Background

This is an external advertisement, but internal candidates applying for this position will be given priority consideration:

HIV/AIDS is one of UNDP’s top corporate priorities.  In the past several years, UNDP’s contribution to the global effort to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS has greatly intensified, focusing on the governance challenge of planning and implementing a truly multi-sectoral and society-wide response to the epidemic. 

One central aspect of UNDP’s work is to help countries develop capacity to access and absorb international funding from a wide variety of sources, as well as build capacity for strategic planning and results-based implementation of national and local-level HIV/AIDS plans (“Making the Money Work”).  In a number of countries, UNDP is helping to formulate fundable HIV/AIDS plans and to organize roundtable meetings where resource needs are discussed and donor pledges are made.  UNDP also helps strengthen financial and managerial capacity of national AIDS programmes, stronger inter-ministerial coordination, and mechanisms for effective and decentralized channeling of funding.  This work is of crucial importance in creating an environment in which mechanisms such as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the “Global Fund’ ) can succeed.

In late 2002, UNDP began its partnership with the Global Fund.  Since its inception, the UNDP-Global Fund partnership has grown significantly from managing a single USD 6.7 million Global Fund grant in Haiti in 2002 to currently being Principal Recipient (PR) in 26 countries for 63 grants totaling over USD 886 million for a two-year period.  This portfolio is likely to grow in 2010, with additional funding being granted to UNDP for round 8 and 9 grants and the second phase of a number of grants. Pursuant to its agreement with the Global Fund, UNDP is appointed as the PR in exceptional circumstances, generally in countries with low capacities, weak systems and/or poor accountability.  However, with the exception of in donor-constrained countries, UNDP is meant to build the capacity of local entities to assume the role of PR in the future. 

In its role as PR, UNDP is responsible for the financial and programmatic management of the grant, as well as the procurement of health and non-health products. In all cases, the implementation of the grants must be done in accordance with UNDP policies and procedures as well as the policies and guidelines of the Global Fund. 

In addition, UNDP provides capacity support to a number of governments who are managing Global Fund grants directly. In the last few years, UNDP has expanded this capacity development role and is presently providing technical support in an additional 8 countries in the areas of project planning, sub-grant and contract administration, financial administration, procurement, and monitoring and evaluation.

Given the importance of the partnership with the Global Fund, UNDP continues to strive towards providing high value-added services to governments and the Global Fund, both in its role as the PR, and, increasingly, as a significant technical partner to governments implementing Global Fund grants. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the guidance and supervision of the Senior Procurement Advisor, the Procurement Advisor will play an advisory and support role for UNDP Country Offices that are Principal Recipient or providing capacity support. The support role will involve travel to Country Offices.
 
The Procurement Advisor will work within the team of Special Advisory Services. The Procurement Advisor will also work in close collaboration with the Global Fund Support Team based in the Bureau for Development Policy’s HIV/AIDS Group (Geneva, New York), the Global Procurement Unit of UNDP and other UN agencies, especially UNICEF UNFPA, UNOPS and WHO.

Summary of key functions:

• Advisory and support services to country offices for procurement and supply chain management issues.
• Statistical documentation of procurement activities related to the UNDP-Global Fund Partnership.
• Assist and participate in an overall contract monitoring strategy of Sub-Recipients.
• Manage relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Knowledge sharing on procurement and supply chain management. 
• Development of asset management and grant closure procedures for Global Fund programmes.

1.  Advisory and support services for procurement and supply chain management with the following key responsibilities: 

• Act as policy focal point for supply chain management and logistics related questions in UNDP Procurement Support Office;
• Provide technical assistance to Country Offices  on pharmaceutical supply chain management;
• Provide technical assistance to Country Offices for the formulation of Procurement and Supply Management (PSM) Plans;
• Advise Country Offices for CAP and ACP submissions;
• Advise UNDP Country Offices on best procurement and supply chain managementpractices; and
• Provide capacity building (on procedures and best practices of procurement and supply chain management) to Country Offices.  

2.  Statistical documentation of UNDP-Global Fund  Procurement activities with the following key responsibilities:

• Prepare and review updated information for  Procurement and Supply Management Plans drafted by UNDP PR country offices;
• Analyze UNDP procurement activities and the pricing structure;
• Prepare the bidding documentation for Long Term Agreement contracts;
• Develop new information queries and document UNDP’s achievements related to Global Fund grant implementation vis-à-vis procurement and supply chain management; and
• Develop and implement specific quantitative criteria for performance measurement in pharmaceutical supply chain management.

