Procurment Associate

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement, and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organizations.

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) has been supporting Nepal by implementing projects since 2007. It was established as a country office for Nepal in 2015 and operates under the South Asia Multi-Country Office (SAMCO), Colombo.

The UNOPS Nepal Office has implemented Projects in all seven provinces of Nepal with key government partners; the Nepal Police (Ministry of Home Affairs), the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA), the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and the Provincial Governments. Supporting Nepal’s development plan and the 2030 Agenda, the Nepal Office is implementing projects in post-earthquake reconstruction, security and justice, field monitoring and coordination, and in recent times– immediate health support to respond to the Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) crisis. Within the reconstruction portfolio, the Nepal Office provided socio-technical assistance to individual households, developed innovative approaches for retrofitting earthquake-damaged homes, and delivered services to the most vulnerable households, ensuring nobody is left behind.

With a steady growth of the country portfolio in recent years and a new strategic direction, UNOPS Nepal is looking to strengthen the Procurement capacity of the country office as well as ongoing and upcoming projects under the country office.

Under the direct supervision of the Procurement Senior Officer, and the guidance of the Head of Support Services, the Procurement Associate ensures the provision of efficient and timely support services in procurement logistic and contract administration to the different programmes in a relevant geographical area. He/she promotes a client-focused, quality, and results- oriented approach and provides support to the relevant procurement personnel. In the discharge of her/his duties, the Procurement Associate works with minimal supervision and liaises with UNOPS Programme Support Officers, Chief Technical Advisors, Portfolio Managers, and Portfolio Assistants to ensure the best support. 

Functional Responsibilities

Summary of Key Results Area:

• Transactional procurement support services
• Procurement planning and sourcing
• Tender document preparation and tendering processes
• Evaluation of tenders, award and contract administration
• Team management
• Knowledge building and knowledge sharing

Transactional Procurement Support Services

• Administers a range of transactional-procurement support activities, ensuring compliance with UNOPS rules, regulations, policies and strategies, including the following:
• Incorporation of necessary steps and evaluation criteria to embed sustainability in the procurement process.
• Completeness of submissions to the Contract and Property Committee (CPC).
• Completeness of documentation for preparation/processing of Award, Purchase Orders, Contracts, LTAs or their Amendments.
• Provision of requested research/data on market supply by conducting routine market research to determine sources of supplies, using United Nations Global MarketPlace, and other external sources; including through issuance of formal Calls for Expression of Interest (EOI) and Requests For Information (RFI) to determine sources of supplies and to set up or enhance the local supplier database, ensuring regular updates of data.
• Set-up/enhancement and maintenance of the local supplier database, ensuring regular update of data including data on women owned business.
• Information databases, all procurement files and records updated and maintained.
• Status reports generated, as required.
• Availability of all supporting documents for audit and review purposes.

Procurement planning and sourcing 

• Administratively and technically supports the office’s procurement planning, and sourcing support processes, focusing on achievement of the following results:
• Collaboration with projects personnel and Managers in the preparation of their procurement plan/requirements, awarding, administering and monitoring of all matters related to procurement including contract administration for the given geographical area/project activity.
• Maintenance and update of procurement monitoring processes for projects and provision of feedback on purchase orders, contracts to requesting office.
• Provision of proposals to requesting entities on modes for providing goods, works and services, including procurement deadlines for each stage.
• Review and update of requisitions to generate purchase order.
• Ensuring preparation of proper and complete specification for equipment and materials, Statement of Works for the preparation of RFP, ITB and RFQ ensuring clearance/approval by respective units
• Oral/written responses to queries from projects, clients, companies, etc. regarding procurement related matters.

Preparation of tender documents and tendering processes

• Undertakes or supervises technical support  to  tendering processes, focusing on achievement of the following results:
• Preparation of EOI, Pre-qualification, Shopping RFQ, ITB and RFP documents.
• Preparation of shortlists of suitable contractors/suppliers for approval of designated officer.
• Preparation and issuance of EOI, RFQ, ITB, RFP or other tender documents as required, ensuring their conformity with UNOPS approved templates or seeking legal clearance in case of required adjustments.
• Organizing Pre-bid/clarification meetings as necessary, preparation and posting of meeting minutes.
• Respond to clarification questions raised by Bidders.

