PROCUREMENT OFFICER

The United Nation Secretariat maintains rosters of qualified and available candidates to fill anticipated job openings in peacekeeping operations, special political missions, and other field operations. The purpose of this job opening is to generate a list of qualified candidates for inclusion in the roster. The entire assessment process takes an average of six months; all applicants will be notified in writing of the outcome of their application (whether successful or unsuccessful) within 14 days of the conclusion of the process. Successful candidates will be placed on the roster and subsequently will be invited to apply for field mission vacancies open only to roster members. Roster membership does not guarantee selection.

These positions are located in the United Nations Peacekeeping Operations, Special Political Missions, Service Centres and Offices as applicable. The Procurement Officer usually reports to a more senior procurement officer or the Chief of Section.

Within delegated authority, the Procurement Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

• Serves as a senior procurement and contracting expert with responsibility for the procurement of a wide variety of supplies and services associated with complex (technically and legally) contracts and procurement activities;
• Provides technical advice on procurement activities to officials of substantive units during all phases of the procurement cycle;
• Analyzes and evaluates procurement requests and reviews technical specifications for completeness;
• Develops and prepares highly complex contracts for procurement of non-routine and technologically advanced commodities or long-range services; prepares/oversees preparation and distribution of solicitations and manages/conducts all aspects of bid/proposal evaluations; makes recommendations for finalization of purchases and award of contracts; within delegated authority, signs procurement orders up to the authorized limit, and, in cases where the amount exceeds authorized limit, prepares submissions to the Contracts Committee for review and subsequent approval by the authorized official;
• Develops tactical approaches to contracts, as well as methods for their application, based on market research;
• Contributes to development of institutional procurement policies and procedures; develops standards and criteria for the evaluation of goods, services, supplier capacity, etc.;
• Conducts market research to keep abreast of market developments and to identify new sources of supply;
• Conducts or coordinates all phases of negotiations with all concerned parties, including the negotiation of disputes arising from contracts;
• Provides direction and guidance to more junior staff.

Core 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.
-Knowledge of contract law and expertise in handling complex contract issues;
-Knowledge of quantitative methods to measure supplier capacity systems and ability to identify sources of supply, market trends and pricing;
-Ability to shape and influence agreements with requisitioning units and vendors;
-Ability to apply technical expertise to resolve a range of issues/problems;
-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 & 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

Managerial Competencies:

Managing Performance:
-Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority
-Makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member
-Accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills
-Monitors progress against milestones and deadlines
-Regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff
-Encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative
-Actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff
-Appraises performance fairly

Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in business administration, procurement, logistics, supply chain management, public administration, commerce, engineering, law or a related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Certification in PRINCE2 or other project management methodologies is desirable. Relevant certification from the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) is desirable. Relevant certification in supply chain management is desirable.

A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in procurement, contract management, contract administration, logistics/supply chain management or related area is required. Five (5) years of direct procurement experience is required. Experience in international operations, international organizations, peace operations and/or governmental/military operations is desirable. Experience with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems is desirable. Experience in all phases of high-value procurement operations is desirable

English and French are the working languages of the UN Secretariat. Fluency in English or French, (both oral and written) is required. Knowledge of English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

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 or sexual abuse, or crimes other than minor traffic offences, 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.

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.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side 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.

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.