3.  Assist and participate in the management of an overall strategy for contract monitoring management of Sub-Recipients to be implemented by UNDP Country Offices and serve as best practice template:

• Define the overall contract monitoring strategy for Sub-Recipients including development of a Sub-Recipient Manual and training courses;
• Provide advisory and support services to UNDP Country Offices in management of  substantial  Sub-Recipient contracts.

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

• Develop and maintain effective relationships with UNDP and UN colleagues working on pharmaceutical supply chain management;
• Participates in an active network to exchange experience and solve common procurement-related problems;
• Develop and maintain collaborative working relationship with colleagues in UNDP/BDP and Bureau of Management;
• Act as primary focal point for vendors involved with Long Term Agreements/Sub-Recipient agreements for procurement.

5.  Knowledge Sharing on procurement and supply chain management with Country Office staff with the following key responsibilities: 

• Ensure systematic knowledge sharing on procurement with Country Offices by assisting the Senior Procurement Advisor in the organization of all training workshops and in the development of knowledge tools;
• Provide regular updates on procurement tools, methods, and approaches relevant to procurement via the relevant UNDP knowledge network (globalfund-net); and
• Actively participate in UNDP and other relevant external networks to promote capacity development in procurement and supply chain management.

6.  Develop asset management and grant closure procedures and provide technical assistance to Country Offices:

• Assist in the development of reference documents for asset and grant closure
  procedures; and
• Provide advisory and support services to Country Offices in asset management and grant closure procedures.

Impact of Results:

• UNDP will be able to ensure effective programme implementation and that the financial resources entrusted to it for Global Fund financed programmes and projects are managed optimally at the country level;
• UNDP will be able to ensure optimum programme results for beneficiaries through strengthened professional capacity in managing the specialized procurement requirements and supply chain management;
• UNDP CO staff members in operational and programme roles will benefit from the ongoing coaching and mentoring support provided by the procurement advisor in the context of a complex and specialized development programme;
• UNDP and partners will be able to develop and improve tools, methods, approaches, and knowledge products to better support procurement and supply chain management.

Competencies

Corporate

• Demonstrates commitment and integrity in line with UN  and UNDP’s values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision and mission and strategic goals of UNDP; and
• Displays cultural, gender, religious, ethnic, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional

Development and Operational Effectiveness

• Ability to lead strategic planning, results based management and reporting;
• Ability to lead procurement processes using specific procurement methods;
• Ability to introduce and implement strategic procurement, contract and sourcing strategy; and
• Ability to lead implementation of new systems and affect staff behavioral/attitudinal change.

Managerial

• Focuses on impact and results for the client and responds positively to feedback;
• Shows conflict resolution skills and programme leadership skills;
• Demonstrates ability and willingness to work as a team;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive attitude;
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
• Builds strong relationships with clients and external partners; and
• Strong self-management skills to plan, manage, and deliver results; and
• Remains calm under pressure.

Knowledge Management and Learning

• Promotes a knowledge sharing and learning culture in the office;
• Understands development issues with special emphasis on public health issues;
• Able to advocate and provide policy advice; and
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more Practice Areas;
• Acts on learning plan and applies new acquired skills and is able to draw lessons from professional/personal experience and integrate new learning into overall approach to work.

Behavioral

• Treats people fairly without favouritism;
• Strong interpersonal, team-based and presentational skills in a multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral environment;
• High tolerance for change, complexity and unpredictability;
• Strong negotiating skills to facilitate negotiations of LTAs; and
  Strong networking skills to ensure effective collaborative relationships between UNDP and other UN agencies in the context of procurement.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Masters degree or equivalent in Procurement, Business Administration, Finance or development oriented fields;
• Complimentary qualifications in social science, public health, pharmacy, or medicine are an asset.

Experience:

• Minimum seven years' professional experience in a field of procurement, operations management, or programmes dealing with the health sector;
• Solid experience in the management of people and systems in high pressure environments;
• Strong IT skills;
• Demonstrated expertise in procurement and supply chain management highly desirable;
• Knowledge of and/or expertise of UN or UNDP procurement policies and procedures highly desirable;
• Knowledge of Global Fund  would be a strong asset;

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English required. Additional UN-languages (Spanish, French) are an asset;
• Willingness to travel frequently to UNDP Country Offices.