UNDP Jobs - 59235- Regional Procurement Specialist

Regional Procurement Specialist

Location :

Amman, JORDAN

Type of Contract :

FTA International

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

28-Aug-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

P-4

Duration of Initial Contract :

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

The Procurement Services Unit is part of the Management Services Bureau in UNDP providing vital management support in areas such as administrative services, budget and finance, human resources, information and communications technology, legal issues, procurement, safety and security, administration of multi-donor trust funds, change management, and crosscutting business solutions.

Procurement is a fundamental component of UNDP, accounting for nearly 70 percent of UNDP programme delivery. Despite its critical role, procurement as an operational service can be traced back to as recently as 1999, when UNDP transitioned from a developmental funding model to one that included direct execution projects in its portfolio. In the years following this shift in models, UNDP procurement experienced unprecedented growth in terms of its volume and complexity. Following the restructuring of the UNDP procurement function, the procurement unit within UNDP became the Procurement Services Unit (PSU). The Procurement Services Unit team is based in both UNDP/HQ, Cyberjaya/Malaysia and in Copenhagen/Denmark. The team in New York (HQ) provides overall direction and guidance to UNDP on procurement activities, and is primarily responsible for UNDP procurement policy, processes and systems. The OSO team based in Copenhagen (known as the Global Procurement Unit or GPU), provides direct procurement services for the Global Fund, crisis prevention and recovery and elections programmes, while the Cyberjaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, team provides transactional support to global operations.

Under the supervision of the Procurement Service Manager with matrixed reporting to the Director of OSO/Deputy Director of the Regional Support Centre, and in close collaboration with the Country Support Team, the Regional Procurement Specialist will provide senior procurement guidance services to field offices within the Bureau for Europe and the CIS (RBEC) and lead the implementation of procurement projects and initiatives demanded by UNDP HQs which have a regional nature. The Regional Procurement Specialist will liaise closely with the Procurement Service Manager, GSSC/KL, and Deputy Director, Copenhagen/Denmark, undertaking direct procurement activities in support of regional client Business Units (primarily for Country Offices in the Middle East).
The Regional Procurement Specialist will contribute to the knowledge sharing and creation in the procurement practice; promote procurement “best practice” internally and externally. He/she will work closely with the Procurement Service Manager in the Strategy & Policy Unit and the Corporate Procurement Unit in New York. S/he will interact regularly with regional UNDP COs, RBEC Regional Center, regional vendors and contractors on related functional matters.

Duties and Responsibilities

Support to the development and implementation of operational strategies with the following key responsibilities:

Ensure full compliance of procurement activities with UN/UNDP rules, regulations, policies and strategies; develop and implement an effective internal control framework and a client-oriented procurement management system;
Elaborate and implement cost-saving and reduction strategies. Plan and monitor the unit’s budget to assure the timely and efficient delivery of services;
Conceptualize, elaborate and implement a contract strategy including tendering processes and evaluation, contractor appraisal, evaluation and negotiation of offers, management of the contract and contractor, legal considerations, payment conditions and risk assessment;
Conceptualize, elaborate and implement strategic procurement elements including sourcing strategy, supplier selection and evaluation, quality management, customer relations, and e-procurement development and refinement;
Participate in periodic meetings of the office and of the Unit in order to provide prompt and timely advice in the planning of resources and activities.

Efficient management of procurement processes with the following key responsibilities:

Review and comment on the requisitions and procurements plans prepared by the Client’s units, ensuring that related responsibilities are adequately designated, and that the time and resource estimates are adequate for the success of the proposal;
Prepare and deliver well-developed procurement plans for clients/projects including deadlines and monitoring processes;
Establish and implement monitoring and control systems for procurement processes including organization of RFQ, ITB, or RFP, receipt and evaluation of quotations, bids or proposals and negotiation of certain conditions of contracts to ensure full compliance with UNDP rules and regulations; Take action where standards or regulations are not met;
Review the solicitation documents, criteria for evaluation, specifications, and evaluation reports, and participate in contractual negotiations for contracts of high value and complexity, when required;
Promote and supervise compliance with the regulations established by the Contracts, Assets and Procurement Committee (“CAP”) and the Advisory Committee on Procurement (“ACP”);
Acts as audit focal point for the region and ensure the implementation of recommendations from internal and external audits assuring that corrective measures are placed in practice, when necessary;
Elaborate and implement the internal control system which ensures that purchase orders are prepared and dispatched; take timely corrective action on purchase orders if problems arise;
Harmonize procurement services where relevant in relation to joint procurement with other UN agencies in line with the UN reform;
Draft and issue contracts, Terms and Conditions and Schedules and ensure effective management of contracts to secure beneficial contractual arrangements for UNDP;
Provide consultation on ad hoc procurement processes to support business units that experience difficulties throughout the procurement chain.

