National Procurement Specialist

Organizational Setting

The main aim of the FAO country offices, which are headed by an FAO Representative, is to assist Governments to develop policies, programmes and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to help develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner.

Reporting Lines

The Procurement Specialist shall operate under the overall guidance and responsibility of the FAO Representative for Tajikistan, in close collaboration with the staff of the Representation including the Technical Officers responsible for project cycle management as well as in liaison with the Procurement Service (CSLP) in FAO headquarters.

Technical Focus

The Procurement Specialist will perform a variety of procurement activities aimed to assist FAO Tajikistan requiring specialized procurement support and will provide administrative and operational procurement related support according to procurement manuals and the best practices of the Organization.

Tasks and responsibilities

General:

• Liaison with the Share Services Centre (SSC) and the Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (REU) on all matters related to applying best practices and relevant administrative FAO mechanisms; • Support to the general administrative work of the Representation including general office management and procurement; • Ensure full compliance with FAO rules, regulations, and policies of financial and administrative activities, financial recording/reporting system, implementation of effective internal controls, proper functioning of a client-oriented financial resources management systems and follow-up on audit recommendations; • Ensure compliance with administrative rules, regulations and procedures of the organization.

Procurement:

• Review and analyse procurement requests for completeness and conformity with established FAO rules, procedures and practice; liaise with the Requesters, as necessary, and recommend appropriate strategy/approach to best serve Organizational interests; • Assist in preparing evaluation criteria for complex procurement actions, prepare or guide tender documents and contracts; Perform operational functions relating to the procurement process including, but not limited to, preparation of documents in FAO’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system and other office applications (GRMS, In tend) related to assigned procurement actions, issuance of tenders and purchase orders, evaluation of bids, follow-up with suppliers including follow-up on orders to ensure timely delivery, etc. • Develop, monitor and regularly update procurements plans, • Follow up with the requesting unit on necessary supporting documentation and clearances as required; • Provide guidance to FAO Tajikistan staff on procurement matters and on the implementation of procurement strategies and processes in conformity with the relevant rules, procedures and practices. • Conduct market surveys via available reference resources and database and maintain updated list of local suppliers; • Prepare tender documents, Invitation for Bid (ITB), Request for Quotation (RFQ) and Request for Proposal (RFP); • Facilitate the evaluation process, in liaison with the relevant technical divisions, by preparing commercial evaluations and relevant notes/reports, organizing Local Procurement Committee (LPC) meetings and ensuring budget holders’ clearance before issuance of a Purchase Order (PO); • Provide advice and guidance to colleagues on the use of IT applications, including e-tendering tools, utilized in the FAO Procurement Service. • Review and analyse requests for ad-hoc re-delegation of authority to be submitted to Regional Office or CSLP Headquarters team for authorization. • Serve as a LOA Quality Assurance Officer , conduct Quality Assurance for LoAs and provide advice to staff on LOA approval process; • Monitor suppliers’ performance with respect to the quality and timely delivery of goods and services; • Participate to meetings with local suppliers to ensure that these are held in compliance with FAO Policy • Collaborate with inspection companies on verification of delivered/arrived goods; • Arrangement of custom clearance procedures on arrived goods on FAO’s name as well as arrangement of inspections upon inquiries; • Maintain local inventory records with responsibility for proper recording of assets, their maintenance, custody and safeguard; • Ensure that all necessary procurement related data is recorded in corresponding software; • Assure proper filing of all procurement related documentation; • Assist in other administrative related issues as per requirement.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree (master’s desirable) in Business Administration, Economics, in Law, Public Administration or other related field • Working knowledge of English and Russian;; • At least 5 years of relevant (procurement) work experience, preferably in international organizations.

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus • Teamwork • Communication • Building Effective Relationships • Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) • Excellent communication abilities (oral and written) • Experience in working for or with international development organizations or United Nations agencies • Experience in a general administration with international organization will be an asset. • Knowledge of Tajik would be an asset • High sense of responsibility, resourcefulness, willingness to take initiative, excellent communication skills and team • Knowledge of procurement-related IT tools and systems (i. e. enterprise resource planning, inventory management, procurement, database management applications, etc.) is desirable.

Selection Criteria

• Successful Completion of Suitable Public Procurement education with the relevant certification. • Affinity with the mandate and role of the United Nations and FAO;

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing)
• Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you need help please contact: [email protected]
• Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted
• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/
• For additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.