PROCUREMENT ASSISTANT

Senior Logistics & Procurement

Overview

Assist in procurement processes and manage contracts for the United Nations mission.

You have:

• A high-school diploma or equivalent is required.
• Professional certification by an internationally recognised procurement certifying authority such as CIPS Level 4 is required.
• Minimum of eight (8) years of progressively responsible experience in procurement or related area is required.
• Three (3) consecutive years of experience in planning and conducting international tender exercises within the recent five years is required.
• Fluency in English is required; working knowledge of French is desirable.

Contract

This is a FS-5 contract. This kind of contract is known as Field Service. It usually requires 8 years of experience, depending on education. More about FS-5 contracts and their salaries.

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located within the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO). The Procurement Assistant will be based in Goma. The incumbent reports to the Chief Procurement Officer through a designated Team Leader.

Responsibilities

Within limits of delegated authority and depending on location, the Procurement Assistant FS-5 will carry out the following duties: Responsibilities Within delegated authority, the Procurement Assistant will be responsible for the following duties: • Review, record and prioritize purchasing requests, obtain additional information and/ or documentation as required, provide assistance to requisitioners in preparing scope of work and specifications of goods and services and how to develop the Source Selection Plan in order to ensure the implementation of Best Value for Money principle. • Prepare and finalize Source Selection Plans. • Research the market. Identify and recommend sources of procurement; post tender requirement in the UN Procurement Division website for Request for Proposals (RFPs) and Invitations to Bid (ITBs.) • Produce tender documents (e.g. Invitation to bids, Request for Proposals and Request for Quotations) based on the nature of the requirements and cost of procurement involved. • Submit, following initial screening, technical proposals to the requisitioners or the Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) for technical evaluation and follow up with them to expedite the process of technical evaluation. • Review technical evaluations received from requisitioning offices. • Prepare and analyze abstracts of offers and compile data contained in quotations, proposals and bids to determine which vendor could deliver the required goods/services at on the best possible terms. • Prepare submissions for review and presentation to Local Committee on Contracts LCC and / or Headquarters Committee on Contracts (HCC) in respect of all proposed contract awards exceeding the Procurement Section’s authority and obtain recommendation for approval from the Contracts Committee (LCC and/or HCC). • Assist relevant officers in more complex, higher value purchasing operations. Draft and issue Contracts/related documentation and undertake post-award financial/contracts management. • Approve Contracts for the purchase of rental services, supplies, equipment or other requirements up to the delegated procurement authority. • Resolve issues/problems related to delivered goods/rendered services, including discrepancies between contracts/purchase orders and articles received; prepare, sign and return to vendor forms for unacceptable services and/or goods received. • Review and evaluate the performance of vendors and contractors; identify any shortcomings; initiate appropriate recommendations to the Vendor Review Committee for suspension and/ or exclusion of those who fail to perform satisfactorily from any further business with the Field Mission. • Monitor POs and contracts including follow up actions and follow up for timely delivery of goods and services; raise Change Order if required. • Liaise regularly with Sections/Units in order to ensure that contracts/ purchase orders are renewed in a timely manner; follow up with requisitioner for completeness and submission of vendor performance report after completion of the order / contract and take appropriate action. • Maintain relevant internal databases and files, keep track of any contractual agreements and inform respective contract management officials and end users of contractual rights and obligations; Monitor deadlines (e.g. delivery dates, expiry dates, renewal dates, etc.) taking appropriate and timely action to ensure timely delivery. • Supervise the sale by auction of mission assets which have been written off the inventory and recommended for sale by property survey board action; prepare advertisements; organize viewing of assets; receive bids; prepare documentation for the opening of bids; coordinate with the relevant section the handover of equipment once payment is made. • Supervise, assign and review work of more junior staff. • Perform other duties as assigned.

Competencies

Professionalism Knowledge of internationally recognized procurement standards and of all phases of international procurement techniques and operations used in contracting for a diverse range of goods and services. 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 and 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

High-school diploma or equivalent is required.

Job - Specific Qualification

Professional certification by an internationally recognised procurement certifying authority such as the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS Level 4, or equivalent), is required. Professional training in procurement, contracts management, Information Technology, Construction/ Property Management, Finance, business administration, Engineering, Logistics or related field is desirable.

Work Experience

A minimum of eight (08) years of progressively responsible experience in procurement, contract management, logistics, Supply Chain Management or related area is required. Three (3) consecutive years of proven hands-on experience in planning and conducting international tender exercises and in managing and delivering complex procurement programs within the most recent five years is required. Proven experience of financial management systems, e-procurement software (e.g. SAP-Ariba) and ERP software (e.g. Umoja) is desirable. Experience in handling complex, high-value specialized contracts in various categories of supplies and services (eg. Engineering, Leases, Information Technology (IT) Aviation, Transport, Security or Facilities Management) is desirable. Experience in public sector procurement processes and procedures used by e.g. the United Nations Common System or other comparable international organizations is desirable. Experience in international operations in a post conflict environment is desirable. PRINCE 2 and SCOR-P certification is desirable. Sound knowledge of other software applications, e.g. Excel, Visio or Power Point highly is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Working Knowledge of French is desirable.

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 until 30 June 2025. 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. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. 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. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile 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.

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Potential interview questions

Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: careers.un.org