Job Description
The Position:
The Procurement Associate is responsible for the procurement support to the unit and assigned countries in the Regional Office Shared Service Centre (ROSSC). The Procurement Associate is required to ensuring that the efficiency is achieved in procurement management services and the provision of accurately documented procurement information, through transparent utilization and management of financial resources of the ROSSC and Country Offices (COs). He/she analyzes and interprets the procurement rules and regulations and recommends solutions to a wide spectrum of complex procurement issues. The Procurement Associate promotes a collaborative, client-oriented service approach consistent with UNFPA rules and regulations.
The Procurement Associate will establish and maintain contacts with Programme Associates and Officers at Headquarters, and Country Offices as well as all staff within the Regional Office, and partners involved in the regional programme. Contacts with staff and other personnel promote achievement of common goals and shared objectives, and demonstrate personal commitment to UNFPA’s mandate and organizational vision. The incumbent will respond to non-routine queries and provide explanations on matters which may be complex requiring thorough knowledge of policies and procedures of the work area.
The Procurement Associate will work under the overall guidance of the International Operations Manager, and the direct supervision of the Procurement Specialist.
How you can make a difference:
UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.
In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.
UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.
Job Purpose:
Within the context of declining financial resources, increasingly complex political, economic and humanitarian challenges, and the need to deliver high quality rights-based results within the Agenda 2030 environment, the Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office has developed a framework for strengthening UNFPA’s efficiency, effectiveness and presence in the region. The framework sets out a new structure to ensure more effective support to country offices (COs) in the region, increased operational efficiency throughout the region, strengthened coordination and support for preparedness and resilience-building in humanitarian contexts, and enhanced resource mobilization capacities. The structure will be operationalized through the Regional Operations Shared Service Centre (ROSSC) which will consolidate core operational functions in procurement, finance, ICT and administration including human resources. It is intended that COs will obtain operations service support from the ROSSC. The Service Centre will have the capacity to provide services across all four functions to COs in the region in varying degrees based on the operational capacities that exist in each office.
The ROSSC will be responsible for financial management services including procure-to-pay services, vendor management, assigned balance sheet account reconciliations, cash transfer transactions (cash advances, expense reports and direct payments) to IPs as per Funding Authorization and Certificate of Expenditure (FACE), value added tax (VAT) management, accounts receivable application, Atlas data quality maintenance and year-end closure activities.
The ROSSC will be responsible for procurement management services including solicitation, contract award and management. It will provide support to COs on Contract Review committee (CRC) submissions and provide oversight on local procurement activities.
The ROSSC will also provide oversight and support to Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers (HACT) quality control on assurance activities and IP capacity building and support audit preparations. The ROSSC will also provide software and corporate systems management support as well as asset, inventory, human resources and travel management services.
Given the exceptional complexity, breadth, reach and volume of the ROSSC portfolio in the area of procurement and the challenges inherent in operational support both for middle income countries and the Eastern and South Africa Region as a whole, UNFPA has established the position of Procurement Associate at GS7 level to provide overall procurement support to the Unit.
You would be responsible for:
Management of Office Procurement:
Prepares a consolidated Procurement Plan for the Regional Office and supports the preparation of work plans for the country offices in the region on the basis of a review of all Annual Work Plans and oversees procurement, ensuring the most economical and timely delivery of complete UNFPA country office procurement portfolio.
Provides oversight support for the national- and international procurement plans developed by the COs in the region to ensure they are based on the national supply plan, coordinated with all other RH partners in the country, complete with all anticipated procurement activity which will be channeled through UNFPA for execution and developed in a timely manner.
Liaises with the Senior Management Team, Programme Analysts/Specialists and PSB, in coordination (if required) with relevant Government Departments and NGOs, in defining accurate specifications and agreeing procurement modalities for the most effective and efficient procurement in accordance with prevailing UNFPA policies and procedures.
Provides advice and systems to assist the CO with preparations of activities related to the national forecasting exercise, procurement planning and logistics management within their sphere of work in each of UNFPA’s thematic programming areas.
Reviews procurement requests and initiates procurement processes for office and project equipment, supplies and services in a transparent and cost-effective manner; recommends procurement decision.
Maintains a roster of consulting firms.
Monitors and evaluate effectiveness of procurement processes within the Country Office and its decentralised office and ensures compliance of the office business practices with the provisions of the UNFPA policies and procedures, work practices, and processes and suggest changes for improvement where and when necessary.
