Procurement Assistant at United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON)

Responsibilities

• 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.
• Monitors status of existing requisitions, maintain contact with suppliers to ensure timely delivery of goods and services, coordinates shipment of goods/commodities/equipment to HQ and field missions, verifies receipt and inspection of deliverables and accurately reports, as and if required.
• 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.
• Assists with the collection and analysis of data as well as preparation of data presentations and reports for information sharing, responding to queries, knowledge management, planning and decision making.
• Assists with visualizations and updating information material such as web pages or brochures.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM:

• Shows pride in work and in achievements;
• Ability to perform analysis, modeling and interpretation of data in support of decision-making;
• 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 concerns;
• Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges;
• Remains calm in stressful situations;
• Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.  

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.  

TEAMWORK:  

• Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals;
• Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; Is willing to learn from others;
• Places team agenda before personal agenda;
• Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position;
• Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Education

• Completion of secondary education/ high school diploma is required.  
• Supplementary courses or additional training in procurement is highly desirable.

Job - Specific Qualification

• The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supplies (CIPS) Level 4 or equivalent certification is required.    

Work Experience

• A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in procurement or related area is required.
• The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to three (3) years for candidates who possess a first level University degree.    
• Experience working with a Systems, Application and Products (SAP) system or an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is desirable.    
• One (1) year or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat.
• For the position advertised, fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable.  
• NOTE: "Fluency equals a rating of "fluent" in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and "Knowledge of" equals a rating of "confident" in two of the four areas.

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.

Deadline : Jun 30, 2024