Associate Supply Officer – UNV

General

Description of assignment title: Associate Supply Officer

Assignment country: Democratic Republic of the Congo

Expected start date: 01/09/2024

Sustainable Development Goal: 16. Peace, justice and strong institutions

Volunteer category: International UN Volunteer Specialist

Host entity: UNHCR

Type: Onsite

Duration: 6 months (with possibility of extension)

Number of assignments: 1

Duty stations: Goma

 

 

Details

Mission and objectives

UNHCR’s primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. In its efforts to achieve this objective, UNHCR strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, and to return home voluntarily.

 

Context

The Office of the UNHCR was established on 14 December 1950 by the UN General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country (www.unhcr.org). The DRC continues to host approximately 520,962 asylum seekers and refugees of various nationalities on its territory. The four most important groups are Rwandans, Central Africans, South Sudanese and Burundians. In addition, the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) estimates that there are more than 5 million internally displaced people since 2019. UNHCR operates 16 offices in the DRC and employs some 470 people. The UN Volunteer supports all activities pertaining to supply chain management function, including planning, procurement, transportation, shipping, customs clearance, asset management, warehousing, and fleet management in the area of ??responsibility. The UN Volunteer applies UNHCR’s procurement strategy when planning the procurement of goods and services for humanitarian assistance operations. He (she) analyzes issues relating to procurement activities and provides information on all procurement activities as well as guidance and advice on UNHCR procurement policies and procedures.

 

Task description

Under the direct supervision of the Supply office of Sub Office of Goma the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks: 1. Strategy: -Prepare plans for delivery of relief items according to operational needs. -Apply UNHCR’s procurement strategy when planning for purchase of important commodities and services. -Through regular physical verification of Property, Plant and Equipment (PPE) establish their status, propose old and obsolete PPE for disposal and plan for the arrival of replacement items. 2.Operational Support: -Contributing within the Multifunctional team to Identify partners, in particular for supply chain projects, based on objectives, priorities, strengths and resources of the partner and/or contractor, according to criteria consistent with UNHCR rules and regulations. -Resolve difficulties in the local supply chain by finding solutions to problems and bottlenecks, and provide regular reports on supply chain activities, the status of requests and the availability of items in the supply chain. -Ensure timely customs clearance of consignments, and manage storage of goods according to “best practices” and UNHCR rules and regulations. -Maintain an efficient system for the release, distribution and redeployment of goods. -Coordinate transportation and distribution of relief items. -Maintain accurate and comprehensive records on logistical activities and provide timely reports and updates both periodically and on request. -Coordinate activities of implementing partners and/or contractors performing supply related activities, and ensure that they understand and adhere to relevant UNHCR rules and procedures. -Through regular physical verification of PPE establish their status. -Propose old and obsolete PPE for disposal and plan for arrival of replacement items. 3. Infrastructure Support: -Evaluate purchase requisitions to ensure that specifications, delivery dates and all other requirements are in order. -Draft and dispatch quotation request and/or tenders, assist in the evaluation of offers and draft bid-tabulations, and prepare proposals for award of contracts to the Committee on contracts; -Prepare Purchase Orders and send confirmations, request for inspection and other correspondence; -Monitor the manufacture/transport of ordered goods to ensure timely delivery; -Analyse matters relating to procurement activities, and deliver information on all procurement activities within area of responsibility. Provide guidance and advice on UN HCR procurement policies and procedures to support and assist requesting section. -implement effective asset and fleet management thar regularly monitors the asset/fleet pool, saves cost and safeguards the investment of the organisation including receipt, inspection, registration and marking the new PPE, and organisation of the physical verification of PPE; -ensure that the PPE agreements are properly issued and signed; -ensure proper preparation of disposal forms and cases for the Asset Management Board; -Organise the disposal of PPE, according to Asset Management Board decisions; -Provides asset management reports, customised reports, and gathers information on all assets and provides in-depth reports periodically and when requested; -Analyse the quality of commodities and services delivered in relation to the needs of the location and established quality standards. Establish a local quality assurance process.

Eligibility criteria

Age

18 – 80

Nationality

Candidate must be a national of a country other than the country of assignment.

Requirements

Required experience

3 years of experience in public procurement

Area(s) of expertise

Logistics and Inventory, Logistics and Inventory, Business management

Driving license

–

Languages

French, Level: Fluent, Required English, Level: Working knowledge, Desirable

Required education level

Bachelor degree or equivalent in business Administration, Marketing, Engineering, Logistics, Mathematics or related field.

Competencies and values

Integrity and professionalism, Accountability, Adaptability and Flexibility, Client Orientation, Commitment and Motivation, Communication, Ethics and Values, Integrity, Planning and Organizing, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity, Working in Teams

 Other information

Living conditions and remarks

Goma is the capital of North Kivu province, bordering Rwanda, with and estimated population of 1,5 million, Goma is an important gateway to eastern DRC but remains isolated from other DRC cities due to poor road infrastructure. Boats are used extensively to commute with other towns bordering the Kivu Lake. The city sits on the Nyiragongo volcano, which erupted in May 2021, an event which together with earthquakes that followed forced the evacuation of a portion of the town. the volcano staff reside in private accommodation. Medical facilities are equipped to deal with moderate medical cases. Air ambulance evacuation can be organized for life threatening emergencies during daytime. Candidates with conditions requiring regular treatment or medical supervision should be appropriately advised. The climate is classified as tropical wet and dry, although temperate as the city sits at altitude. There are banking facilities in Goma. There is an acceptable access to communication means, such as internet, telephone sim cards etc… Despite al the security measures, UN Staff remains at risk due to rampant and persistent criminality fueled by economic hardship, ill-paid police and military personnel, and presence of armed groups. Staff members are exposed to house break-ins, ambushes, car-jacking, and violent crimes. Strict adherence to security incidents and enable a smooth and secure conduct of UN operations. A government-imposed curfew of 10pm is in place. Goma is currently a security level 3 duty station. The unit of currency is the Congolese Franc. The US dollar is the other preferred currency. it may be impossible to exchange traveler’s checks away from the capital city. Credit cards are usually accepted in major hotels and some supermarkets in Kinshasa. In larger towns and cities (e.g. Kinshasa, Goma, Bukavu, Kisangani), it is recommended to open US dollars bank accounts, while in other places, banks may be absent (including ATMs) and payments will be processed in cash. IUNVs are not allowed to drive UNHCR vehicles in DRC. Purchase and use of local vehicles is possible. Air travel necessary to get from one end of the country to the other. There are many humanitarian flights for in country travel. For out of the country travel, flights are taken from Goma and Kigali in Rwanda. Kigali is reachable by road, three hours trip on a tarmac road. the current R&R cycle is every 8 weeks.

Inclusivity statement

United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

 

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