Oversees local procurement in the Regional Office and Country Offices and participates on the One UN procurement working group request/ necessity.
Ensures coordination with UNFPA Procurement Services Branch and Facilities Management Services, UNOPS and other UN procurement bodies for timely delivery and receipt of goods and services, release, acceptance and delivery of these to the destination point in a timely manner with due attention to quality assurance.
Maintains up-to-date and complete records, documentation and filing of all procurement processes.
Supports coordination with internal and external auditors, reviewing and implementation of audit recommendations in collaboration with PSB
Ensures that evaluations of service providers are completed in the correct and timely manner; and that the associated follow-up actions are implemented.
Ensure effective usage of UNGM as a tool of maintaining a reliable list of potential supplier that can be used for formal and informal solicitation processes.
Ensure proper coordination between COs and PSB through smooth flow of information
Establishes and maintains working relationships with procurement/technical colleagues in other UN agencies.
Performs the dispatching function for the Country office; advising staff when procured goods arrive. Ensures the checking and timely collection of procured goods by programme staff; and puts measures into place to ensure that this happens.
Performs regular audits on stocks and stores.
Preparation and submission of cases to Local Contract Review Committee and HQ Contract Review committee as applicable.
Conduct contract management tasks such as taking timely action to process the payments per the contract terms and the vendor performance evaluation.
Assist in the capacity building of Implementing Partners on all aspects of procurement and logistics management:
Ensure effective usage of UNGM as a tool of maintaining a reliable list of potential supplier that can be used for formal and informal solicitation processes
Tracks the shipments in OTS and update the status.
Follow up with the COs for timely clearance of consignments and update and monitor the status report to the office on regular intervals.
Other procurement & logistic related activities.
Administrative Support:
Provide administrative supports such as maintaining complete procurement files, drafting minutes of key procurement meetings.
People Management & Leadership:
In collaboration with and clearance from PSB, provides information, technical advice and guidance on all aspects of procurement and supply chain including commodity types, procurement activities, processes and procedures in relation to UNFPA business practices, liaising and advising on best practices as necessary in-house as well as with external stakeholders.
Keeps Country Office personnel abreast of latest developments in policies and procedures and all PSB activity as this relates to the Country Office including regular reporting of procurement activities.
Promotes local capacity building in procurement and logistics. Designs and develop curricula and materials, in consultation with and approval from PSB, for procurement and logistics trainings and conduct the latter.
Exchanges relevant information and maintains an open line of communication with colleagues and his/her supervisor.
Actively participates in CO and operations unit meetings.
Carry out any other duties as may be required by UNFPA leadership.
Qualifications and Experience:
Minimum 7 years’ related work experience.
Experience in international, public procurement or contracts and supplier management is highly desirable.
Experience with UN procurement, finance and contracting regulations and procedures will be a decided advantage.
Certification in CIPS, procurement, forecasting, or similar preferred.
Proven experience and track record in successfully managing complex bid processes for complex products and services; proven experience and track record in complex item and category management.
Experience in working in team and leading team projects is highly desirable.
Knowledge of legal aspects of contract management is an asset.
Excellent working knowledge of MS Office (in particular, applications related to database and data analysis), Atlas (PeopleSoft or alternatively Oracle), E-filing system and other software applications is required.
Education:
Completed Secondary Level Education required, preferably with a focus on business administration, economics, procurement and logistics or related fields.
First level university degree in Business Administration, International Development Studies, Economics, Auditing, Engineering, Logistics or similar discipline is desirable.
Languages:
Fluency in English. Working knowledge of French and/or Portuguese, an asset.
Required Competencies:
Values:
Exemplifying integrity
Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system
Embracing cultural diversity
Embracing change
Core Competencies:
Achieving results
Being accountable
Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen
Thinking analytically and strategically
Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships
Functional Competencies:
Business acumen and ability to multi-task and balance competing priorities
Innovation and marketing of new approaches
Pro-activeness and client orientation
Organizational awareness
Job knowledge/technical expertise
Required Skillset:
Managing data
Managing documents, correspondence and reports
Managing information and workflow
Planning, organizing and multi-tasking
Managing financial processes
Proficiency in current office software applications; good basic knowledge of finances.
Compensation and Benefits:
This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus annual and sick leave, health insurance and other benefits as applicable.
Disclaimer:
UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Fraudulent notices, letters or offers may be submitted to the UNFPA fraud hotline http://www.unfpa.org/help/hotline.cfm
In accordance with the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations, persons applying to posts in the international Professional category, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.
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