Procurement Associate, GS-6, Temporary Appointment (364 days), Medicines and Nutrition Centre, UNICEF Supply Division, #121353

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, commitment

The Medicines and Nutrition Center (MNC) is part of Supply Division and manages the procurement and contracting of pharmaceuticals, and nutrition products for all UNICEF offices, Copenhagen warehouse and regional hubs, focusing on optimizing emergency response and access to affordable and quality assured products in a timely manner. MNC is responsible for establishing global long term procurement arrangements for pharmaceuticals and nutrition products.

The position will be located in the Medicines Unit and will be responsible for efficient contracting and procurement of supplies with the overall goal of meeting the needs and requirements of UNICEF offices. Under the general guidance of Contracts Specialist in the Medicines Unit, assists with the procurement cycle for pharmaceuticals for special projects i.e., Afghanistan, World Bank HER Project as well as providing effective services to countries, ensuring accurate and timely processing of requisitions and requests up to the completion and closure of the order, with the overall goal of meeting the needs and requirements of the customers.

How can you make a difference?

Under the supervision of a Contracts Specialist, the incumbent carries out the following duties:

• Provides input to country procurement plans and participate in the forecasting and planning of shipments. Prepare and monitor tender calendar, including performance indicators
• Reviews and evaluates incoming medicine requisitions and requests to ensure quality and adequacy of information, specifications, appropriateness of requests, quantities, shipment, delivery dates, and budgets to cover product and freight costs
• Review’s material specifications and requirements with customers, countries, the Technical counterparts, and Quality Assurance Centre to ensure completeness and appropriateness. Ensures that customers’ claims/complaints are processed in collaboration with Shipping and Quality Assurance Centre.
• For non-LTA commodities, draft and prepare international tender invitations, prepare CRC submission when applicable, draft and prepare Purchase Orders, piggyback on other UN organizations LTA, as applicable
• Drafts and prepares Purchase Orders and prepares Direct Order Arrangements  in SAP (ERP – Enterprise Resource Planning system), and submit for relevant approvals, ensuring completeness of documentation
• Monitors the status of Country Office programme orders and center specific KPIs. Pro-actively follows up on placed orders and deliveries with all parties concerned to ensure timely and safe delivery of goods.  Transmits all relevant information to customer including changes to planned deliveries, to facilitate delivery and customs clearance of shipments. Prepares and provides timely and regular status / monitoring reports to customers.
• Updating of databases and management systems for use by HQ, Country Offices or Regional Offices.
• Implement appropriate vendor management practices e.g. supply performance reviews. Monitor and evaluate supplier performance and communicate with suppliers to improve performance.
• Prepares evaluation of suppliers with respect to delivery performance and commercial acceptability.
• Maintains order filing in accordance with UNICEF guidelines.
• Perform research, collect data and conduct analysis, produce reports and ensure information accuracy in corporate systems to enable informed decision-making
• Any other duties or assignments as requested by the supervisor.

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

The following minimum requirements:

• Education: Completion of secondary education, preferably supplemented by Technical or University level courses in Business.
• Work Experience: Five years relevant working experience, preferably in a procurement function, from an administrative function in a commercial working environment
  • A Bachelor’s degree or a Master’s degree from a recognized academic institution may be considered in lieu of three or four years of related work experience respectively.
• Language: Fluency in English and in particular excellent written communication skills
• Valid work permit and residency in Denmark at the time of submitting the application. Note that the selected candidate is responsible for obtaining any required extension of their residency permit as an extension cannot be dependent on employment with UNICEF

The following desirables:

• Additional certified training related to procurement, supply management and similar.
• Work experience with public procurement in an international organisation
• Working knowledge of UN systems, policies and procedures
• Understanding of development and humanitarian work
• Knowledge of international public procurement practices.
• Experience with an e-tendering platform is desirable.
• Knowledge of SAP or other ERP system advantageous and proficiency in Microsoft Office package in particular Word, Excel and Power Point
• Language: Proficiency in another UN language (Spanish, French, Russian, Chinese, Arabic).

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

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.

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 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.

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.

The closing date of this position is 14 August 2024.

Visit us at www.unicef.org/supply/