Procurement Officer

The UNOPS Global Portfolios Office (GPO) brings together diverse expertise to help partners deliver impact worldwide. With hubs in New York, Geneva, and Vienna, and expert teams operating globally, GPO leads multi-regional initiatives that advance sustainable development, climate action, and peacebuilding - including in some of the world’s most challenging environments. By leveraging our collective expertise and global networks, GPO supports UNOPS’ strategic priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals across more than 130 countries. We work closely with major global partners - including governments, international financial institutions, and UN agencies - to deliver a wide range of services, such as project management, fund management, hosting services, and HR support.

The New York Portfolios Office (NYPO) manages UNOPS' New York-based portfolios, delivering project and programme management, procurement, HR, and financial services to global partners, from the UN Secretariat to Member States. NYPO strategically positions UNOPS with these partners, fostering collaboration to achieve growth and leveraging expertise in global portfolio design and implementation. We support the broader SDGs and 2030 Agenda, primarily assisting the UN Secretariat and other New York-based UN entities with a global reach. NYPO encompasses the Peace and Security Cluster (PSC), focusing on explosive threat management, and the Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC), providing diverse operational support to the UN system in New York.

Background: UNMAS Syria 

UNMAS Syria, with its office based in Damascus, plays a central role in coordinating humanitarian mine action across Syria. UNMAS also actively supports the broader United Nations Country Team (UNCT) by enabling safe access for humanitarian and development operations. UNMAS also works closely with the Syrian Government which has designated the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management (MoEDM) as the national focal point for mine action. As part of its strategic support, UNMAS is actively coordinating advising on the establishment of a national mine action authority and mine action centre, by providing strategic and technical advice and developing a comprehensive roadmap for institutional development and technical capacity. In addition, UNMAS serves as the lead agency for the NA AoR in Syria, coordinating efforts under the broader humanitarian framework.

Background Information – UNMAS

The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) is the coordinator for Mine Action within the United Nations system, located within the Office of Mine Action and Police (OMAP) at the Department of Peace Operations (DPO). It chairs the Inter-Agency Coordination Group on Mine Action (IACG-MA) and is the lead of the Global Protection Cluster (GPC) Mine Action Area of Responsibility (MA AoR). Mine action comprises five areas of work: clearance, risk education, victim assistance, advocacy and stockpile destruction. The United Nations applies mine action expertise to an increasingly wide range of explosive hazards, from unexploded missiles, artillery shells, rockets, grenades and mortars, to unsafe and unsecured weapons and ammunition, improvised explosive devices and cluster bombs. UNMAS leads, coordinates and carries out efforts to mitigate these threats when mandated by the United Nations Security Council or, when requested by the Secretary-General or an affected country, often in response to a humanitarian emergency.

Working under the supervision of the Support Services Manager and guidance from the Procurement team in NY, the Procurement and Grant Officer is responsible for supporting delivery of procurement services reflecting best practices in international public procurement; compliance with UNOPS procurement rules and regulations; appropriate risk management; and obtaining the best value for money. The incumbent applies relevant rules and regulations and provides solutions to a wide range of issues related to procurement within UNOPS. By adhering to the highest degrees of personal and professional ethics, the Procurement and Grant Officer maintains a collaborative, quality-driven, client-focused and results-oriented approach to their procurement role.

1. Procurement Operations and Processes

• Execute procurement activities in line with UNOPS rules, regulations, policies, strategies and best practices.

• Support in implementing or supporting the different steps of the procurement process, including pre-purchasing, strategy and planning, requirements definition, sourcing, purchasing, solicitation, management of submissions, evaluation, review and award, post-purchasing, contract finalization and issuance, logistics, and contract management.

• populating the procurement plans on time and as expected for review.

• Assist in tracking the procurement plans for alignment with project timelines and budgets.

• Review requirements and flag issues to ensure clarity, completeness and suitability from a procurement standpoint.

• Prepare solicitation documents for tenders.

• Coordinate the end-to-end solicitation process, including Requests for Quote (RFQs), Invitations to Bid (ITBs), and Requests for Proposal (RFPs) in line with UNOPS policies.

• Participate in negotiations on contract terms in full compliance with UNOPS rules and regulations. 

• Prepare submissions to the Contract and Property Committees (CPCs)

• Enter and update supplier information in the UNOPS ERP system - oneUNOPS (oU).

• Draft Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs) and Long Term Agreements (LTAs)

• Act as the procurement official and implement all procurement-related activities in the project office under the guidance of the Procurement team from New York. 

1. Provision of Grants

• Prepare the documents required for Call for Proposals (CFPs)

• Act as the Grant Support Official (GSO), and organize and implement the end-to-end process for the provision of grants and project cooperation agreements.

• Prepare submissions to IPAS for recommendation of award

1. Contract Management of Services

• Draft service contracts

• Assist in formulating the contract management plans with substantive inputs from Operations

• Assist in monitoring performance against deliverables throughout all contract phases with substantive input from Operations

• Apply liquidated damages to contractors when required

• Act as an administrative focal point for the contractors

• Raise receipts and ensure timely payments

• Initiate and assist in managing contracts through the PSC contract management tool, and complete Supplier Performance Evaluation (SPE) in OneUNOPS

1. Grant Management Support 

• Draft Grant Support Agreements (GSAs) and Project Support Agreements (PSAs)

• Support in ensuring that all due diligence processes are completed

• Support in monitoring performance against objectives stipulated in the grant, with substantive input from Operations

• Assist in tracking of grants with input from finance

• Act as an administrative focal point for the grantees

• Ensure timely milestone payments

• Initiate and manage grants through UNOPS PSC contract management tool  and UNOPS Grant+

1. Knowledge Building and Knowledge Sharing

• Provide sound contributions to UNOPS PSC by synthesizing lessons learned and disseminating best practices in the relevant area.

• Collect and productively utilize feedback, ideas and internal knowledge about processes and best practices

Required

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline with 2 years of relevant experience 

Desired

• A globally or nationally recognized professional certificate or membership (e.g. CIPS) is an asset.

Required

• Relevant experience as experience in advising on and implementing policies and procedures to deliver a range of procurement and/or grant activities within international/ multi-national organizations. 

• Experience in the use of collaboration and productivity tools (e.g. MS Office, G-Suite, etc) and web-based management systems.

Desired

• Experience of working in multicultural environments or UN system organizations in a developing country is desired.

• Experience in development or humanitarian contexts is desired

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
• UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. 
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments. 
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
• UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct, including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledge and consent to these verification processes.
  

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here. 
• For more details about the contract types, please click here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda. 
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.