JOB DESCRIPTION

Org. Setting and Reporting These positions are located in Procurement Section within the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS), with multiple duty stations; Nairobi and Mogadishu respectively. The Procurement Officers will report to the Chief of Section, Procurement.

Responsibilities Within delegated authority and under the direct supervision of Chief of Section, Procurement, the Procurement Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

• Serves as a senior procurement and contracting expert with responsibility for the world-wide procurement of a wide variety of supplies and services associated with highly complex (technically and legally) contracts and procurement activities; may lead procurement work for a segment of a central or large peace-keeping program.
• Provides technical advice on procurement activities to officials of substantive units during all phases of the procurement cycle.
• Analyzes and evaluates procurement requests and ensures appropriateness of technical specifications.
• Develops and prepares highly complex contracts for procurement of non-routine and technologically advanced commodities or long-range services; issues international tender invitations; evaluates responses to tender, and makes recommendations for finalization of purchases and award of contracts; signs procurement orders up to the authorized limit, and, in cases where the amount exceeds authorized signature authority, prepares submissions to the Contracts Committee for review and subsequent approval by the authorized official.
• Develops new tactical approaches to contracts, as well as new 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.
• Maintains under constant examination production patterns in exporting countries; evaluates the productive capacities and performance of manufacturers to identify supply sources.
• Establishes approaches for negotiations and 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.
• Performs other duties, as assigned.

Competencies

• PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of internationally recognized procurement standards and of all phases of international procurement techniques and operations used in contracting for highly complex and technologically advanced goods and services. Knowledge of contract law and expertise in handling complex procurement and 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 complex and/or sensitive issues/problems. Ability to develop procurement policies, procedures and new programmes. 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.
• COMMUNICATION: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
• PLANNING AND 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.
• 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.

Education Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business administration, public administration, commerce, engineering, law or a related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with additional two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job – Specific Qualification Professional certification in procurement such as Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply certification (CIPS Level 4) or equivalent is desirable. Certification in Project/Programme Management methodology by an accredited body (e.g. PMP, PGMP, PRINCE 2 Foundation Project Management certification or Practitioner level) or equivalent is desirable.

Work Experience A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in procurement, contract management, administration, or related area is required. At least the recent two years of experience in conducting procurement (issuing, conducting commercial evaluation of tenders, and drafting of contracts) in a conflict/post-conflict environment is desirable. Experience in reviewing claims and change orders of large complex contracts is desirable. Experience working with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems such as SAP or similar system systems in the area of procurement modules is desirable. Experience in managing and supervising procurement teams undertaking complex international procurement actions within the UN Common System or similar international organizations is desirable. Experience in resolving contractual disputes and drafting paralegal oriented communication is desirable.

Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details).

Required Languages
LanguageReadingWritingListeningSpeakingEnglishUN Level IIUN Level IIUN Level IIUN Level II

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

Special Notice The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

United Nations Considerations 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, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, 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. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. 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. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile 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.

No Fee 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.