UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, a Champion

Supplies are essential to fulfilling children’s rights. UNICEF procures and supplies over 5,000 products to address the needs of children. Supporting child survival and development programmes around the world, UNICEF-procured supplies are critical in providing for children’s health, education and protecting them from abuse, exploitation, and neglect.

The Service Contracting Centre (SCC) is part of UNICEF Supply Division. Established in 2017 to bring efficiencies and improve compliance by leading the procurement of services for diverse category of services across all Headquarters Divisions/Offices & becoming source of expert knowledge and resources in the various categories of services.

The Procurement Assistant will assist in the contracting of services for a selected portfolio of Service Categories in support of all contracting activities carried out by Head Quarters Divisions/Offices The role will be providing effective services to customers, ensuring accurate and timely processing of Requisitions and requests up to the completion and closure of the contracts, with the overall goal of meeting the needs and requirements of the customers.

How can you make a difference?

Under the supervision of the Procurement Specialist, the Procurement Assistant provides a broad range of transactional, procedural and administrative tasks in support of service contracting activities carried out by Head Quarters Divisions/Offices, ensuring timely and efficient output that is in compliance with UNICEF rules and regulations, whilst demonstrating the capacity to research, adapt and evaluate irregular cases, and also to recommend improvements to process delivery and design.

At the GS-5 level, the below tasks are expected to be carried out with a high level of independence:

• Reviews incoming requirements from Divisions and Offices in coordination with Supply Division’s Contracts Officer/Manager for appropriateness and completeness of ToRs and other required documentation to ensure quality and adequacy of information;
• Drafts and prepares Requests for Proposals, and coordinates evaluation of proposals with Divisions and Offices, ensuring procurement processes are conducted in a timely manner with transparency and farness, promoting competition to achieve value for money;
• Assists with preparation of Contract Review Committee (CRC) submissions using an electronic CRC tool;
• Draft and issue Contracts, ensuring Contracts are signed in a timely manner and all documentation is properly filed.  Monitors and follows up on progress of Contracts ensuring proper contract management is followed, and contracts are fully implemented. Coordinates required amendments to contracts and the evaluation of suppliers with respective contract managers, and ensures contracts are closed in Vision;
• Drafts and issue LTAS for services. Monitors the use of LTAS in accordance with LTA guidelines, and follows up on performance issues, as well as required amendments and extensions;
• Keeps Contracting Dashboard as well as other information management systems updated with contractual information, to be able to prepare reports and report on progress of contracting processes;
• Maintains filing in accordance with UNICEF guidelines;
• Any other duties or assignments as requested by the supervisor.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Completion of secondary school education with courses/certifications in supply chain management and procurement.

• Work Experience: Minimum five (5) years of progressively responsible supply-related work experience (procurement/ contracting, supply).
• Skills Strong computer skills in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and SAP
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English.
• Work permit/residency: Candidates must either be Hungarian nationals/other EU/Schengen country nationals or hold a valid long-term Hungarian residency and work permit at the time of submitting the job application.

Desirables:

• Familiarity with UNICEF, UN Supply procedures and systems
• Knowledge of another official UN language (Spanish, French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian)
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of measures to include a more diverse workforce, such as paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per 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.

UNICEF’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Visa residence requirements: i.e.: UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category.

For this particular position: Applicants must be nationals of Hungary or other EU/Schengen country OR in the possession of a valid long-term Hungarian residency and work permit. Temporary and/or sponsored visas are not accepted. UNICEF GSSC does not facilitate MFA accreditation for locally recruited staff, applicants must be holders of acceptable permits already at the time of application. Please attach a copy of your work permit (if applicable) and also does not facilitate the issuance, maintenance, renewal, extension, or conversion of the candidate’s residency and/or work permit for employment purposes.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.