Evaluation of tenders, award and contract administration

• Supports evaluation of tenders, awards and efficient contract administration, focusing on achievement of the following results:
• Evaluate tenders together with other members.
• Ask for clarifications from Bidders where necessary.
• Prepare award documents, CPC submissions.
• Prepare contracts and support in contract signing.
• Support in contract administration and management.
• Obligation of funds in the enterprise system and obtaining of appropriate signatures for approval.
• Dissemination of tender advertisement and awards through UNGM and national daily newspaper as required.
• Constant liaison with vendors and consignee as well as with UNOPS respective team until safe delivery of goods, services and works are achieved.
• Drafting of letters, memoranda email, etc.; monitoring of progress and liaison with vendors during the entire procurement cycle; investigation and resolution of post-order problems and of progress reports on procurement matters.
• Maintenance of awards, contracts, guarantees, insurances.
• Maintenance of databases/rosters of best suppliers, contractors and service providers, activities and statistics.
• Preparation of monthly reports on procurement matters.
• Liaison with the logistics unit or projects on receipt of goods, equipment and services in view of obtaining proper delivery report, RIR (Receipt and Inspection Report), or relevant certificates and that proper inventory is taken.
• Finalize the cases in the eSourcing system, notify the unsuccessful bidders and organize the debrief meetings, if requested by the unsuccessful bidders.
• Update and maintain all procurement files and records for audit and review purposes.
• Monitor the performance of the suppliers and complete the supplier performance evaluation report in oneUNOPS system upon completion of contracts.
• Close all PO, which are no more in use.
• Update UNOPS corporate Procurement Plan in regular interval.

Team management

• Facilitate the engagement and provision of high quality results and services of the team supervised through effective work planning, performance management, coaching, and promotion of learning and development.
• Provide oversight, ensuring compliance by team members with existing policies and best practices.
• Perform other administrative tasks as assigned by the supervisor ensuring it is compatible with the procurement role, free from conflict of interest, and in compliance with UNOPS rules, regulations, and policies.

Knowledge building and knowledge sharing

• Organize, facilitates and/or delivers training and learning initiatives for personnel on procurement;
• Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice by synthesizing of lessons learnt and dissemination of best practices in procurement;
• Collect feedback, ideas, and internal knowledge about processes and best practices and utilize productively,
• Participate in Inter Agency Procurement Working Group meetings and share important decisions, plans and actions to be taken to the team.

Impact of Results

• The effective and successful achievement of results by the Procurement Associate affects the performance of major aspects of the relevant business unit/s, project activities, procurement and contract management support services, impacting the timely and effective implementation of the respective services and deliverables.  This ensures client satisfaction and promotes the image and credibility of UNOPS as an effective service provider in project services and management. This enhances UNOPS’ competitive position as a partner of choice in sustainable development and project services in the country/region served.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education:

• Completion of secondary school is required.
• First University Degree (Bachelor’s degree) in Procurement and/or Supply Chain Management, Law, Commerce, Engineering, Business Administration or related areas is desirable but not required.
• Relevant certification in procurement and supply chain management (CIPS or similar) is a distinct advantage.

Experience: 

• A minimum of six (6) years of relevant experience in providing procurement support services in national and/or international public or corporate organizations.
• Supervisory experience of personnel in procurement support services.
• Experience in working with a range of stakeholders in developing countries.
• Some experience in UN system organizations is desirable.
• Proficiency in computers and office software packages (Google doc, Google sheet) and experience in handling web-based management systems is required.
• Experience in use of enterprise systems including OneUNOPS, eSourcing is desirable

Language:

• Full working knowledge/fluency of English and Nepali is required. Knowledge of another official UNOPS language is an asset

Source: https://jobs.unops.org/Pages/ViewVacancy/VADetails.aspx?id=28014#2