ACQUISITION PLANNING OFFICER

Contract

This is a FS-6 contract. This kind of contract is known as Field Service. It usually requires 10 years of experience, depending on education. More about FS-6 contracts and their salaries.

Org. Setting and Reporting This position is located in the Supply Chain Management Service of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) with duty station Bamako. The Acquisition Planning Officer will report to the Chief of Acquisition Planning Section under Supply Chain Management Service located in Bamako.

Responsibilities The incumbent is involved in planning, developing and managing the acquisition process for various services and commodities (e.g. information technology and communication equipment, vehicles, medical equipment and supplies, food rations, fuel, construction and building maintenance materials, stationery and office supplies, furniture and fixtures, accommodation and office equipment etc.), taking into account different sourcing options, including global and regional systems contracts, local market conditions, logistics forecasting, inventory holdings in situ or elsewhere in missions supported by the UN headquarters Department of Operational Support (DOS), supply schedules, and ongoing assessment, and prioritization of operational supply chain requirements.

Within delegated authority, the Acquisition Planning Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

• Prior to budget formulation, liaises with technical units to prepare their projected demand in order to establish the mission's annual demand plan (i.e. draft acquisition plan) based on mission priorities;
• Consolidates and compares budget projections and demand plans from technical units through review of stock holdings, consumption patterns, procurement cycle times, requirements and forecasts of internal and external customers;
• Liaises with UN Global Service Centre (UNGSC) and/or UN headquarters regarding the submission of the mission's demand plan as input for the consolidated global acquisition plan;
• Monitors mission requisitions in assigned categories to ensure purchase requests are based on forecast plan; Liaises with counterparts in other Missions on item availability prior to making decision to acquire new items either for replacement or additional requirements;
• Initiates actions leading to the implementation of the Mission Acquisition Plan, taking into account different sourcing options, including global and regional systems contracts, local market and other conditions, logistics forecasting, inventory holdings, stockouts, consumption patterns, supply schedules, and supply chain data quality assurance ongoing assessment and prioritization of operational supply chain requirements;
• Contributes to planning, development and management of the acquisition process for various services and commodities (e.g. information technology and communication equipment, vehicles, medical equipment and supplies, food rations, fuel, construction and building maintenance materials, stationery and office supplies, furniture and fixtures, accommodation and office equipment etc.), including materials resource planning and coordination of transportation requirements and consolidation of inbound deliveries, service contracts requirements and maintenance plans of assigned services, taking into account the different procurement methods, lead times and sourcing options available;
• Contributes to the execution of internal controls over acquisition activities and support functions;
• Advises recipient entities and technical units periodically on the progress of acquisition activities and detailed status of implementation of the acquisition plan, including a full range of procurement and other supply chain issues encountered, providing them with support and guidance at all stages of the procurement cycle, and prepares the quarterly review for submission to UNGSC and DOS;
• Meets regularly with internal stakeholders to review the Mission Acquisition Plan based on changing priorities and emergencies as related to the assigned materials/services groups to ensure an efficient and cohesive approach to managing areas of mutual interest;
• Carries out programmatic/administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the Section, including review of cost estimates from technical units, monitoring performance parameters and critical indicators and reporting on work programme performance;
• Prepares a variety of internal mission Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), guidelines and instructions governing the acquisition planning and requisitioning process; contributes to the preparation of global SOPs, guidelines and instructions governing the procurement process, including delivery and payment;
• Devises and maintains a computer-based system to track Mission-procured Contracts during their lifecycle allowing their timely extension as well as providing detailed statement of expenditures;
• Prepares integrated, timely and accurate reports to monitor and track all aspects of the Mission supply chain to ensure an uninterrupted supply of goods and services so as to meet operational requirements;
• Oversees and ensures compliance & quality assurance with focus on data integrity while generating periodic reports and effective monitoring of Supply chain key performance indicators (KPIs);
• May provide guidance to and supervise new/junior staff;

• Performs other related duties as required.

  Competencies Professionalism: Demonstrated knowledge of and exposure to a substantive field of work in the areas of supply chain management, acquisition planning, warehousing, inventory management, distribution and procurement. Shows pride in work and in achievements; Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; Is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; Remains calm in stressful situations; Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

Planning & Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; Identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; Allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; Foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; Monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; Uses time efficiently

Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients ” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; Identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; Monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; Keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; Meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client

Education Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in supply chain management, business administration, logistics, procurement or a related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Qualifications in IPSAS, ERP such as SAP-Umoja and SCOR will be an advantage.

Work Experience A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in supply chain management, logistics, acquisition planning, procurement, or related area is required. At least two years experience in supply chain or logistics in an international environment is desirable. Experience with MRP (Materials Requirements Planning) and/or ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems such as SAP ECC (ERP Central Component), SRM (Supplier Relationship Management), or similar types of systems such as SCOR in support of production planning, scheduling, inventory control, procurement, and/or logistics processes is desirable.

Languages English and French are the working languages of the UN secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English and French (both oral and written) are required.

Assessment Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice - This position is temporarily available for six months. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.

• While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post.

• Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.

• This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15.

• Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply.Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.

• Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as "retirement." Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.

  United Nations Considerations According to 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. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.