Procurement Assistant

Vacancy code VA/2013/B5303/2692

Position title Procurement Assistant

Level ICS-3

Department/office AFO, KEOH, Kenya

Duty station Nairobi, Kenya

Contract type Local ICA

Support Contract level LICA-2

Duration 1 year (renewable subject to performance and availability of funds)

Application period 18-Jul-2013 to 26-Jul-2013 Print
To apply click here

United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity

Background Information - UNOPS

In December 2010, the United Nations General Assembly reaffirmed UNOPS mandate “as a central resource for the United Nations systems in procurement and contracts managementas well as in civil works and physical infrastructure development, including the related capacity development activities. UNOPS mission is to expand the capacity of the UN system and its partners. As an operational arm of the United Nations, UNOPS is currently supporting a range of partners including UN agencies, funds and programmes, international and regional financial institutions, intergovernmental organizations, donor and recipient governments, and non-profit non-governmental organizations in the implementation of more than $1 billion worth of peace building, humanitarian and development projects every year. With its headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark, a network of five regional offices and a further 20 operations and project centres, UNOPS oversees activities in more than 80 countries and often implements projects in the most challenging environments,while maintaining world class standards of quality, speed and cost effectiveness. By managing around 1000 projects for our partners at any given time, UNOPS makes significant, tangible contributions to results on the ground. UNOPS employs more than 6000 personnel and on behalf of its partners,creates thousands more work opportunities in local communities.

Background Info - BU Kenya

The UNOPS Kenya Operational Hub (KEOH) plays a critical role in supporting projects on behalf of partners and creating real results that matter for people in need. KEOH is implementing projects worth more than $30 million in East Africa and is helping partners achieve project goals in project management, procurement, infrastructure, human resource management and advisory services.

Background Information - Job-specific

The Procurement Assistant works within the Project Infrastructure Unit under the overall supervision of the PIU Manager and the direct supervision of the Procurement Associate. The Procurement Assistant provides support to ensure timely effective procurement and (non-staff) contracts administration within the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) of the Kenya Operational Hub (KEOH) and to the various Programmes it supports. The Procurement Assistant liaises with UNOPS Programme Support Officers, Chief Technical Advisers and Project Managers in order to ensure timely delivery of procurement services.

Functional Responsibilities

The Procurement Assistant carries out the following tasks:

• Assist project personnel and Project Managers in the preparation of their quarterly procurement plan;
• Assist with the development and implementation of a procurement management system in relation to planning, awarding, administering and monitoring of all matters related to procurement for KEOH;
• Maintain and update procurement monitoring system and provide feedback on purchase orders to requesting office;
• Provide Inputs to the office's procurement business processes mapping and to the elaboration of internal Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in Procurement and Logistics, in consultation with the direct supervisor and office management;
• Prepare awards for review by the Procurement Advisor and approval by the relevant Procurement Authority and obtain appropriate signatures for approval;
• Prepare (non-staff) contracts/POs and necessary amendments ensuring conformity with template UNOPS documents for review by the requesting unit;
• Follow-up signing of contracts, LPOs by vendors;
• Obligate funds in ATLAS and obtain appropriate signatures for approval;
• Prepare letters, memoranda, faxes, email, etc.; monitor progress and liaise with vendors during the entire procurement cycle; investigate and resolve post-order problems and prepare progress reports on procurement matters;
• Respond to queries from projects, clients, companies, etc. regarding procurement related matters; prepare reply related to procurement matters;
• Assist in the preparation of monthly reports on procurement matters;
• Clerical and technical support for processing of invoices of firms contracted by the Office to supply goods or services;
• Prepare correspondence related to procurement matters;
• Respond to queries concerning procurement from Country Offices, Bureaus, consultants, companies, etc. regarding procurement matters;
• Maintain working files on procurement activity;
• Assist with the preparation of correspondence, reports, charts, graphs, tables, etc., using standard software packages;
• Any other procurement matters as may be required.

Competencies

• Ability to work to meet tight schedules under stressful environment and varied cultural context
• Ability to translate and apply business acumen and technical expertise into UNOPS operations;
• Must have keen sense of ethics and integrity in dealing with clients and service providers.
• Must be able to meet timeline for delivery of products and services to clients.
• Demonstrated drive for continuous improvement and incorporation of lessons learned and best practices into business process routines
• Demonstration of professional behaviour and personal ethics,transparency and openness to encourage respect and similar behaviour from colleagues in the workplace

Education/Experience/Language requirements

• Completion of secondary education with experience and training in accounting/business practices;
• At least 3 years practical progressively responsible experience is required with at least one year of work experience, preferably in a specialized area of procurement;
• Work experience in an international organization is an asset;
• Competent level of computer literacy - MS Office as a minimum;
• Excellent written and spoken English.

Certifications

• PRINCE2 foundation or equivalent project management qualification is an asset;
• Professional certification in the field of procurement from the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) or elsewhere a plus

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: Local ICA Support Contract level: LICA 2 Contract duration: 1 year (renewable subject to performance and availability of funds) For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link: http://www.unops.org/ENGLISH/WHOWENEED/CONTRACT-TYPES/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements-ICAs.aspx Please note that this is a local post and is open to all nationals of the country of the duty station and to the individuals who have a valid work permit.

Additional Considerations

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time (CET)
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a level below the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.