Iraq: Procurement and Contracting Officer, P-3

Title: Procurement and Contracting Officer
Domain: Finance & Administrative Platform
Grade: P-3
Position Number: 5IQBFM0003PA
Organizational Unit: UNESCO Office for Iraq
Duty Station: Erbil
Type of contract: Project Appointment
Annual salary: Approx. USD 80 845
Duration of contact: One year with possibility of extension depending on availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

Deadline (midnight, Amman time): 03 June 2019

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

Overview of the functions of the position

The incumbent works under the direct supervision of the Chief of Finance and Administrative Platform of the UNESCO Office for Iraq and the overall authority of the Director of the UNESCO Office for Iraq and with overall guidance from the Sector for Administration and Management at UNESCO Headquarters on matters related to Headquarters Contracts Committee. The work involves close coordination with the requesting units/programme specialists /project Officers and recipient entities as well as relevant colleagues at Headquarters concerning the implementation of UNESCO projects in both Mosul and Basra cities.
The incumbent will carry out the following, but not limited to, roles and responsibilities:

1. Provide policy guidance, training and technical assistance for all contract categories, (e.g.: procurement of goods, works or services contracts, Implementation Partnership Agreements (IPAs), financing activities contracts and other forms of contractual agreements);
2. Advise programme Specialists/ project Officers in planning, developing and managing all contractual aspects of programme/projects including the identification of requirements, estimation of budgets, appropriate procurement and other contracting methods and in respect of established procurement plans;
3. Review procurement and other new contract requests to ensure completeness, correctness and adequacy to assure fair and transparent competition or comparison process, assisting in market research and providing advice where required;
4. Review and ensure compliance of the procurement notices, advertisements and distribution of invitations to bid or requests for proposals and follow-up on the replies and; bid/proposal openings;
5. When needed, participate in the evaluation team, analyze and evaluate vendors' offers/ proposals considering various factors;
6. Advise on required respective contractual documents, with particular focus on potentially non-standard contractual arrangements and review submissions for approval by the appropriate authority; Undertake a "compliance review" of applicable received submissions;
7. Maintain effective relations with programme Specialists/ project Officers while involving them in each step of the process in order to enhance capacities for contractual proceedings; undertake training workshops; update Office colleagues on all policy and procedural changes in the Administrative Manual; study possibilities for process efficiencies both within the Office and interactions with Headquarters;
8. Maintain a tracking system and database to control the procurement and logistics activities to monitor during contract implementation, adherence to all contractual agreements, performance requirements and respect of delivery schedules. Provide recommendations, advise and status reports as necessary. Analyze and document lessons learned and recommend improvements for application of future projects;
9. Provide backstopping support in procurement and contracting tasks under projects portfolio relate to UNESCO Office for Iraq in close relation with the Contracting Officer and under the direct supervision and coordination of the Chief of Finance and Administrative Platform;
10. Contribute to management of the procurement function and team by the Chief of Platform through: Monitoring relevant staff performance and conducting performance assessment; Organizing and efficiently managing the workload of Unit and reporting achievements, challenges and solutions;
11. Attend and report on the related procurement subgroup (i.e. “Delivery as One”, reform process (BOS, SOP etc...)

Competencies
A successful candidate will be required to demonstrate the following competencies:

Core Competencies
Accountability
Communication
Teamwork
Innovation
Results focus
Planning and organizing
Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement
For detailed information please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework

Required qualifications
Education

• Advanced university degree (Masters or equivalent degree) in public procurement, business administration, finance, law, or other fields closely related to the position and/or management with a specialization in the field of procurement. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.Work Experience

• Minimum of 4 years of work experience, of which 2 years of progressively responsible experience in procurement of works, goods and services in public or private sectors;

• Demonstrated experience in the procurement of complex services and procurement of construction and engineering services in complex environments – with a highly-diversified projects portfolio of procurement volume of minimum 10 Mio USD per annum;

• Proven hands-on management of procurement and logistics;

• Extensive experience in administrative and operational activities;

• Experience in procurement in an UN agency or other international organization.

• Skills and competencies

• Solid functional competencies in planning, establishing contracts including monitoring and performance evaluation;

• Hands-on on procurement, contract, legal obligations and preferably with solid project management skills;

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, as well as ability to set priorities, to interpret rules and administrative guidelines;

• Technology skills to use contracting and financial management software, including MS Office software applications and ERP;

• Leading and supervising skills.

• Strong sense of delivery and priorities; Ability to provide in a very tight schedule relevant feedback and advice to UNESCO staff facing specific requirements of clients operating in post crisis contexts;

• Focus on clients’ services. Keep clients informed of procurement progress or setbacks. Actively interact with clients to solicit feedback and gauge satisfaction;

• Ability to work in a multi-skilled and multi-cultural teams;

• Knowledge-sharing capabilities; sound judgment and initiative; tact, discretion and confidentiality;

• Well-developed analytical thinking, problem solving, and negotiation skills;

• Persistent attention to detail and experience with contract review;

• Ability to multitask and to prioritize work to meet deadlines;

• Ability to provide guidance in a timely and understandable manner.Languages

• Excellent knowledge of Arabic language and good knowledge of English language (both written and spoken).Desirable qualifications
  Education

• Membership of/ and professional certification through relevant professional institutions such as the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) or other similar and equivalent organizations is desirable.

• A recognized certification in project management such as PMP or PRINCE2.
  Work Experience

• Work in developing countries preferably in a conflict or post-conflict country.Languages

• Good knowledge of French language.Assessment
  An assessment exercise may be used in the evaluation of candidates

Interested candidates should complete the attached UNESCO CV with a covering letter in English explaining their interest in the position and forward it electronically to the following e-mail address: recruitment.bag@unesco.org
Please indicate the position and vacancy number you are applying for. Incomplete UNESCO CV will not be processed.
Applications can also be received via fax only if internet access is not available to apply online. A completed official UNESCO CV form (available from the UNESCO home page) should be sent to fax number: +962-6-5928456.
Interested and suitable candidates should ensure that their application is submitted on or before 03 June 2019 (midnight, Amman time).
Due to the large number of applications received, only applicants short‐listed for interview will be contacted.

Benefits and entitlements
UNESCO’s salaries are calculated in US dollars. They consist of a basic salary and a post adjustment, which reflects the cost of living in a particular duty station, as well as exchange rates. Other benefits include: 30 days annual leave, family allowance, home travel, education grant for dependent children, pension plan and medical insurance. More details can be found on the ICSC Website.
Please note that UNESCO is a no-smoking Organization.