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. Placing women’s rights at the centre of all its efforts, UN Women leads and coordinates United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. UN Women provides strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.

UN Women in South Sudan supports the government to implement commitments to international normative standards on gender equality and women’s human rights. The new UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for 2022-2026 and the corresponding UN Women South Sudan Strategic Note (2022-2026), defining UN Women’s strategic engagement in South Sudan, focuses on strengthening the national structures and mechanisms for gender mainstreaming in policies, plans and budgets; supporting efforts to prevent and eliminate violence against women; promoting women’s economic empowerment ; promoting policies and government investment in women’s empowerment and resilience building in the context of climate change, humanitarian crisis as well as threats to peace and security. UN Women works with a range of stakeholders in South Sudan including the government, civil society and women’s organisations, youth, UN agencies and donors, to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Currently, UN Women in partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare and the Office of the Vice President (Gender and Youth Cluster) is developing a programme that aims at promoting the social economic empowerment of women and adolescent girls in South Sudan. The project called “South Sudan Women Economic Empowerment Project (SSWEEP)”, will be implemented in 10 states and 2 administrative areas in South Sudan focusing on promoting women’s access to economic opportunities, protection and access to GBV information and services and also strengthening the capacity of the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare to effectively implement its mandate of promoting Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment. The project has four (4) components, namely: a) Community Empowerment Support to Women and Girls, b) Establishment of the Women’s Entrepreneurial Opportunity Facility (WEOF), c)  Scaling up services for Survivors of GBV and d) Institutional strengthening focusing on the Ministry OF Gender, Child and Social Welfare, Gender and Youth Cluster, and related national institutions.

Under the overall guidance of the Chief of Procurement in Headquarters, the Procurement Specialist reports to the Project Manager (SSWEEP) with a matrix reporting line to the Operations Manager. The Procurement Specialist will provide operational and transactional support and effective delivery of procurement services to UN Women South Sudan Country Office, focusing on the SSWEEP. The specialist will be primarily responsible for the planning, implementation and managerial oversight of the functional areas ensuring consistency in service. The Procurement Specialist is expected to provide solutions to a wide spectrum of complex issues related to procurement promote a collaborative, client-focused, quality and results-oriented approach in the section, work in close collaboration with internal and external stakeholders for the successful delivery of procurement services. She/he will undertake the following functions, and responsibilities:

Duties and Responsibilities

Description of Functions:

1. Ensure effective and efficient implementation of procurement and operational strategies, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Full compliance of procurement activities with UN-Women regulations, rules, policies, and internal control mechanisms;
• Proper functioning of a client-oriented procurement management system;
• Initiate and lead strategies to ensure effective implementation of procurement activities in the Country Office, including sourcing strategy, quality management, customer relationship management, e-procurement introduction and promotion, suppliers’ performance measurement.
• Analysis of business requirements and formulation and implementation of proposals for increased transparency, accountability cost reduction;
• Implementation of the internal control system to ensure that contractual modalities are prepared, approved and processed and administered in a timely manner;
• Support CO Procurement Section in all activities aimed at enhancing business processes, such as improving existing documents/templates or developing new ones where necessary;
• Identify opportunities for innovation in transaction processing;
• Contribute to business process mapping and elaboration of internal Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

2. Plan procurement actions for acquisition for a range of goods and services, of varying complexity, and/or establishment of Long Term Agreements (LTA’s), focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Prepare, implement and monitor procurement plans for Country Office, monitor goals, objectives and achievements and regularly update stakeholders and clients;
• Oversee the preparation and consolidation of SSWEEP procurement plans and monitor their implementation;
• At an institutional level, consolidate business requirements in order to identify the need for establishment of strategic/long-term agreements;
• Assist clients in the development of technical specifications, Terms of Reference, Scope of Works.
• Conduct market research to keep abreast of market developments;
• Develop and manage the rosters of suppliers, improve systems for supplier selection, evaluation, quality and performance measurement;
• Lead procurement activities using specific procurement methods (Shopping, Micro-purchasing, Request for Quotation, Invitation to Bid, Request for Proposal etc.);
• Lead the logistical aspect of procurement activities to ensure safe deliveries of goods and services are validated according existing procurement policies and procedures;
• Formulate strategies and design innovative solutions for complex procurement projects.

