Org. Setting and Reporting
This position is located within the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), Laayoune. The Procurement Officer reports to the Chief Procurement Officer.
Responsibilities
Within the delegated authority, the Procurement Officer will be responsible for the following duties:
Plan, develop and manage all procurement and contractual aspects of projects of significant complexity related to worldwide procurement of diverse services and commodities, taking into account local economic and other conditions;
Advise Acquisition Management Unit and requisitioning units on the full range of procurement related issues, providing support and guidance at all stages of the procurement cycle;
Review procurement requests to ensure appropriateness of technical specifications and seek clarifications, if required;
Prepare and oversee the distribution of invitations to tender and manage/conduct all aspects of bid/proposal evaluations;
Make recommendations for finalization of purchase orders and contract awards;
Formulate strategies and design innovative solutions to resolve issues/conflicts for complex procurement projects;
Establish and maintain work program and schedule for ongoing contracts and newly-planned ones;
Participate in negotiations with senior supplier representatives;
Approve procurement orders up to the authorized limits and, in cases where the amount exceeds authorized limit, prepares submissions to the Senior Procurement Officers or to the Contracts Committees for review and subsequent approval by the authorized official;
Conduct market research to keep abreast of market developments; research and analyze statistical data and market reports on the world commodity situation, production patterns and availability of goods and services;
Identify new technologies and products/services, evaluate and recommend potential supply sources and participate in the incorporation of research results into the procurement program;
Oversee adherence to contractual agreements, recommend amendments and extensions of contracts, and advise concerned parties on contractual rights and obligations;
Prepare a variety of procurement-related documents, contracts, communications, guidelines, instructions, reports, etc.
Provide advanced screening and usage capability of SAP SRM encompassing workload distribution, RFX, Purchasing and Contracts management on daily basis.
Collect and analyze data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.
Ensure that requirements and background information used for data analysis are documented.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Competencies
Professionalism: Knowledge of internationally recognized procurement standards and of all phases of international procurement techniques and operations used in contracting for a diverse range of goods and services. Knowledge of contract law and expertise in handling complex contract issues. Knowledge of quantitative methods to measure supplier capacity systems and ability to identify sources of supply, market trends and pricing. Ability to shape and influence agreements with requisitioning units and vendors. Ability to apply technical expertise to resolve a range of issues/problems.
Advanced working knowledge of SAP SRM procurement modules including Business Intelligence (BI) reporting. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations.
Commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of work. Planning & Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.
Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be "clients" and seeks to see things from clients' point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients' needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients' environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.
Education
High school diploma or equivalent is required.
Job - Specific Qualification
Chartered Institute of Purchasing on Supply (CIPS) Level 4 or equivalent professional certification is required. Please attach a copy of your CIPS Level 4 certificate or a copy of your equivalent professional certification.
Work Experience
A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in procurement, contract management, administration or related area is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to 5 years for candidates who possess a first level University degree (BA in a relevant field). Procurement experience in and knowledge of the procurement rules of the UN Common System or a comparable international regulatory framework is required. Experience in leading a complex procurement function for an international organization in a field-mission type of environment is required.
Experience in planning and supervising the work of a Procurement unit and managing procurement personnel is required. Knowledge of contract law and expertise in handling complex contract issues is desirable. Experience in data analytics or related area is desirable. Experience in enterprise resource planning system such as SAP is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. French is desirable. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details).
Required Languages
Language | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking
English | UN Level III | UN Level III | UN Level III | UN Level III
Desirable Languages
Language | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking
French | UN Level II | UN Level II | UN Level II | UN Level II
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a competency-based interview.
Special Notice
This position is temporarily available for 6 months. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.
While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post.
Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.
This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15.
Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply.Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.
Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as "retirement." Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless
(a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and
(b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service. Please note that pursuant to the Staff selection system policy (ST/AI/2025/2):
(1) Applicants for positions in the Field Service category cannot be of the nationality of the country where the position is located, and
(2) Applicants for positions in the Professional and higher categories in a mission, field operation, or resident coordinator’s office cannot be of the nationality of the country where the position is located. For currently serving staff of a United Nations Common System organization, only the UN-recognized nationality will be considered for the purposes of these restrictions.
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.
The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening.
No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. All external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2
(a) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment without limitation and all external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2.
(c) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment limited to the entity are subject to an initial probationary period of one year under a fixed-term appointment. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.