Procurement Specialist - Surge Capacity , Multiple positions

UNOPS supports the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our 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. 

Working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, our vision is to advance sustainable implementation practices, always satisfying or surpassing our partners’ 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. 

Based in Copenhagen, Denmark, the UNOPS Integrated Practice Advice and Support (IPAS) serves all the regions and headquarters, primarily with advice and solutions to everyday implementation challenges. IPAS consists of a diverse team of subject matter experts in the six practice areas of HR, Administration, Legal, Finance, Procurement, Project Management and Infrastructure. IPAS has three main roles:

Support to operations in the field offices: IPAS provides timely advice and supports actively finding of solutions to everyday implementation challenges, based on policy and best practices. It also provides operational support in specific areas.

Business efficiency: IPAS recommends changes to policies, processes and operating standards based on the feedback and experience of the field offices. IPAS also ensures transparent and efficient project implementation, in line with policy and business needs. 

Body of knowledge: IPAS contributes to research and coordination within the policy groups and project practitioners. It provides structured knowledge and subject matter expertise which is used across practice areas to provide coherent and tailored advice to the requesting offices.

Faced with recurring demands for such services, IPAS has been given the responsibility to create a Surge Capacity team to meet the needs of UNOPS field offices. These needs include but are not limited to

providing personnel for quick inception of new projects, supporting emergency responses, as well as covering gaps after unexpected departure of colleagues whose roles are critical to the operations of the office. 

IPAS is now hiring committed colleagues to be part of this Surge Capacity team in the areas of HR, Procurement and Project Management / Infrastructure. We are looking for candidates from all around the world who are passionate about our mission and values, and looking forward to making a difference for people in need. 

As a Procurement Specialist - Surge Capacity, you will be providing procurement support to UNOPS field offices globally. You will be assigned to surge missions with the objective to support offices that require rapid procurement support, e.g. at the inception of a project, or cover a gap between recruitments following the unexpected departure of a procurement colleague. 

Frequent travel to field offices, including to hardship locations is expected. Remote support may also happen, depending on the nature of the assignment and clients’ preferences, as well as potential limitations to travel due to external factors/global context. 

As the face of IPAS in the field, you will be required to be a role model by leveraging a business partnering approach in every assignment. You will be responsible for providing implementation management and transactional support and capacity building , always with the aim of increasing quality, professionalism and creating efficiencies. Your work will focus on identifying challenges and providing innovative solutions to ensure high quality of procurement services across the organisation. This also involves the use of data analytics to enable business decisions, for example by assisting field offices in the development of monitoring/planning tools for procurement activities. In the performance of your functions, you will benefit from expert technical advice from IPAS Procurement colleagues if/when needed. 

When not supporting a field office, the Procurement Specialist will work with the IPAS Procurement team based in Copenhagen. IPAS Procurement is a team of 10 colleagues providing advice and support to UNOPS field offices and Headquarters. 

You will report to the IPAS Manager, and have a secondary reporting line to the IPAS Procurement Advisor when not deployed to a field assignment. When deployed to a field assignment, your primary reporting line will be to the manager of the position you will fill. 

*** Please note this vacancy aims to fill a full-time open-ended position based in Copenhagen. In addition, UNOPS aims to establish a pool of qualified procurement professionals interested in short-term assignments (see section "Contract type, level and duration").*** 

The functions/responsibilities/key results of this job description are generic and may not always be applicable, nor be comprehensive, for all missions. The specific tasks and deliverables for each assignment may vary and will be detailed in the terms of reference developed for each assignment by the requesting office/unit.

1. Primary: Hands on procurement management and transactional implementation to projects and field offices - with travel and sometimes remotely. 

2. Secondary: Support to IPAS Procurement - IPAS Procurement advisory to field offices 

Primary responsibilities: 

While on assignment in a country office, the Procurement Specialist will report to the Head of Support Services or another senior position in the country office, usually to the person who is supervising procurement. The Specialist is expected to provide temporary procurement management and transactional support to ongoing or start-up projects, following UNOPS policies and guidelines. In this role, s/he will also advise on procurement matters, and highlight operational and compliance challenges to selected projects, whilst tailoring appropriate mitigation approaches. The findings of each mission will be addressed in a mission report. 

The functions/responsibilities/key results of this job description are generic and may not always be applicable, nor be comprehensive, for all missions. The specific tasks and deliverables for each assignment may vary and will be detailed in the terms of reference developed for each assignment by the requesting office/unit. This will include 

1. Development and implementation of operational strategies 

2. Management of procurement processes 

3. Implementation of sourcing strategy and e-procurement tools 

4. Team Management, when applicable 

1. Development and Implementation of operational strategies 

The incumbent insures elaboration and implementation of procurement and contracting strategies focusing on achievement of the following results: 

▪ Undertakes procurement business processes mapping and elaboration/establishment of internal Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in procurement, control of the workflows in the Procurement Unit for the Regional Office or Operations/Project Centre 

▪ Development and Implementation of strategy and work plans in the field offices , including tendering processes and evaluation, contractor appraisal, managing the contract and contractor, legal considerations and payment conditions, risk assessment. 

