Procurement Officer

Job Posting Organization:
The position is located within the Transportation & Life Support Service, Procurement Division (PD), Office of Supply Chain Management (OSCM), Department of Operational Support (DOS) of the United Nations. The DOS was established to provide operational advisory services to various entities across the UN Secretariat, including departments, field missions, and regional commissions. The OSCM encompasses several divisions, including the Logistics Division and the Procurement Division, which is tasked with delivering expert procurement services and business advice to UN Headquarters and field missions, ensuring a competitive and transparent procurement process.

Job Overview:
The Procurement Officer is responsible for managing all procurement and contractual aspects of complex projects related to the worldwide procurement of fuel services. This role involves advising requisitioning units on procurement issues, overseeing the preparation of invitations to tender, conducting bid evaluations, and formulating strategies to resolve procurement conflicts. The officer will also maintain work programs for ongoing contracts, negotiate with suppliers, conduct market research, and ensure adherence to contractual agreements. The position requires a proactive approach to identifying new technologies and potential supply sources, as well as preparing various procurement-related documents and providing guidance to junior staff.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Procurement Officer will undertake a variety of responsibilities including planning and managing procurement projects, advising on procurement issues, preparing and overseeing tender invitations, conducting evaluations of bids, formulating procurement strategies, maintaining schedules for contracts, negotiating with suppliers, conducting market research, ensuring compliance with contracts, and preparing procurement documents. Additionally, the officer will supervise junior staff and provide guidance, ensuring that all procurement activities align with UN standards and regulations.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a strong knowledge of international procurement standards and contract law, as well as expertise in handling complex procurement issues. The ability to apply technical expertise to resolve procurement challenges is essential. Candidates should demonstrate professionalism, teamwork, and client orientation, ensuring that they can work collaboratively with colleagues and maintain productive partnerships with clients.

Educational Background:
An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business administration, public administration, commerce, engineering, law, or a related field is required. Alternatively, a first-level university degree combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.

Experience:
Candidates should have a minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in procurement, contract management, or logistics and supply chain management. At least two consecutive years of experience in conducting international tender exercises for complex goods and services within the last five years is required. Experience with ERP systems like SAP or e-tendering systems such as Ariba is desirable, as is experience in public procurement processes supporting field operations or similar international organizations.

Languages:
English is required for this position, with a minimum proficiency level of UN Level II in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. French is also a working language of the United Nations, and proficiency in French is considered an asset.

Additional Notes:
This position is funded by the Support Account for Peacekeeping Operations. The United Nations is committed to achieving gender balance and encourages female candidates to apply. The recruitment process will consider candidates from troop and police-contributing countries for positions in peacekeeping operations. The UN Secretariat emphasizes the importance of efficiency, competence, and integrity in its recruitment process, and candidates with a history of violations of international law or other serious offenses will not be considered for employment. The position may require periodic relocation to different duty stations, and reasonable accommodations will be provided for applicants with disabilities.