Contracts Specialist, P-3, FT – Kinshasa, DR Congo

UNICEF/DRC is looking for an experienced and dedicated professional for the post of Contracts Specialist at P3 level on Fixed-Term contract, based in Kinshasa.
If you’re a committed individual, a creative professional and passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world’s leading children’s rights organization would like to hear from you.

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit  our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, freedom.

UNICEF DRC country program is supplies driven, local procurement for goods and services is important part program implementation. Solid Internal technical skills are required to ensure quantity insurance, transparency, and efficiency of the procurement process. Based in Kinshasa the contract Specialist reports to the Chief of Supply and Logistics. The contract management in DRC country office include planning, procurement, contracting, as well as monitoring of supplies, services and construction works.

The incumbent supports management collaboration with programs and operation section in defining supply interventions to meet programmatic and operational needs and achieve results for children, and provides technical and advisory support to governments, national systems, and partners on supply chain management.

Visit UNICEF- Democratic Republic of Congo to learn more!

How can you make a difference?

Major duties and key end-results:

1. Management of the Supply team

• Prepare the country office annual supply plan in collaboration with program section and field office, elaborate the country office’s bedding calendar and useful LTA establishment schedule.
• Participate to Supply function annual work plan determine priorities/targets and performance measurements for procurement team and monitor work progress to ensure that results are achieved according to schedule and performance standards.
• Supervise and coach team members, ensure timely performance management of staff. In collaboration with Supply Division, Regional Office, and the global supply community, ensure knowledge sharing and learning is prioritized to continuously build capacity of individuals and the team.
• In consultation with supervisor, ensure establishment and maintenance of operational capacity to handle CO supply chains, including staffing (appropriate staffing structure, timely recruitment, clarity of roles and responsibilities) and contracting of third-party services if applicable (e.g., customs clearance, warehousing, transport, distribution)

1. Supply chain service delivery and emergency response

• In consultation with supervisor, ensure appropriate planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the country office supply chain management, including establishment of monitoring tools and performance indicators, and assessment of fit for purpose of products and services.
• Analyze supply spend and develop procurement strategies based on category management to focus on strategic, essential supplies and services that contribute to results for children, including establishment of long-term agreements (LTAs) where relevant. Ensure effective procurement of goods, contracting of services and construction works, while maintaining the highest level of integrity, ethical standards, and accountability.
• Ensure review of procurement document to ensure accuracy of the data, completeness, and compliance with UNICEF supply procedures and guidelines.
• Ensure appropriate vendor management practices e.g., supply performance reviews are established and applied.
• Analyze supply dashboards, implementation rates of key performance indicators and supply information/data from various systems and conduct root cause analysis of supply chain bottlenecks and challenges, with a view to drive improvements and ensure efficient and effective supply chains for children.
• In consultation with supervisor, participate to the emergency supply & logistics strategy development based on risk assessment analysis and Program assumptions. Ensure an emergency supply and logistics preparedness action plan for the CO is implemented (establishment of relevant LTAs and frame agreements for emergency response, prepositioning of stock, and training of staff in the country office).
• Participate in implementation and monitoring meetings with internal and external partners and establish close collaboration with Logistics Cluster/National Logistics Working Group if such is activated/existing.
• In collaboration with supervisor, establish strong working relations with regional supply section, as well as Supply Division, to align with global and regional approaches and initiatives in supply chain management.

1. Collaboration with program and implementing partners.

• In collaboration with supervisor, develop close collaboration with program sections through involvement in program design, planning, and preparation for implementation of supply components as well as monitoring and evaluation. Establish accountability framework with programs, for delivery of results for children.
• Provide supply input to donor dialogue, and support development of supply components of proposals to donors including budgeting and use of innovative financing mechanisms for supplies, services and construction works.
• Support assessment of and collaboration with implementing partners including civil society, establishment of Program Cooperation Agreements (PCAs), and monitoring of supply components under Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers (HACT).
• Develop and maintain partnership and collaborative relations with Government, UN organizations and bilateral counterparts in supply and logistics activities including harmonized and collaborative procurement.

1. Technical and advisory support to government/national systems

• Promote/drive supply chain strengthening and change management initiatives with governments and partners, to ensure efficient and effective supply chains for children.
• Provide input to capacity development initiatives in the area of supply chains for children, in close collaboration with program colleagues. Support supply components of health systems strengthening as might be relevant in the country context.
• Advisory support to Governments/national systems in defining and determining supply solutions for children, such as use of procurement services; supply financing solutions; local market development; private sector engagement.

1. Innovation, products, and markets

• Contribute to pilots and support the actual roll-out of new products and services, in close collaboration with Supply Division.
• Promote critical thinking, innovative approaches, and good practices on supply chain management within the organization as well as with externals to ensure effective and efficient supply chains for children.
• Further to analysis of supply spend and related procurement strategies, in collaboration with supervisor run

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  ToR – Contracts Specialist, P-3, FT, Kinshasa DR Congo.pdf

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Education: 

• An advanced university degree is required in Business Administration, Management, Economics, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Procurement, Contract/Commercial Law, International Development, Health or related social science field, or relevant first-level university degree (Bachelor’s) in conjunction with a valid relevant professional certification is required.
• A first level university degree (Bachelor’s) in a relevant technical field (as identified above), in conjunction with seven (7) years of relevant work experience in supply, logistics, procurement, contracting, administration and/or other directly related technical field, may be taken in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Work Experience: 

• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience, at the national and international levels, in supply, logistics, procurement, contracting, administration and/or other directly related technical fields is required.
• Understanding of development and humanitarian work. Emergency experience is an advantage.
• Health supply chain management experience an advantage.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in French and good command of English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of the duty station is considered as an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

(8)  Nurtures, Leads and Manages People

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of measures to include a more diverse workforce, such as paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per 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.

UNICEF’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.