▪ Implementation of strategic procurement in the field offices, including sourcing strategy, supplier selection and evaluation, quality management, supplier-vendor relationship management, e-procurement introduction and promotion, performance measurement. Leads and undertakes services in supply market intelligence and anal 

▪ Full compliance of procurement activities with UNOPS rules, regulations, policies and strategies; implementation of the effective internal control, proper design and functioning of a client-oriented procurement management system. 

2. Management of procurement processes

The incumbent manages and guides procurement processes for field offices, focusing on achievement of the following results: 

● Timely and duly prepared procurement plans for the office and projects and monitoring of their implementation. 

● Implementation of proper monitoring and control of procurement processes including organization of RFQ, ITB or RFP, receipt of quotations, bids or proposals, their evaluation, negotiation of certain conditions of contracts in full compliance with UNOPS rules and regulation. 

● Acting as Procurement Reviewer, including review and pre-clearance of solicitation documents, requests for awards and submissions to CPCs 

● Management of procurement contracts, analysis of contract performance against agreed benchmarks and through agreed reporting mechanisms 

● Implementation of the internal control system which ensures that Purchase orders are duly prepared, dispatched, the goods are received and the invoices are paid. Timely corrective actions on POs with budget check errors and other problems. 

● Advice, remedial actions, or solutions to Programme Managers on issues. 

● Establishment of Long Term Agreements (LTAs) and/or service contracts and other instruments, when necessary. 

3. Implementation of sourcing strategy and e-procurement tools 

The incumbent ensures introduction and implementation of sourcing strategy and e-procurement tools focusing on achievement of the following results: 

▪ Development and management of the rosters of suppliers, elaboration of supplier selection and evaluation, quality and performance measurement mechanisms. 

▪ Ensures that the e-sourcing module is used in accordance with UNOPS’ goals and standards in this area. 

4. Team Management 

When applicable, the incumbent leads, manages and facilitates the performance and service provision of employees supervised, including through work planning, coaching, performance management and development. 

Education

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent), preferably in Procurement and/or Supply Chain Management, Law, Commerce, Business Administration, Public Administration, Finance, Accounting, Economics or related field. 

• A Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) combined with 2 additional years of relevant work experience can be accepted in lieu of the Master’s degree; 

• For those who do not have a degree in Procurement or Supply Chain Management, relevant certification in procurement and supply chain is a distinct advantage; 

• Knowledge of UN/ /UNOPS Procurement Rules and Regulations a distinct advantage.

Experience

• With a Master’s degree, a minimum of 5 years’ professional experience in public procurement, implementing policies and procedures to deliver a range of complex procurement programmes and services;

• Within these 5 years, a minimum 2 years managing procurement in the international development context is required; 

• Prior experience in a UN Agency will be a strong asset; 

• Current or prior experience in UNOPS is strongly preferred given the nature of the surge capacity role; 

• Prior experience working in a developing country, conflict and/or post-conflict project management environment would be a strong asset. 

Languages

• Perfect command of both written and spoken English is a strict requirement.

• Knowledge of another UN language such as French or Spanish would be a strong asset. 

Other

The person in this position will be required to frequently travel to different locations around the world, including hardship locations. Missions abroad may last for several weeks/up to a maximum of 3 months. Availability to travel is therefore a prerequisite for this position, even though some of the missions may be conducted remotely.

General 

Contract type: ICA
Contract level: IICA2/LICA10/ICS10
Contract duration: 1) Full-time open-ended position, or 2) Several possible short-term / part-time opportunities (see below). Both are subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

Modality

There are two contract options to consider in this vacancy announcement:

1. Full-time open-ended (no end date) contract. The successful candidate is expected to be based in Copenhagen and be willing to travel when required. 
2. Short-term / part-time opportunities. The successful candidates may be considered for retainer contracts or similar. Those interested can be home-based and must be willing to travel when required.

When submitting your application, please specify in your cover letter which of the above two options you prefer. 

More information on retainer contracts:

• A retainer ICA does not accord any exclusivity to the Individual Contractor with respect to the Services listed in the job description. UNOPS shall have no limitation on its right to obtain Services of the same kind from any other source at any time.

• A retainer Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA) is issued for a period of time during which the services of the individual contractor may be required intermittently.

• A retainer ICA will specify a unit price (e.g. amount per day actually worked). For budgetary purposes, a monetary limit will be specified at the time the ICA is awarded and issued.

• UNOPS shall have no obligation to obtain any minimum quantity of Services from the Individual Contractor during the duration of the retainer ICA.

• Payment will be made only after completion of work (if any) or reaching agreed milestones.

UNOPS – an operational arm of the United Nations – supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by successfully implementing its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian, and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve peace and sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management, and human resources.


Working with us

We are proud of our people. With a wealth of knowledge and skills in various disciplines – engineering, finance, human resources, ICT, leadership, project management, procurement, and more – they help tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time. Their work around the world supports progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).


At UNOPS, we offer a range of short- and long-term opportunities in various environments and duty stations – from Denmark and Kenya to Mexico, Switzerland, Myanmar, Senegal, Uganda, and many more.


Diversity

With over 5,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,400 personnel recruited on behalf of our partners, spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced and diverse labor force — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs. We continually strive to maintain our gender-balanced workplace. We encourage qualified underrepresented groups as per UNOPS Gender, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy to apply for our vacancies.



Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.