Procurement and Administrative Associate

Background

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

UN Women Burundi's Strategic Note 2019-2023 aligns with UN Women's Global Strategic Plan 2018-2021, the National Development Plan 2018-2027, the National Gender Policy (NGP) and UNSC Resolution 1325 action plans for 2017-2021, UNDAF (2019-2023) and the United Nations Resilience Framework. It captures the triple mandate of UN WOMEN (Normative, Coordination and Programmatic) aimed at supporting government and partners to achieve lasting results for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, building on its comparative advantages.

The strategic note prioritizes three outcomes: i) An environment for the implementation of WPS commitment is enabled in Burundi through the participation and influence of key governmental and non-governmental stakeholders’t; ii Women, including those in refugees/ IDPS camps and other vulnerable situations, experience enhanced safety, security, physical and mental health, and their human rights respected in conformity with ratified regional and international instruments’; iii) Women and girls participate in and benefit from socio-economic recovery opportunities in the context of peace and resilience-building’.

Hence, UN Women Burundi is structured in three main components: (1) Women Leadership & Participation -Peace and Security (WPS); (2) End of Violence Against Women and Girls/Human Rights and (3) Women Economic Empowerment (WEE).

Under the overall supervision of the Country Representative and the direct supervision of the Operations Manager a.i., the Procurement/ Administrative Associate supports the Office Operations by performing a variety of standard procurement and administrative processes ensuring high quality and accuracy of work. The Procurement/ Administrative Associate promotes a client, quality, and results-oriented approach.

The Procurement/ Administrative Associate works in close collaboration with the Operations, Programme and projects staff team to ensure consistent service delivery and to resolve complex procurement/ administration related issues and information delivery.

Duties and Responsibilities

Implement procurement strategies in accordance with UN Women rules, regulations, policies and strategies:

• Prepare procurement related reports and analyses; research and draft responses to enquiries for clearance by Operations Manager a.i. and approval by the Country Representative;
• Coordinate the implementation of corporate procurement management policies and strategies in support of cost saving and operations for the Country Office ;
• Prepare workplan;
• Contribute inputs to the development of new tools, systems, policies, manuals, templates, and guidelines;
• Provide advice and technical support on Procurement related issues to the Burundi Country Offices;
• Follow up with internal and external audits.

Manage procurement processes for the Country Office:

• Finalize procurement plans for programmes/projects and monitor their implementation;
• Review procurement requests and initiate procurement procedures for office and projects equipment, supplies and services in CO;
• Organize and review procurement processes including the preparation of Request for Quotations (RFQs), Invitation to Bids (ITBs) or Request for Proposals (RFPs) documents, receipt of quotations, bids or proposals, and their preliminary evaluation;
• Perform Buyer role in Atlas; prepare/close Purchase Orders (POs) and contracts in and outside Atlas;
• Organize joint procurement processes for the UN agencies in line with the UN reform.
• Review/ process contracts for the Country Office ;
• Monitor and analyze contract performance;
• Develop and update the rosters of suppliers, and support implementation of supplier selection and evaluation.

Administer and implement HR strategies and policies in Burundi Country Office in full compliance with UN Women rules, regulations, and HR policies and guidelines:

• Provide general, standard information to the management and staff on HR strategies, rules and regulations;
• Identify ways in which the administrative needs can be met within existing policies; interpret processes and procedures, anticipate and manage operational requirements;
• Prepare written response to queries concerning HR related matters.

Provide HR administrative and logistical services to Burundi Country Office in full compliance with UN Women rules, regulations, and HR policies and guidelines:

• Process, draft, edit, proofread and finalize for approval a variety of correspondence and other communications; maintain files/records, monitor deadlines;
• Provide administrative coordination in the extension of contracts, processing of national benefits and allowances, and entitlements, and renewal of UNLPs and visas;
• Facilitate responses to audit findings and recommendations;
• Assume overall responsibility for leave management; record management;
• Process payment, and administer entitlements for international staff as delegated; validate and coordinate local payroll and related issues;
• Facilitate staff separation process;
• Create/update entries of vendors, PO and Receipts in ATLAS system.

Facilitate and coordinate recruitment processes in full compliance with UN Women rules, regulations, and HR policies and guidelines:

• Draft job descriptions and vacancy announcements; assist in reviewing and processing requests for classification;
• Screen candidates and facilitate and participate in interview panels as necessary;
• Prepare recruitment recommendations/supporting documentation for the Central Review Board (CRB);
• Prepare position establishment, liaise with headquarters and assure that action is completed;
• Provide regular recruitment status reports;
• Provide advice to local recruitment in programmes/projects when necessary.

Provide administrative support to staff performance management and learning and development in full compliance with UN Women rules, regulations, and HR policies and guidelines:

• Monitor compliance with the performance appraisal review in the Country Office and staff learning and development;
• Facilitate the preparation of Office learning plan and individual learning plans in consultation with the Country Representative.

Facilitate knowledge building and knowledge sharing in Procurement and HR domains:

• Develop and support the development of training materials, webinars and other education materials;
• Organize trainings on Procurement;
• Synthesize lessons learnt and best practices, in Procurement
• Organize training courses, workshops, information sessions, orientations and consultations for staff;
• Provide a synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices in HR administration;
• Liaise with HR headquarters in HR administration and staffing to disseminate information on a variety of HR matters.

Key Performance Indicators

• Adherence to UN Women rules and regulations;
• Timely and quality procurement services;
• Perform duties in a transparent and cost effective manner;
• Timely and accurate organization of recruitments;
• Timely and accurate information provision to staff on HR administrative and benefit and entitlement issues;
• Timely administrative service delivery to the Burundi Country Offices;
• Up-to-date and secure databases, files and records.

Competencies

Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity;
• Integrity;
• Professionalism.

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
• Accountability;
• Creative Problem Solving;
• Effective Communication;
• Inclusive Collaboration;
• Stakeholder Engagement;
• Leading by Example.

Functional Competencies:

• Strong knowledge of HR administration, processes and policies;
• Ability to administer and execute administrative processes and transactions;
• Ability to handle information of a confidential nature;
• Ability to provide inputs to business processes re-engineering, implementation of new systems;
• Good quantitative skills;
• Ability to extract and Interpret data and produce quality reports;
• Strong IT and web based management skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education and Certification:

• Completion of secondary education is required, with specialized training in Procurement, or in Human Resources;
• Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business, Public Administration, Procurement or Logistics is an asset.

Experience:

• At least 6 years of relevant experience in Office Administration, Procurement, Human Resource management, or in Logistic Services;
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and experience in handling of web-based management system;
• Experience in the use of ATLAS is an asset.

Language Requirements: 

• Fluency in French and Working knowledge of English is required.
• Knowledge of the other UN official working language is an asset.