How can you make a difference?

The Procurement Assistant will support the procurement cycle for a segment of Medicines products and services. Providing effective services to customers, ensuring accurate and timely processing of requisitions and requests up to the completion and closure of the order, with the overall goal of meeting the needs and requirements of the customers.

In this capacity, the need to project the image of a credible and reliable service provider is imperative to quality of process delivery, and the impact of work directly reflects on the overall reputation of the team in terms of responsiveness to client needs and quality of process execution.

Under the supervision of a Contracts Specialist, performs all procurement activities in compliance with the UNICEF Financial Rules and Regulations, Supply Division Manual and other applicable procurement procedures including:

1. In consultation with the Supervisor, provide input to country procurement plans and participate in the forecasting and planning of shipments.
2. Reviews and evaluates incoming medicine requisitions and requests to ensure quality and adequacy of information, specifications, appropriateness of requests, quantities, shipment, delivery dates, and budgets to cover product and freight costs.
3. Review’s material specifications and requirements with customers, countries, the technical counterparts, and Quality Assurance Centre to ensure completeness and appropriateness. Ensures that customers’ claims/complaints are processed in collaboration with Shipping and Quality Assurance Centre.
4. Prepare and draft price and cost estimates for Procurement Services (PS) transaction including freight.
5. Drafts and prepare international tender invitations, prepare CRC submission when applicable, draft and prepare Purchase Orders, piggyback on other UN organizations Long Term Agreements (LTAs), as applicable.
6. Drafts and prepares Purchase Orders and prepares Direct Order Arrangements in SAP (ERP – Enterprise Resource Planning system), and submit for relevant approvals, ensuring completeness of documentation.
7. Monitors the status of Country Office Programme orders and center specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Pro-actively follows up on placed orders and deliveries with all parties concerned to ensure timely and safe delivery of goods.  Transmits all relevant information to customer including changes to planned deliveries, to facilitate delivery and customs clearance of shipments. Prepares and provides timely and regular status / monitoring reports to customers.
8. Updating of databases and management systems for use by Head Quarters, Country Offices or Regional Offices.
9. Implement appropriate vendor management practices e.g., supply performance reviews. Monitor and evaluate supplier performance and communicate with suppliers to improve performance.
10. Prepares evaluation of suppliers with respect to delivery performance and commercial acceptability.
11. Maintains order filing in accordance with UNICEF guidelines.
12. Perform research, collect data and conduct analysis, produce reports and ensure information accuracy in corporate systems to enable informed decision-making.
13. Any other duties or assignments as requested by the supervisor.

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

The following minimum requirements:

• Education: Completion of secondary education

• Work Experience: Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible administrative or clerical work experience
• Language: Fluency in English and in particular excellent written communication skills

The following desirables:

• Education: Technical or university courses related to procurement
• Additional relevant courses in procurement

• Experience of working in SAP/ERP system (VISION) or other modules of SAP
• Knowledge of Public procurement
• Language: Proficiency in another UN language (Spanish, French, Russian, Chinese, Arabic).