Advise on regional complex procurement processes where: the goods and/or services are required by several or more UNDP business units; the nature of the goods and/or services are considered highly specialized; and/or where the procurement process is considered to have high risk elements with the following key responsibilities:

Contribute to the internal procurement framework to guide the team through the procurement process consistent with the UNDP procurement strategy and rules, the mandate of the Global Unit and the specific requirements of global procurement activities;
Coordinate regional operational plans and priorities, manage implementation, monitor progress and take decisions to meet objectives;
Support COs proactively on procurement planning, particularly, with regard to high-risk and complex procurements;
Analyze regional procurement trends across UNDP and the UN system to identify where cost savings and economies of scale can be applied;
Evaluate complex or unusual situations and approve alternative approaches and solutions where regular procedures are not applicable;
Ensure transparency, accountability and efficiency in all procurement processes through an effective internal control system;
Review work methods and procedures and initiate changes, keeping up with the leveraging use of technology and other applications in the business environment;
Interact with regional clients and partners to discuss and resolve common concerns and agree on solutions to improve service delivery.

Act as regional Desk Officer for UNDP Country Offices Support and Technical Guidance with the following key responsibilities:

Develop and manage partnerships with regional UNDP Country Offices to improve capacity and efficiency;
Provide senior procurement advisory services to regional field offices and senior management; Regional Country office support with mission to the field when required;
Interact with regional UNDP business unit ‘clients’ in order to develop a clear understanding of their procurement needs, interests and capacities and to manage problems and challenges effectively as they arise;
Establish and maintain a strong partnership with service providers to ensure economies of scale and client satisfaction.

Relationship management with internal and external stakeholders with the following key responsibilities:

Develop effective collaborative relationships with UNDP ‘clients’ working in business units; facilitate client capacity development as a key element of every procurement assignment;
Develop and maintain an effective network with inter-agency procurement counterparts working on Global Fund procurement activities;
Develop a network with interagency senior procurement colleagues to explore possible leverage across the UN system for the procurement of common goods and services;
Act as primary focal point for vendors involved with LTAs for Global Fund related procurement.

Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing with the following key responsibilities:

Identify the personnel required to achieve the correct functioning of the Unit, prepare the terms of reference and coordinate their selection and contraction;
Supervise and evaluate the performance of personnel in their positions, promote their personal and professional development in order to constantly improve the quality of their work and stimulate their collective and individual growth;
Elaborate and carry out a training plan for the unit, focusing on collective as well as individual activities according to the necessities of the unit and available resources;
Synthesize lessons learned and best practices in the procurement of global and specialized goods and services;
Make regular contributions to the procurement knowledge network and other communities of practice;
Provide leadership in the establishment of a reputation as the “Centre of Excellence”, which shares best procurement practices with other business units.

Competencies

Core:

Innovation

Ability to make new and useful ideas work.

Leadership

Ability to persuade others to follow.

People Management

Ability to improve performance and satisfaction.

Communication

Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform.

Delivery

Ability to get things done.

Technical/Functional:

Primary:

Procurement

The ability to acquire goods, services or works from an outside external source.

Sourcing

Ability to find, evaluate and engage suppliers of goods and services.

Strategic Sourcing

Knowledge of strategic sourcing concepts, principles and methods, and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations.

Supplier Management

Knowledge of supplier management concepts, principles and methods, and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations.

Logistics

Knowledge of logistics operations, principles and methods, and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations.

Contract Management

Knowledge of contract management concepts, principles and methods, and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s degree in Procurement, Business or Public Administration, Law, Engineering or other related fields.

Experience:

Minimum of 7 years of relevant professional experience.
Procurement or Operations Field experience in complex settings is desirable.
Experience is the Middle East is desirable.

Language Requirements:

Conversational fluency and strong writing skills in English required;
Fluency in French or Arabic is an asset.