Procurement Intern

UNOPS South East Europe Multi-Country Office (SEEMCO)

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an independent United Nations (UN) organisation since 1995 (Resolution 48/501, 1994), which succeeded two decades of its operations as a part of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) since 1974 when it was established. 

The mission of UNOPS is to help people build better lives and countries achieve peace and sustainable development. As a part of the United Nations family, and as the only self-financed UN organisation, UNOPS is committed to UN values and private sector efficiency. 

UNOPS South East Europe Multi-Country Office (SEEMCO) covers Serbia, Montenegro and North Macedonia, as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the need for support and potential engagements are being assessed. The work of UNOPS and the projects it implements is contextualised within the broader Sustainable Development Goals frameworks and objectives of the countries of its operations.

In Serbia, UNOPS has been active since 2000 and the organisation provides support in conducting demanding socio-economic reforms and facilitating accession to the European Union. The projects focus on sustainable local development, good governance, the rule of law, social cohesion, environment and emergency response. The projects are implemented with funding from the European Union (EU), the Governments of Switzerland, Sweden, Serbia, and the UN organisations. 

Under the overall supervision of the Procurement Specialist, the Intern will have the following responsibilities:

1. Procurement plans and strategy:

• Assist Procurement Officials in maintaining the overall SEEMCO procurement statistics of the Project procurement plans.

• Regularly monitor the progress of the Project(s) procurement plan implementation against corporate KPIs .

2. Pre-Solicitation stage:

• When required conduct sourcing/market research processes for goods and services using various sources, including the internet, trade publications, and other relevant references.

• Support regular update of vendor rosters.

3. Solicitation stage:

• Prepare and issue Shopping processes (SHP), support as required preparation of Requests for Quotations (RFQ), Invitations to Bid (ITB), Requests for Proposals (RFP), and other bidding documents required to ensure the competitive procurement of goods, services, and works. Where relevant, submit tenders for pre-clearance to the Procurement Reviewer.

• With the guidance of Procurement Officials, advertise tenders on the UNGM/UNOPS website as required.

• With the guidance of Procurement Officials, monitor and respond to queries from Projects, clients, companies, and other stakeholders regarding procurement matters or specific tenders.

• Ensure adherence to tender timelines, and provide relevant justification when submission durations need to be shortened.

4. Opening, evaluation and award of bids:

• Support timely bids opening and bid opening reports are prepared.

• With the guidance of Procurement Officials, prepare Bid Evaluation Reports (BERs) for works, goods, and services.

5. Contract issuance and management:

• Issue and dispatch Purchase Orders (POs), Contracts, and Amendments, ensuring that all specifications, terms, and conditions are clear, accurate, and in conformity with the internal control system.

• Ensure that contracts and POs are signed by the relevant Delegation of Authority (DOA) holders and follow up on the signing of contracts/POs by vendors.

• In coordination with logistics, maintain constant liaison with vendors and consignees to ensure the safe delivery of goods and services.

• Liaise with end users, contractors, and suppliers regarding quality deficiencies and the appropriateness of delivered goods.

• Process invoices in a timely manner.

• Monitor cumulative amounts committed to vendors.

• Coordinate with the logistics unit or project teams on the receipt of goods, equipment, and services to ensure proper delivery reports, Receiving and Inspection Reports (RIRs), or relevant certificates are obtained, and that accurate inventory is recorded..

Learning Objectives

This internship provides hands-on experience and growth opportunities in the following areas:

• Procurement planning and systems: Be able to develop a procurement plan and demonstrate how to use procurement systems to align purchasing activities with project timelines and organizational needs

• Procurement Sourcing methods:Be able to identify appropriate procurement sourcing methods based on specific procurement needs, and effectively carry out the selected sourcing process in accordance with organizational policies and procedures.

• Procurement Solicitation methods: Be able to select the appropriate solicitation method based on the procurement strategy and effectively carry out the solicitation process, ensuring transparency, competition, and compliance with procurement guidelines.

• Contract administration: Be able to determine the appropriate approach to contract administration based on the type and complexity of the contract, and effectively manage the process to ensure supplier performance, compliance, and timely delivery.

• Career development: Interns will benefit from training, exposure to procurement systems, and opportunities that support professional growth and potential future employment in the field of procurement.

ALL CANDIDATES ARE REQUESTED TO SUBMIT A CV AND A COVER LETTER OUTLINING THEIR MOTIVATION ALONG WITH THEIR APPLICATION.


Education 

• Completion of secondary school or equivalent is required.
• Applicants must be enrolled in a university programme such as Bachelor’s or Master's or Ph.D. (or the equivalent) or have graduated from such studies within three (3) years prior to the application date of the internship. 
• Pursuing or completing a degree in Procurement, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Economics, Business Administration or similar field will be considered an asset. 

• While no previous work experience is required for the internship, it will be considered an asset if the applicant has:

  • Some experience in procurement 

  • Experience with teamwork

  • Strong computer literacy and knowledge of Google Workspace

• Fluency in Serbian and English (speaking, reading and writing) is required

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.

• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures,  languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 

• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience requirements outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to considering all candidates in a fair and transparent manner, and we value diverse perspectives and experiences, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals with diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.



• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process.  If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions 

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 

• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses ( they take around 4 hours to complete)  in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.

• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.

• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.