Procurement Senior Associate

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is a United Nations body responsible for infrastructure, procurement and project management (General Assembly Resolution 65/176 of 2010). Our mission is to help people improve their lives and countries achieve peace and sustainable development. UNOPS' three priority areas are:

i) Sustainable Infrastructure: Designing, building, repairing, and maintaining infrastructure in challenging environments, focusing on transportation, education, and health infrastructure.

ii) Public Procurement: Serving as a central procurement resource for the UN system and governments, emphasizing efficient, transparent, and sustainable delivery of goods and services.

iii) Project Management: Managing over a thousand humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding projects annually for various partners, ensuring quality, effectiveness, and results that meet the highest standards.

UNOPS' work seeks environmental, social, and economic sustainability, which contributes to the progress of equity and the common good of the countries in which it operates, thus promoting the improvement of the living conditions of the most needy people. UNOPS has a presence in 23 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. The services, product,s and technical assistance comply with the principles of public administration of transparency, equity, integrity, free competition, impartiality, morality, effectiveness, efficiency, and respect for national institutions.

Project Information:

This project will support the strengthening of the chain of justice in the island of Sint Maarten by offering UNOPS turn-key services for the construction of a new rule of law facility. The project will be achieved in two phases for an estimated project budget of 50 MUSD.

The second phase is estimated for a total of 40 months and contemplates the Construction of the rule of Law facility). This will include providing design and procurement support for the new Point Blanche prison, ensuring the full integration of human rights, as well as social, gender, climate and environmental considerations

About Our Culture:

Our work contributes to building the foundations for countries and communities to achieve peace and sustainable development, guided by our values: Inclusion, Integrity, Humility and Humanity.

Purpose and scope of assignment

Under the direct supervision of the Senior Project Manager the Procurement Senior Associate, ensures the provision of efficient and timely support services in procurement and contract administration to the different programmers in a relevant geographical area. He/she promotes a client-focused, quality, and results- oriented approach and provides support to procurement personnel. In the discharge of her/his duties, the Procurement Senior Associate works with minimal supervision and liaises with UNOPS programme support colleagues and technical experts, in order to ensure the best quality of service. 

Functions/Key Results Expected

Summary of key results:

1. Transactional Procurement Support services

2. Procurement planning and systems 

3. Requisitions/procurement and sourcing 

4. Bidding and tendering 

5. Contract administration

6. Team Management

7. Knowledge building and knowledge sharing

1. Transactional Procurement Support services

Ensures compliance of transactional procurement activities with UNOPS rules, regulations, policies and strategies, including undertaking the following: 

• Execution of necessary steps to embed sustainability in the procurement process.

• Completeness of submissions to the Contract and Property Committees (CPCs).

2. Procurement planning and systems 

Ensures team/personnel provision of support to procurement planning and systems, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Collaboration with projects personnel and Managers in the preparation of their procurement plan;

• Collaboration in the implementation of a procurement management system in respect of planning, awarding, administering and monitoring of all matters related to procurement for the given geographical area / project activity.

3. Requisitions/procurement and sourcing 

Supervises the office’s or team’s  requisitions/procurement and sourcing support processes, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Provision of proposals to requesting entity on modes for providing goods, works and services, including procurement deadlines for each stage;

• Review of requisitions for completeness;

4. Bidding and tendering 

Supervises team/personnel providing the following support services to bidding and tendering processes, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Preparation of shortlists of suitable contractors/suppliers for purchases of value over designated amounts 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;

5. Contract administration

Ensures team provision of support to efficient contract administration, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Follow-up on signing of contracts by vendors;

• Obligation of funds in Enterprise system and obtaining of appropriate signatures for approval;

6. Team Management

• Facilitates 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.

• Provides oversight, ensuring compliance by team members with existing policies and best practices.

7. Knowledge building and knowledge sharing

• Organizes, facilitate and/or deliver training and learning initiatives for personnel on procurement

• Provides sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice by synthesizing of lessons learnt and dissemination of best practices in procurement

a.  Education:

• Completion of secondary school is required. 

• First University Degree in Procurement and/or Supply Chain Management, Law, Commerce, 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.

***Please upload your academic diplomas or academic certifications to your application***


b. Experience:

• A minimum of seven (7) years of relevant experience (or less based on academic merits) in providing procurement support services in national and/or international public or corporate organizations.

• Supervisory experience of personnel in procurement support services is desirable

• Experience with infrastructure bidding processes is desirable.

• Experience in rule of law infrastructure is an asset.

• Experience in working with a range of stakeholders in developing countries is desirable.

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

c. Languages:

• Fluency in written, reading and oral English is required

• Fluency in Dutch is an asset

• Fluency in Spanish is an asset.

Contract type: Local Individual Contractor Agreement 

Contract level: ICS7 equivalent to LICA 7

Contract duration: Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance. This contract is established in the Regular Monthly Contract modality; continuous service provision is required during the contract period;  the payments associated with the contract will be processed at the end of each calendar month

Work life harmonization: UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options.

UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. 11.59pm CST

• 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. 

• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority 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.