3. Ensure proper Contracts and Agreements administration, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Ensure adherence to proper contractual modalities in Country Office – particularly on SSWEEP
• Manage existing LTAs, establishment of new LTAs through effective management of UN-Women Procurement Plans;
• In consultation with the Operations Manager, and legal team in Headquarter, assist in negotiating, drafting, and reviewing terms and conditions of contractual modalities favorable business terms for UN Women;
• Record and maintain all contracts and agreements details (organization-wide) to ensure real-time data availability to all stakeholders;
• Assist clients in resolving business or contract related issues to ensure smooth contract fulfillment;
• Manage effectively stakeholder relationship (vendors and clients);
• Assist clients to implement measures to ensure effective contract management, including timely follow-up to ensure Contracts and/or Agreements are extended and/or fresh bidding exercises are undertaken as required for business continuity.

4. Lead and/or conduct procurement for the Country Office for SSWEEP and other projects which includes but not limited to:

• Select best method and type of solicitation;
• Issue Invitation To Bid/Request For Proposal/Request For Quotations;
• Receipt, opening, and evaluation of offers in close ‘collaboration’ with stakeholders;
• Recommendation for awards and obtaining the necessary approvals;
• Issuance of contracts/purchase orders;
• Contract administration (including, contract amendment, support in suppliers performance evaluation etc.);
• Proper filing for audit trail on behalf of UN-Women South Sudan stakeholders;
• Monitor product developments and deadlines and integrate Supply Chain stakeholders;
• Conduct market research to keep abreast of market developments;
• Facilitate exchange of information on a variety of procurement process and transaction issues to clients;
• Record all stages of procurement process to ensure full transparency and accountability;
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant market developments, reports preparation;
• Analyze the procurement needs and historical procurement data;
• Keep Country Office leadership informed of relevant market and practice developments.

5. Ensure knowledge building and knowledge sharing focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Enhance staff capacity and learning skills through coaching, training, mentoring, and other innovative measures;
• Contribute with practical cases and examples to the development and maintenance of procurement related regulations and rules, procedures, systems, tools and learning initiatives aimed to facilitate the business requirements of UN-Women and capacity building of personnel;
• Synthesize lessons learned and best practices in procurement;

Impact of Results:

The key results have an impact on the execution of the procurement services management by the Procurement Section in terms of quality and accuracy of work completed. Accurate data entry and procurement information, presentation of information and client-oriented approach enhances UN-Women Procurement capacity as an efficient service provider to its clients.

Key Performance Indicators

• Country Projects/SSWEEP are implemented in line with SSWEEP document, Strategic Notes and Annual Work plans.
• Timely coordination, facilitation and implementation of procurement activities based on procurement plans and available budget.
• Regular monitoring of procurement plan, addressing issues in a timely manner
• Timely and quality reporting;
• Regular dissemination and sharing of information; country offices are sharing best practices/ lessons learned on procurement management.

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:

• Knowledge Management and Learning:
• In-depth knowledge on development issues;
• Ability to advocate and provide policy advice;
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more functional areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills;
• Operational Effectiveness;
• Ability to lead procurement processes using ‘best practice’ procurement methods, tools and approaches (including RFQ, ITB and RFP);
• Strong research and analytical skills to develop tools, methods and approaches to support improved practices and business processes;
• Ability to introduce strategic procurement approach to procurement planning and implementation including sourcing and contract management;
• Ability to lead implementation of new systems (business side), and affect staff behavioral/ attitudinal change;
• Sound grasp of developing and preparing technical and legal contracts; managing and coordinating negotiations with all interested parties including in relation to contract disputes and claims.

Required Skills and Experience

Education and certification:

• Master’s Degree or equivalent in Business Administration, Public Administration, Operations, Supply Chain Management, or related field.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• Procurement Certification from International recognized institutions (e.g. CIPS-Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply) is an asset.

Experience:

• A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in procurement, contract management, supply chain management or related area. 
• Experience in ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system (PeopleSoft or equivalent) and IPSAS is desirable.
• Experience at both field and global level in international organizations is an advantage.
• Experience in working in a computer environment using multiple office software packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems and ERP systems is desirable;
• Experience of accrual accounting, IPSAS or IFRS is highly desirable;

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required;
• Working knowledge of the other UN official working language is an asset;
• Working knowledge of Arabic is an added asset.

Gender Sensitivity:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks.