcile and re-warehouse equipment after enumeration.
• Negotiate transport agreements with local providers, carriers and government fleets, assess risks on fragile supply lines and provide real-time logistical support during field operations.
• Train INS/BCR and provincial census office staff on inventory tools, asset tracking, warehouse safety and fleet management.

Required profile

• Advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Transport Economics, Business Administration, Operations Management, Engineering or a related field.
• At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in supply chain, field logistics, warehouse management and freight transportation.
• Experience executing field logistics for large-scale national operations, censuses or humanitarian distributions in developing countries (Sub-Saharan Africa/DRC highly preferred).
• Fluency in French and working knowledge of English.

Required skills

• Hands-on experience with automated inventory management databases and asset-tracking technologies.
• Familiarity with UN operational policies, customs clearance and multi-agency coordination is an advantage.

What we offer

• A competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.