Procurement Assistant, GS-5, Fixed-Term, UNICEF Supply Division, Copenhagen, Denmark

Overview

Support procurement cycle in UNICEF's Supply Division.

You have:

• Completion of secondary education is required.
• Five years of procurement related working experience required.
• Additional certified training related to business administration, procurement, supply management and similar desired.
• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is desired.
• Work experience with public procurement in an international organization desired.
• Previous experience with management of a specific commodity/group of commodities desired.
• Exposure to project involving external partners and donors desired.
• Knowledge of SAP or similar ERP system.
• Proficiency in Office Suite, particularly in data analysis tools and applications.

Contract

This is a G-5 contract. This kind of contract is known as General Service and related categories. It is normally only for nationals. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be more than 4,390 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, hope …

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organisation does - in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life - in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions - her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens - addressing inequity - not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfil their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

Considering the devastating effects of climate change, environmental degradation, the escalating impact of disasters and slow economic development in affected regions, UNICEF is advocating for a livable and sustainable future for all, also recognizing that the decisions we make and the actions we take are shaping the world our children will inherit. UNICEF Supply Division is committed to mainstreaming Sustainability in UNICEF led supply chains, including the implementation of principles of sustainable procurement. Hence each and every member of the UNICEF supply community is expected to adopt sustainability as a core value, alongside other core values of the organisation.

Overall, UNICEF Supply Division in Copenhagen aims to support the health, education, and well-being of children by ensuring that they have access to the essential quality assured supplies and equipment they need to thrive. The work of this post has a direct impact on these aspirations and contributes to ensuring that the goods and services we procure are fit for purpose.

How can you make a difference?

This position is placed in the Project Support Unit within the Water, Sanitation and Education Centre (WSEC). The unit is responsible for the global procurement of Education commodities and project support items such as Security items, Core Relief commodity amongst others.

Under the supervision of a Supply Chain Specialist Project Support Unit (PSU), the Procurement Assistant will support various activities in the procurement cycle related to a complex segment of products, particularly those in the Security are both personal and ballistic protection commodity groups and will provide effective services to UNICEF country programs with the overall goal of meeting the needs and requirements of the customers in an accurate, complete, and timely manner.

Key functions and responsibilities:

1. Reviews and evaluates incoming supply requisitions and requests to ensure quality and adequacy of information, specifications, appropriateness of requests, quantities, shipment, delivery dates, budgets.
2. Reviews material specifications and requirements with customers, countries, the technical counterparts and EMOPS and Regional Security Advisors and other UN Agency as appropriate to ensure completeness and appropriateness. Ensures that customers’ claims/complaints are processed in in a timely manner in collaboration with Country office, supplier, and EMOPS/Regional Office security advisors as appropriate.
3. Prepares sales orders, monitor, and follows up on progress of sales orders to ensure that commitments entered into are met.
4. Drafts and prepares international tender invitations for complex commodities. Assists with preparation of Contract Review Committee submittals. Drafts and prepares Purchase Orders. Assists with and prepares Long Term Agreements.
5. Monitors the status of Country Office programme orders and center specific KPIs. Pro-actively follows up on placed orders and deliveries with all parties concerned in order to ensure timely and safe delivery of goods. Transmits all relevant information to customer including changes to planned deliveries, to facilitate delivery and customs clearance of shipments i.e., Greenlight from CO, Customs documentation etc. Prepares and provides timely and regular status / monitoring reports to customers.
6. Updating of databases and management systems for use by HQ, Field Offices or Regional Offices.
7. Review incoming Emergency requests. Ensure good and fast coordination with Emergency Coordination Unit (ECU), Warehouse center (WIM) and key suppliers to ensure that Purchase Orders (PO) is placed in a timely manner.
8. Prepares evaluation of suppliers with respect to delivery performance and commercial acceptability of complex and highly customized commodities.
9. Any other duties or assignments as requested by the supervisor.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

**Education****:

• Completion of secondary education is required.

Work Experience

• Five years of procurement related working experience required.
• Additional certified training related to business administration, procurement, supply management and similar desired.
• Work experience with public procurement in an international organization desired.
• Previous experience with management of a specific commodity/group of commodities desired.
• Exposure to project involving external partners and donors desired.
• Knowledge of SAP or similar ERP system.
• Proficiency in Office Suite, particularly in data analysis tools and applications.

Languages

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is desired.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others.

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Eligibility:

UNICEF staff members globally and applicants who are EU nationals or in possession of a valid work permit for Denmark are eligible to apply. General Service (GS) staff are personally responsible for any travel and accommodation arrangements and UNICEF will not cover any costs related to relocation.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

Potential interview questions