Closing date: Friday, 15 March 2024
Organizational Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Global Procurement Support Section (GPSS), Procurement Division (PD), Office of Supply Chain Management (OSCM), Department of Operational Support (DOS). The Department of Operational Support was established to provide end-to-end operational support, advisory services and other solutions to operating entities across the Secretariat, including other departments, offices-away-from headquarters, field missions, and regional commissions. The Office of Supply Chain Management encompasses the Office of the Assistant Secretary-General, the Logistics Division, the Procurement Division, the Uniformed Capabilities Support Division, Global Service Centre, Enabling and Outreach Service and the Aviation Safety Section. The mandate of the Procurement Division is to provide responsive, effective, and quality expert procurement services and business advice to United Nations (UN) Headquarters, field missions, and other UN organizations, while achieving best value for money, ensuring a competitive, fair and transparent process in accordance with established regulations, rules and procedures. The incumbent will report to a Team Leader, under the overall supervision of Chief, Global Procurement Support Section. The post is based in GPSS located in Entebbe, Uganda.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Procurement Assistant will be responsible for the following duties: Review, record and prioritize purchasing requests, obtain additional information and/ or documentation as required, provide assistance to requisitioners in preparing scope of work and specifications of goods and services and how to develop the Source Selection Plan in order to ensure the implementation of Best Value for Money principle. Prepare and finalize Source Selection Plan. Research the market. Identify and recommend sources of procurement; post tender requirement in the UN Procurement Division website for Request for Proposals (RFPs) and Invitations to Bid (ITBs.) Produce tender documents (e.g. Invitation to bids, Request for Proposals and Request for Quotations) based on the nature of the requirements and cost of procurement involved. Submit upon initial screening technical proposals to the requisitioners or the Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) for technical evaluation and follow up with them to expedite the process of technical evaluation. Reviews technical evaluations received from requisitioning offices; Prepare and analyze abstracts of offers and compile data contained in quotations, proposals and bids to determine which vendor could deliver the required goods/services at the best terms and lowest costs possible; Prepare presentations for review and clearance by CPU and present to Local Committee on Contracts LCC and I or Headquarters Committee on Contracts (HCC) in respect of all proposed contract awards exceeding the Procurement unit's authority, and obtain recommendation for approval from the Contracts Committee (LCC and/or HCC). Assist relevant officers in more complex, higher value purchasing operations.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.
This position is funded by the Support Account. The Appointment or assignment against this position is for an initial period of one year. eE0w1TZ u3Be8
The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.
Applicants from troop and police-contributing countries who are found most suitable and recommended for selection will be given due consideration for positions in a peacekeeping operation or Headquarters support account funded positions in the Department of Peace Operations and the Department of Operational Support, taking into account their contribution to United Nations peacekeeping, in accordance with General Assembly resolutions 66/265 and 67/287.
Pursuant to section 7.11 of ST/AI/2012/2/Rev.1, candidates recruited through the young professionals' programme who have not served for a minimum of two years in the position of their initial assignment are not eligible to apply to this position.
At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.
United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs.

The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage.