The primary purpose of UNCR is to safeguard the rights and well-being of people who have been forced to flee. Together with partners and communities, UNHCR works to ensure that everybody has the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another country. UNHCR also strives to secure lasting solutions.

For over half a century, UNHCR has helped millions of people to restart their lives. They include refugees, returnees, stateless people, the internally displaced and asylum-seekers. Our protection, shelter, health and education has been crucial, healing broken pasts and building brighter futures .

The UN Volunteer will be based in Panam City, City and work for UNHCR MCO Panama. The UNHCR Multi-Country Office (MCO) in Panama oversees operations in Panama, Nicaragua, Belize, and the Eastern and Southern Caribbean. The UN Volunteer maintains impartial, ethical and customer-oriented relations with suppliers and Partner organizations; exchanges information with counterparts in other UN agencies, and International Organisations within the limits established by UN /UNHCR Procurements Rules and assists with joint procurement actions if, as and whenever necessary.

The UN Volunteer supports all activities pertaining to the fleet management and supply chain function including planning, sourcing, transport, shipping, customs clearance and warehousing management within the Area of Responsibility (AoR), of the MCO Panama Office.

Under the direct supervision of the Programme Officer, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

• Analyze procurement-related matters and provide updates within their area of responsibility, offering guidance on UNHCR procurement policies and procedures to support requesting units at MCO Panama.
• Implement effective asset and fleet management that regularly monitors the asset/fleet pools, in close coordination with Global Fleet Management and other MCO Panama offices.
• Prepare order and disposal forms for fleet and asset-related cases on behalf of MCO Panama for submission to HQ.
• Prepare and deliver asset management and purchase order reports, including custom-ized and detailed summaries of assets, requisitions, and purchase orders, both periodically.
• Align local supply chain structures with operational needs, ensuring smooth information flow and adapting processes to the current environment.
• Prepare all required information and documents to order core relief items and plan for delivery of relief and other non-food items according to the operational needs Coordinate transportation and distribution of relief items, in close coordination with RBA Americas and HQ (Division of Emergency and Programme Support)
• Maintain accurate and comprehensive records on logistical activities and provide timely reports and updates both periodically and on request.
• Manage the vendor related processes including identification, assessment and selection of vendors based on their capability for delivering commodities and services. Ensure vendor and item master databases are up to date.
• Launch and oversee tender processes and manage the preparation of proposals for award of contracts to the Local Contracts Committee (LCC).
• Act as ex-officio in the LCC Review and clear procurement cases for the relevant procurement authority.
• Resolve difficulties in the local supply chain by finding solutions to problems and bottlenecks, and provide regular reports on supply chain activities, the status of requests and the availability of items in the supply chain
• Facilitate training of supply staff and assist in coaching and advising individuals or Supply teams as requested.
• Assist country operations achieving full compliance with rules & regulations in all supply activities.