Expression of Interest Call - Procurement Officer for Latin America and the Caribbean

WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles.

Selection is made on a competitive basis, and we are committed to promoting diversity and gender balance.

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide.  The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes.  Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need.

As part of Zero Hunger SDG 2 and Partnerships SDG 17, WFP’s shift from delivering to delivering and enabling countries aims at improving efficient and effective institutions, systems, and programmes that will be able to tackle the root causes of food insecurity and hunger vulnerable populations.

There is a significant level of need and demand in national supply chain (SC) capacity strengthening activities in LAC region for which WFP should provide and engage with governments and other partners in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC). These activities range from requests for WFP to perform supply chain capacity assessments of national social safety-net programmes and/or school feeding programmes through technical training and support. With the objective of enabling national supply chains to support hunger and poverty mitigation programmes and respond to emergencies, and creating partnerships and platforms through global, regional, and local networks, SC engages to direct operations where required.

In line with this strategy, WFP LAC SC is expanding its role from delivering to delivering and enabling, and therefore focusing on the investment of SC expertise in articulation of program design and ability to transfer these capacities to Governments and key national stakeholders.

To collect, analyse, and report on information to maximise the efficiency of procurement operations and activities.

Depending on your experience level and expertise you will be involved to a greater or lesser degree in work related to (but not limited to) the following:

1. Development of procurement plans and processes ensuring compliance with wider procurement policies and WFP standards.
2. Management of procurement programs and operational activities, (e.g. issue tenders, evaluate offers and negotiate/award contracts), following standard processes to contributing to successful procurement of food and non-food commodities or services.
3. Monitoring and analysis of data to provide recommendations for process improvement.
4. Collate data for preparation of accurate and timely reports of procurement activities, enabling informed decision making and consistency of information presented to stakeholders, leading to performance optimization.
5. Collation of information and drafting of appropriate responses to recommendations to support auditing of procurement activities and ensure conformity with compliance rules.
6. Collaboration with internal counterparts and external partners including suppliers, superintendents, companies, etc. to align procurement activities with wider programmes and ensure a coherent approach to meeting food assistance needs.
7. Training (e.g. for example designing and reviewing training materials) of WFP employees to take a strategic and proactive approach to the procurement of food and non-food commodities and services.

Education:

Advanced University degree in Economics, Commerce, Business Administration, Engineering, Legal or Accounting or other relevant field, or First University degree with an additional relevant work experience and/or training/course.

Years of relevant professional experience:

• Junior Consultancy: One to three years of relevant professional experience.
• Level I Consultancy: Three to five years of relevant professional experience.
• Level II Consultancy: Six to ten years of relevant professional experience.

Languages:  

• Fluency (level C) in English language.
• Intermediate knowledge (level B) of a second official UN language: Spanish or French are highly desirable.

Professional experience is desired (but not required) in one or several of the following areas:

• Procurement activities (purchasing, vendor research, etc.).
• Conducting cost analyses.
• Working with vendors or other partners.
• Humanitarian assistance and/or development work of the United Nations, or other international governmental or non-governmental organisations.

The World Food Programme (Panama Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean) is seeking Expressions of Interest from qualified individuals for future consultancies in the region.

All applications received will be reviewed and go through a selection process to asses relevant experience and qualifications. Applicants who meet the selection criteria may be contacted for further interviews or assessments and to confirm their continued interest and availability.

Successful candidates will be placed in a roster for short-term opportunities. Rostered applicants may be contacted in the upcoming 12 months on an as-needed basis.

WFP offers a competitive compensation package determined on the basis of the Terms of Reference and the selected candidate’s qualifications and experience.

15 September 2020

Female applicants, and qualified applicants from developing countries are especially encouraged to apply

WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, colour, ethnic group, age, sexual orientation, other affiliation or HIV/AIDS status.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.