UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, deliver

UNICEF in the State of Palestine works to uphold the rights of children to access services and protection, from early childhood through to adolescence. Our objective is to ensure that every child in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, irrespective of background or circumstance, has an equal chance to fulfill their potential. We are working for every child and young person in the State of Palestine.

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF State of Palestine Country Office is looking to engage the Procurement Officer position to support the supply and procurement operations in The State of Palestine.

The Procurement Officer reports to the Supply and Logistics Manager (Gaza) as per the Country Office set-up for supervision and guidance. The Procurement Officer provides technical and operational support as per the Country Office (CO) set-up and is responsible for managing the supply chains of a small/medium sized country office, or elements of the supply chains of a larger supply operation. The supply chain operations include planning, procurement, contracting and distribution, as well as monitoring of supplies, services and construction works. The incumbent supports management collaboration with programmes in defining supply interventions to meet programmatic needs and achieve results for children, and provides technical and advisory support to governments, national systems and partners on supply chain management.

As an advocate for children, you will have the following duties/tasks:

• Supervision of end-to-end procurement and supply chain delivery of a wide range of product/service in support of programme implementation
  • In consultation with Supply & Logistics Manager provides input to Country Programme planning to advice on supply requirements. Contributes to procurement component of the Country Programme. Works closely with programme sections on supply planning/forecasting. Provides technical advice on specifications/Terms of Reference ensuring appropriateness of products and services resulting in efficient procurement turnaround
  • Proposes procurement strategies (using category management) and actions on local procurement and offshore (where applicable).
  • Collaboration with Programme sections in finding appropriateness of products/services and/or suggest best alternative best suited for the purpose. Consults other UN agencies, UNGM, and local market to expand credible supplier source
  • Generates periodic supply implementation report, analyses and address bottlenecks while following up with relevant parties ensuring timely procurement implementation. Supervise and coach team members, ensure timely performance management of staff
  • Ensure all procurement activities follow UNICEF Financial Rules and Regulations, Supply Division Procedures and Guidance (Manual) and all other applicable procurement procedures.
  • Review requirements to ensure completeness and correctness, identify priority activities and assigning tasks to relevant team members in consultation with Supply & Logistics Manager; adjust priorities as required; develops clear goals and resources to complete work on time
  •  Analyze supply dashboards, implementation rates of key performance indicators and supply information/data from various systems and conduct root cause analysis of supply chain bottlenecks and challenges, with a view to drive improvements and ensure efficient and effective supply chains for children. Generate procurement data and prepare periodic procurement reports; suggests improvement plans based on past trend and future forecast.
  • Supervise and coach team members, ensure timely performance management of staff. In collaboration with Supply Division, Regional Office and the global supply community, ensure knowledge sharing and learning is prioritized in order to continuously build capacity of individuals and the team.
  • Manages solicitation and evaluate bid/proposal/quotations to ensure competitiveness, quality and conformity to specified requirements, clarifies offers and negotiates with suppliers as appropriate and submits final outcome to Supply Manager and maintain updated monitoring database on progress including shipments, deliveries, claims.
  • Reviews procurement data ensuring all relevant supporting documents for Award Recommendation of Long-Term Arrangement and/or purchase orders and service contracts; prepare submissions for Contracts Review Committee
  • Review workload and proposes optimal work distribution to ensure quick response to procurement requests both for regular and emergency orders until goods are received by consignee.
  • Methodically maintains supplier performance evaluation with regular follow up and reporting to supervisor while escalating bottlenecks and challenges.
  • Keeps abreast of both local and international market dynamics of a wide range of product/services to strategize and propose best procurement approach resulting in optimal outcome.
  • Participate in the development of an emergency supply & logistics strategy based on risk assessment analysis and Programme assumptions. Ensure an emergency supply and logistics preparedness action plan for the CO is established in line with Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action (CCC) and implemented (establishment of relevant LTAs and frame agreements for strategic and critical supplies and services including for emergency response, prepositioning of stock, and training of staff in the country office).

  Supports Supply & Logistics Manager in providing guidance and collaborates with programme and implementing partners proposing best approach while identifying gaps and needs

  • Extends support in the development, review and implementation of the annual Supply Plan of the country programme
  • Develop close collaboration with programme sections through involvement in programme design, planning and preparation for implementation of supply components as well as monitoring and evaluation.
  • Provide input to capacity development initiatives in the area of supply chains for children, in close collaboration with supervisor and programme colleagues. Support supply components of health systems strengthening as might be relevant in the country context.
  • Prepare for review by supervisor, supply documentation to facilitate input to donor dialogue, and support development of supply components of proposals to donor including budgeting and use of innovative financing mechanisms for supplies and services
  • Consult and liaise with other UN Agencies and UNGM to find synergy in procurement activities such as piggy backing on other UN agency Long Term Arrangement especially for commodities and or service contracts whereby other agencies have comparative advantage. Systematically reviews UNICEF Supply Dashboard information to gain insight with a view to leveraging existing procurement opportunities.
  • Contribute to pilots and support the actual roll-out of new products and services, in close collaboration with supervisor and Supply Division. Support initiatives to promote critical thinking, innovative approaches and good practices on supply chain management within the organization as well as with externals to ensure effective and efficient supply chains for children.
  • Any other duties as may be required from time to time.

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

• Education:
  • Education: A first university degree (Bachelor’s degree) is required in Business Administration, Management, Economics, Supply Chain Management, Procurement, contracts/Commercial Law, International Development, or related social science field.

  Experience:

  • Experience: A minimum of two (2) year of progressively responsible professional experience in supply, procurement, contracting,
  • administration and/or other directly related technical fields is required.
  •  Knowledge of wide range of product group and services
  • Strong experience in procurement of goods and contracting of services
  • Experience in and understanding of development and humanitarian work.
  • Experience in emergency response from a procurement perspective is an
  • advantage.
  • Experience in team supervision is an asset

  Language Requirements:

  • Language Requirements: Fluency in English and Arabic is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Portuguese Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of:

• Care
• Respect
• Integrity
• Trust
• Accountability
• Sustainability

(CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are:

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)
• Works Collaboratively with others (1)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (1)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)
• Drive to achieve impactful results (1)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

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 benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.
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 promote the protection and safeguarding of all children.

Remarks:

This position is not considered an elevated risk role. However, UNICEF reserves the right to conduct further vetting/assessment within the scope of child safeguarding as appropriate. 

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable male candidates are encouraged to apply.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also 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 cancelled.

Special Remarks: In the current evolving emergency context, this position will be based in Gaza where medical facilities have been negatively affected and individual chronic and/or serious medical conditions cannot be adequately addressed.

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.

Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government 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.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements