Business Support Associate - Vendor Management

Job Posting Organization:
The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, established to save lives in emergencies and to use food assistance as a means to build pathways to peace, stability, and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters, and the impacts of climate change. WFP operates globally, with a mission to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people in need. The organization is committed to diversity and equal employment opportunities, encouraging qualified candidates from various backgrounds to apply. WFP has a strong focus on creating a healthy and inclusive work environment, guided by its core values of Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion. WFP has been recognized for its efforts, being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020, and continues to invest in the personal and professional development of its employees through various training and development programs. The organization operates in numerous countries, providing logistics support and food assistance to vulnerable populations, particularly in crisis situations.

Job Overview:
The Business Support Associate position is situated within the Supply Chain Unit of WFP Palestine, focusing on the implementation of the Country Office’s Vendor Management and Vetting Function. This role is crucial for strengthening vendor governance, supporting vendor onboarding and registration, enhancing supplier relationship management, conducting market research, and ensuring compliance with donor vetting requirements. The incumbent will coordinate administrative, quality assurance, and internal control aspects of vendor registration and donor vetting processes. The position requires close collaboration with various WFP units to enhance coordination, visibility, and compliance across vendor management workflows. The role is designed to ensure that vendor registration, vetting, and documentation processes are timely, accurate, and audit-ready, contributing to the overall efficiency and effectiveness of WFP's operations in Palestine.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Coordinate the day-to-day implementation of the Vendor Management and Donor Vetting Function to enhance vendor governance and ensure compliance with donor requirements.
• Act as an authorizing official in the Vetting Portal, validating and authorizing vetting submissions while ensuring all submissions are complete and supported by necessary documentation.
• Oversee the collection and prioritization of information for vendor registration and vetting processes, ensuring documentation is complete and available for timely processing.
• Manage initial vetting, re-vetting, exemption, and extension processes, monitoring validity periods and ensuring compliance with donor requirements.
• Maintain centralized databases and reporting tools for vendor management and vetting, ensuring information is accurate and readily available for operational and donor reporting.
• Ensure proper filing and archiving of vendor registration and vetting documentation in accordance with WFP procedures.
• Monitor vendor registration pipelines and coordinate follow-ups to resolve documentation gaps affecting contracting and payments.
• Conduct market research and vendor mapping to support procurement planning and diversification of the vendor base.
• Prepare and analyze compliance reports, highlighting trends and required management actions. 1
• Conduct quality assurance reviews and reconciliations to identify discrepancies and implement corrective actions. 1
• Provide technical guidance to WFP teams involved in vendor management and vetting activities. 1
• Liaise with various WFP units to strengthen coordination and compliance across workflows. 1
• Support audits and internal compliance exercises by providing complete documentation and analysis. 1
• Offer functional guidance to junior staff as needed. 1
• Perform other related tasks as required.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a completion of secondary school education, with a first university degree in Supply Chain, Logistics/Operations Management, Information Systems, Data Science/Analytics, or a relevant field being highly desirable. Proficiency in office equipment and software, particularly Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, is essential. Candidates should demonstrate excellent written and verbal communication skills, high attention to detail, strong research and analytical abilities, and the capacity to meet deadlines while working under pressure. The ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment is also required.

Educational Background:
The minimum educational requirement for this position is the completion of secondary school education. However, candidates with a first university degree in relevant fields such as Supply Chain, Logistics/Operations Management, Information Systems, Data Science/Analytics, or business/public administration will be preferred. This educational background is crucial for understanding the complexities of vendor management and compliance processes within the humanitarian context.

Experience:
Candidates should have six or more years of progressively responsible work experience in areas related to administrative work, data management, records management, vendor management, supply chain management, procurement, or other relevant fields. This level of experience is necessary to ensure that the candidate is well-equipped to handle the responsibilities of the role and to contribute effectively to the WFP's mission in Palestine.

Languages:
Fluency in English and Arabic is required for this position. Proficiency in these languages is essential for effective communication within the diverse and multicultural environment of WFP, as well as for liaising with various stakeholders and partners involved in vendor management and humanitarian efforts.

Additional Notes:
The position is offered under a Service Contract for a duration of 12 months, with the possibility of renewal. It is a full-time role based in Jerusalem, Israel. WFP provides a competitive salary package, including pension contributions, medical insurance with options for dependents, and generous annual leave entitlements. Additionally, WFP offers 16 weeks of parental leave for birth mothers and 4 weeks for non-birth parents, along with various learning and development opportunities to support employee growth and career advancement.