Procurement Assistant, GS5, Brasilia, Brazil post #129171

UNICEF Brazil is looking for a Procurement Assistant to work in Brasilia. A Procurement Assistant is predominantly accountable for applying a broad range of specialized rules and procedures to provide procurement support to all areas of the Brazil Office. The Procurement Assistant’s client interface focuses on the coordination and planning of routine supply chain activities, including the transportation of goods and materials, purchase orders, contracts, delivery, and payments. These relationships are important to ensure that deadlines are met and that work results adhere to regulations, rules, and guidelines The procurement assistant impact directly affects the quality and timeliness of the delivery of a range of different services for which the unit is accountable.

This job opportunity is presential and for Brazilians only or candidates with a work permit for Brazil.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, commitment

Since 1950, UNICEF has supported the most important transformation for children and adolescents in Brazil. UNICEF Brazil with its main office in Brasília and nine field offices UNICEF works in close partnership with national and sub-national government, corporate partners, youth, and civil society organizations. For information of the work of our organization in Brazil, please visit our website: UNICEF Brazil.

UNICEF’s procurement activities have substantially increased at the Brazil Country Office in recent years, encompassing support for humanitarian responses, operations, and program activities such as Health, Protection, Education, Social Policy, Monitoring and Evaluation, Communication, Field Offices, and especially Resource Mobilization and Partnerships. Operational support of Procurement activities plays a pivotal role in executing the organization’s response activities and implementing UNICEF Brazil Country Programme.

How can you make a difference?

Under the general supervision and guidance of the Procurement Officer NOB, the Procurement Assistant is responsible for assisting the uninterrupted supply of affordable and good quality supplies and services, adapted to the particular context and through compliance with UNICEF’s policies, procedures and ethics standards. The incumbent also supports administrative tasks, such as, providing minutes of section meetings, facilitates travel and leave plan/request and support organizing meetings, invoice payments monitoring, invoice tracking and maintenance.

The procurement assistant performs highly quality work on UNICEF procurement section, supports complex cases and assist client requests, which frequently requires the evaluation of difficult situations and adaptation of procedures and processes to resolve such cases. This is the general service level to support procurement work and requires knowledge acquired through formal training and experience.

Key functions, accountabilities, and related duties/tasks:

• Conduct data review and analysis for category management and assist in the development of procurement strategies. Support market research in relevant areas for UNICEF and assist in gathering evidence on the best approaches to sustainable and best value for money procurement.
• Liaise with colleagues from respective programme sections in planning procurement and contracting initiatives, supporting development of relevant specifications, terms of reference, and logistics arrangements and timelines.
• Prepares documentation for the establishment of Long-Term Arrangements (LTAs) and act on specific procurement requisitions as might be required. Prepare and process Request for Quotations (RFQs), Invitations to Bid (ITBs) and Requests for Proposals (RFPs), as might be requested by the Supervisor. Assists with bid openings, and technical and financial analysis of offers as might be required. Conduct clarifications with suppliers.
• Prepare requests for award including submissions to Contract Review Committee. Prepare purchase orders and contracts in SAP (ERP – Enterprise Resource Planning system), and submit for relevant approvals, ensuring completeness of documentation in UNICEF systems.
• Prepare purchase orders and contracts in the system (VISION) and submits for relevant approvals, ensuring completeness of documentation.
• Uploads electronic files and verifies results to destination system.
• Keep stakeholders/partners informed on the progress of procurement processes. Liaise with suppliers, ensuring timely follow-up on delivery schedules Implement appropriate vendor management practices e.g. supply performance reviews.
• Regularly monitor dashboard reports and coordinate to ensure necessary supply action is taken in a timely manner in support of UNICEF Programmes.
• Regularly extract reports on the status of the existing LTAs, contracts, Purchase Orders (POs) and take necessary action in coordination with the relevant Programme.
• Conduct local market surveys on ongoing and regular basis for identification of potential suppliers to procure the goods and services at competitive costs.
• Maintain up-to-date files for all Procurement Service transactions, including a system for monitoring the various stages of each transaction.

To qualify as a champion for every child you will have:

Education: Completion of secondary education is required, preferably supplemented by technical or university courses related to supply chain, business administration, contract/commercial law, or another relevant technical field.

Experience: A minimum of five years of relevant of administrative experience in supply chain / procurement management or a commercial context is required. 

Understanding of development and humanitarian work is an advantage.

Experience in Complex Procurement Processes will be considered an asset.

Software skills: Knowledge of SAP will be considered an asset.

Language: Fluency in English and Portuguese is required. Knowledge of Spanish will be considered as an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS).

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1); Works Collaboratively with others (1); Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1); Innovates and Embraces Change (1); Thinks and Acts Strategically (1); Drive to achieve impactful results (1) and Manages ambiguity and complexity (1).

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies. During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. 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 benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

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 promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, 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’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children.

Remarks:

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

The VA is open to all (internal and external candidates).

This position is for Brazilians or candidates who already have work permit for Brazil.