Contracts Management Officer

There is a problem of weapons and explosive contamination in Mali, following historical and recent conflict. There is clear evidence of the presence of landmines, unexploded ordnance (UXO), improvised explosive devices (IED) and insecure stockpiles of weapons and ammunition (abandoned or neglected). There were more than 130 recorded victims of UXO since 2012.

The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) was established in 2013 under Security Council Resolution 2100, and the mandate further developed under resolutions 2164, 2227, and 2295. In accordance with these mandates, the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) has engaged UNOPS to implement a mine action programme in Mali.

The UNMAS mine action programme is seeking to:

• · Reduce the explosive threat to AFISMA/MINUSMA and United Nations personnel;
• · Enhance national capacity to mitigate explosive threats;
• · Improve the protection of civilians.

Under the overall guidance of the Head of Support Services, the Contracts Management Officer will be responsible for effective and efficient management of contracts for services, goods and works through all stages of the contract lifecycle and in full compliance with the UNOPS financial rules and regulations and donor requirements.

The Contract Management Officer responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Provides advice to Technical specialists and Procurement Section in the development of Statement of Works (SOW) and Terms of Reference (TOR) to ensure they contain sufficient details for clear understanding of requirements and to ensure they are performance based.
• Leads in the development of contracts terms and conditions and prepare contract for issue with solicitation documents to ensure the contract contains provisions that hold the contractor accountable for producing desired results. 
• Provides advice to the Procurement Official in the negotiation stage of the solicitation processes.
• Prepares the contract for issuance to suppliers, and obtain appropriate signatures once the procurement award is approved.
• Identifies potential risks and issues, then develops solution/risk mitigation criteria in conjunction with the Project Manager.
• Develops a quality assurance plan to provide a systematic, structured method to monitor and analyze contract performance against agreed benchmarks and through agreed reporting mechanisms in coordination with the project manager.
• Prepares a contract summary for issuance to the relevant internal stakeholders to ensure full understanding of the requirements and responsibilities of the contract and the reporting requirements. The summary is to also to include a contract implementation and compliance checklist.
• Coordinates the pre contract start meeting with all relevant stakeholders to ensure full understanding of the requirements, responsibilities, reporting and timing of the contract.
• Ensures that the implementation of the terms and conditions of the signed contracts are effectively carried out by both parties with the aim to achieve proper performance of obligations by both parties.
• Assists the Project Manager with the evaluation of the Vendor’s performance against the agreed performance measurement criteria. Make recommendations for payments upon review of reports and comments from the relevant departments.
• Provides advice to internal stakeholders and contractors on interpretation of the contract.
• Advises the Project Managers of options for remedial actions in cases of conflicts/problems arising in case of poor performance or non-compliance with contractual obligations, negotiate remedies with the contractor and escalates problems as necessary towards the resolution within the terms and conditions of the contract.
• Prepares and processes contract amendments and contract terminations as required in accordance with UNOPS rules and regulations.
• Develops and manages a Contract Management Plan to ensure; all contract conditions are met during mobilization, verification of insurance and goods procured, evaluation of subcontractor’s personnel qualifications, monitoring delivery of contractual terms, certification of reports,  payments are made in a timely manner and contract renewal/new contract procurement is initiated well in advance of needs. The plan is also to include the schedule, methods, aims and monitoring of communication with stakeholders.
• Identifies, documents and disseminates best practices and lessons learned and performs final contractor performance assessment. 
• Develops the process map and internal Standards Operations Procedures (SOPs) on contract management.
• Maintains electronic files for all contracts, related contract documentation and correspondence.
• Responsible for the supervision of contract management personnel including; establishment of section work plans, performance management, technical guidance and on-the-job training to ensure work standards are achieved in line with work objectives, assessment and recommendation of training needs to ensure skills are updated in accordance with relevant state of the art technology.
• Performs other related duties as required.

a. Education

• Advanced University (Master Degree or equivalent) in Procurement, Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Legal, Project Management or other related subject with a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience;
• or First level University degree (Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent) in Procurement, Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Legal, Project Management or other related subject with a minimum of 7 years of relevant experience.

b. Experience

• A minimum of 5 years combined relevant experience in contract management, procurement management, support services management and/or Client Relationship Management.
• A minimum of 2 years of experience in Contract Administration or Procurement
• Experience in UNOPS Financial and Procurement Rules, Regulations and working practices is highly desired.

c. Language

• Fluency in spoken and written English and French is required.

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

UNOPS mission is to serve people in need by expanding the ability of the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, infrastructure and procurement in a sustainable and efficient manner.

Within these three core areas of expertise, UNOPS provides its partners with advisory, implementation and transactional services, with projects ranging from building schools and hospitals, to procuring goods and services and training local personnel. UNOPS works closely with governments and communities to ensure increased economic, social and environmental sustainability for the projects we support, with a focus on developing national capacity.

Working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, our vision is to advance sustainable implementation practices in development, humanitarian and peacebuilding contexts, always satisfying or surpassing partner expectations.

With over 7,000 personnel spread across 80 countries, UNOPS offers its partners the logistical, technical and management knowledge they need, wherever they need it. A flexible structure and global reach means we can quickly respond to our partners' needs, while offering the benefits of economies of scale.