Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Transportation and Life Support Service (TLSS), Procurement Division (PD), Office of Supply Chain Management (OSCM), Department of Operational Support (DOS). The Department of Operational Support was established to provide operational advisory services to operating entities across the Secretariat, including other departments, offices awayfrom headquarters, field missions, and regional commissions. The Office of Supply Chain Management includes the Office of the Assistant Secretary General for Supply Chain Management, Logistics Division, Procurement Division, Uniformed Capabilities Support Division, Global Service Centre Aviation Safety Section and the Enabling and Outreach Service. The mandate of the Procurement Division is to provide responsive, effective, and quality expert procurement services and business advice to United Nations (UN) Headquarters, field missions, and other UN organizations, while achieving best value for money, ensuring a competitive, fair and transparent process in accordance with established regulations, rules and procedures. The incumbent will report to a Team Lead in TLSS, or designated official.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Procurement Assistant will be responsible for the following duties: • Provides procurement, logistical and administrative support to a team of Procurement Officers in the acquisition of a wide variety of goods and services. • Reviews, records and prioritizes purchasing requests and obtains additional information/documentation as required; determines the availability of vendors and funding sources. • Identifies and recommends sources of procurement; interviews potential suppliers. • Produces tender documents (e.g. Invitations to Bids, Requests for Proposals and Requests for Quotation) based on the nature of requirements and cost of procurement involved. • Prepares abstracts of offers and compile data contained in quotations, proposals and bids to determine which supplier can deliver the required goods/services at the best terms and lowest costs possible under the guidance of Procurement Officers. • Finalizes purchase orders and contracts for approval by the Procurement Officer; may authorize purchases in line with delegated signature authority, and, if required, prepares submission to the Contracts Committee for review and subsequent approval by the authorized official. • Assists relevant officers in more complex, higher value purchasing operations; coordinates distribution of pertinent documents to concerned parties, ensures appropriate follow-up action, etc. • Maintains relevant internal databases and files; keeps track of any contractual agreements, systems contracts, etc. and informs affected users of contractual rights and obligations. • Researches, retrieves and presents information from a variety of internal and external sources on sources of supply, vendors by commodity, etc., as well as obtain specifications for new products and equipment on the market. • Drafts routine correspondence. • Performs other duties as assigned.

Competencies

• Professionalism: Knowledge of procurement policies, processes and procedures generally and, in particular, those related to the purchase of supplies and services. Knowledge of financial rules and regulations and ability to research and gather information from a variety of standard sources and to apply good judgment in the context of assignments given. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concern; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of work. • Planning & Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently. • Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent.

Job – Specific Qualification

Professional certification in supply chain such as Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply certification (CIPS Level 4) or equivalent is desirable.

Work Experience

• A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in procurement, administrative services or related area is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to 3 for candidates who possess a first-level university degree or higher. • Experience in supporting tender exercises for the procurement of services in a procurement office environment is desirable. • Experience working with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems such as SAP or similar system, including the procurement process is desirable. • Experience working in support of a field operation (inclusive of peacekeeping operations, special political missions, agencies, funds and programmes), or other similar international organizations is desirable. • Experience in sourcing, cleaning and preparing data, selecting and developing visualizations/metrics that enable easy communication/interpretation by the users is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a competency-based interview.

Special Notice

• Appointment or assignment against this position is for an initial period of one year. • This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. All staff in the General Service and related categories shall be recruited in the country or within commuting distance of each office, irrespective of their nationality and of the length of time they may have been in the country. A staff member subject to local recruitment shall not be eligible for the allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment. • Applicants who successfully go through a competitive recruitment process and are recommended for selection and/or inclusion in the roster of pre-approved candidates for subsequent job openings at the same level and with similar functions, may have their application information and roster status shared with other UN Organizations. Such applicants may be contacted by other UN Organizations for similar job openings, subject to the confirmation of their interest. Placement on the roster is no guarantee of a future selection. • At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.

United Nations Considerations

According to 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. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.