Procurement Specialist (Contract Management)

With more than 20 years of experience in the country, UNOPS Afghanistan focuses on providing maximum support to the people of Afghanistan through the delivery of projects and services that improve the lives of people in need. The UNOPS Afghanistan Country Office (AFCO) serves as an organizational mechanism to deliver a range of projects for which UNOPS has been designated as the implementation agency.  At present, UNOPS AFCO activities cover a range of sectors including humanitarian, basic human needs, cash for work, infrastructure, development, procurement and HR services. 

The functional objective of UNOPS AFCO is to contribute to improving the lives of girls, boys, men and women living in Afghanistan. The aim of UNOPS AFCO is to provide efficient and cost-effective implementation services on behalf of all our partners to support the humanitarian response and development of the country. UNOPS AFCO’s mission is to exceed the expectations of all stakeholders in the delivery of AFCO services, at all times, in all places, in all circumstances, in order to improve the lives of Afghans in need. 

Project Information

Following the political events in Afghanistan in August 2021, the subsequent economic collapse has led to an unprecedented humanitarian crisis putting over 24 million people in immediate need of aid. To provide immediate short-term livelihood opportunities and deliver urgent essential services in rural and urban areas, UNOPS is working with funders to implement a large-scale community resilience program. The initiative is now in a second phase of implementation and aims to reach an estimated 1.1 million households, or 7.5 million Afghans, with livelihoods and income support. In addition, 11,6 million Afghans in some 8,651 rural communities and 10 cities will benefit from improved access to essential social services through strengthening the capacity of community institutions in inclusive service delivery.

Job-Specific Information

Under the direct supervision of the Procurement Advisor (who reports to the Programme Director), the Procurement Specialist (Contract Management), is responsible for contract management for the project. They lead on the development and implementation of strategic and effective procurement and contract management services reflecting best practices, compliance with UNOPS procurement policy, rules, regulations and procedures, ensuring appropriate risk management and obtaining the best value for money for the  acquisition of goods, services and the contracting of works. The Procurement Specialist (Contract Management) analyzes and interprets the respective rules and regulations and provides advice and solutions to a wide spectrum of complex issues related to procurement and contracts management.

The procurement team for the project is based in Kabul and the Procurement Specialist (Contract Management) will supervise the works of national Procurement Associates (Contract Management). The Procurement Specialist (Contract Management) will also focus on strategic relationship building,dealing with complex organizational structures, preparation of business cases and understanding of the supply market, as well as sharing knowledge with procurement and project teams in order to achieve project and country office objectives.

Summary of Key Functions  

1. Development and implementation of  contract management plans

2. Introduction and implementation of sourcing strategy and e-procurement tools

3. Management of and guidance on procurement processes

4. Team Management

5. Knowledge building and knowledge sharing

1. Development and implementation of contract management plans

• Appropriate application of UNOPS procurement governance framework (rules, regulations, policies and tools) in Business Unit and Project operations.

• Plans and manages all contractual aspects; establishes and maintains work programmes and schedules for on-going contracts and newly planned ones.

• Supports the development of technical evaluation criteria, and provides guidance during contract drafting.

• Develops a quality assurance plan to provide a systematic method to monitor contract performance.

• Participates in the development of contract risk assessments and risk management plans, including mitigating measures.

• Develops contract compliance checklists and implementation plans.

• Participates in the assessment of contractor performance, including advice and action to address instances of poor performance and/or non-compliance with contractual obligations.

• Initiates contract close outs including identifying, documenting and disseminating best practices and lessons learned and securing the final contractor performance assessment.

• Liaises with other departments in relation to claims and disputes, demanding specific performance, claiming against warranties, and other contractual remedies.

• Works towards resolution of conflicts or performance issues arising in cases of poor performance and/or non-compliance with contractual obligations.

2. Introduction and implementation of sourcing strategy and e-procurement tools

• Creation, development and management of rosters of suppliers, elaboration of supplier selection and evaluation, quality and performance measurement mechanisms.

• Ensures that the e-sourcing tools are used in accordance with agreed goals and standards in this area.

3. Management and guidance of procurement processes 

• Provision of supply-market intelligence and analysis. 

• Procurement strategies, approaches and plans designed and implemented according to cost reduction and saving strategies, applying:

  • Expertise in market intelligence matched to business requirements;

  • Optimal Stakeholder management principles;

  • Sustainability criteria;

  • Appropriate work processes to individual cases.

• Oversight and supervision of the implementation and results of strategic and routine procurement work plans in Business Unit, covering Pre-Purchasing: Strategy and Planning; Requirements Definition; Sourcing; Purchasing: Solicitation; Management of Submissions; Evaluation; Review and Award; Post Purchasing: Contract finalization and issuance; Logistics; and Contract Management.

• Creation, implementation and oversight of proper monitoring and control of procurement processes in Business Unit and projects 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 Procurement rules and regulations. 

• Review and pre-clearance of solicitation documents, requests for awards and submissions to Contract and Property Committees (CPCs) in the role of Procurement Reviewer (in OneUNOPS or Enterprise system).

• Procurement contracts and contractors optimally managed through supplier and contract performance management against agreed benchmarks and through agreed reporting mechanisms. 

• Implementation of Internal control system.

• Elaboration of comments regarding project audit reports of the Business Units, when necessary.

4. Team management

• Facilitate the engagement and provision of high quality results and services of the team supervised through effective recruitment, work planning, performance management, coaching, and promotion of learning and development.

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

5. Knowledge building and knowledge sharing 

• Organize, facilitate and/or deliver training and learning initiatives for Business Unit personnel on Procurement-related topics.

• Lead and conduct initiatives on capacity development and knowledge building for procurement personnel, including network development, plans, learning plans and activities, procurement practice information and best practice benchmarking.

• Oversee team’s contributions to Procurement knowledge networks and communities of practice including collaborative synthesis of lessons learnt and dissemination of best practices in procurement management.

• Guide team’s collection of feedback, ideas, and internal knowledge about processes and best practices and utilize productively. 

Impact of Results

The effective and successful achievement of results by the Procurement Specialist - Contract Management directly impacts on the development and performance of the project. It confirms UNOPS’ role as a key and trusted partner to the World Bank, and UNOPS’ position as a critical service provider, in all challenging work environments. Given the current political and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, this project supports and strengthens UNOPS presence and visibility in Afghanistan, raising the profile of UNOPS  in the global humanitarian context. 

Monitoring and progress controls will be in accordance with work plans that the Supervisor and incumbent will prepare at the beginning of the assignment.   

a. Education

• An advanced university degree (e.g. Masters) in Procurement, Supply Chain Management, Engineering, International Development, Finance, Business Administration, Public Policy, Accounting or other related fields is required. A first-level university degree (e.g. Bachelor) in combination with some additional years of progressively relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

• An Accredited Level III Certificate in Procurement from the Chartered Institute of Purchasing or equivalent is an asset.

b. Work experience 

• A minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in procurement, contracts management or supply chain management is required.

• Experience in FIDIC contracts management is highly valued.

• Experience in management of UNOPS contracts and/ or grants is an asset.

• Experience with Enterprise systems including OneUNOPS is desirable.

• Experience in developing countries or a post-conflict context is an advantage.

• Knowledge of procurement within the context of Afghanistan is highly valued.

• Experience of working with/through NGOs is an advantage.

c. Languages

• Proficiency in English 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. 

• 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. 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.