Switzerland: Procurement Assistant, G5

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Procurement and Asset Management Unit, Supply Management and Travel Section, Executive Office, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Geneva. OCHA is part of the United Nations Secretariat responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies. OCHA also ensures there is a framework within which each actor can contribute to the overall response efforts. OCHA’s mission is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors in order to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies; advocate the rights of people in need; promote preparedness and prevention and facilitate sustainable solutions.
The incumbent reports to the Chief of Unit.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Procurement Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:

1. Review requests for procurement of services/leases received from the field offices by monitoring the central mailbox, verifying completeness of the submission against the established guidelines, registering the request in the Procurement Tracking Matrix.
2. Contact the field offices for the missing information and/or documentation; follow up regularly until the requirements are met.
3. Prepare official memorandum and supporting documentation for submission to the Procurement Group (UNOG, UNDP, OCHA Buyer); create Umoja Shopping Cart and submit the official request.
4. Ensure vendors are registered and enriched as Business Partner in Umoja.
5. Close follow up with the Service Providers (UNOG, UNDP) for the establishment of the contract and update the field offices on the status.
6. Liaise with the field offices to provide responses to the queries from the Service Providers.
7. Advise the field offices when the contract is approved, coordinate on the creation of the funded Shopping Cart in Umoja, and inform the field office when the Purchase Order has been approved in Umoja.
8. Update the procurement tracking matrix and the Overview of Procurement table.
9. Monitor expiration of the contracts/leases and send reminders to the field offices for timely submission of contract renewal.
10. For leases, create real estates in Umoja for the new leases approved; and updates the real estate contracts for renewal of leases, keep the record and the file of contracts.
11. For lease out contracts, create and update the real estate in Umoja, ensure accounting assignment is collected and recorded properly, and advise the field office when the contract is signed.
12. Liaise with the Finance Section on the billing to the tenants against the lease out contracts.
13. Provide annual report on leases for IPSAS compliance.

Competencies

•Professionalism: Knowledge of procurement policies, processes and procedures generally and, in particular, those related to the purchase of supplies and services. Knowledge of financial rules and regulations and ability to research and gather information from a variety of standard sources and to apply good judgment in the context of assignments given. 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. Passing the United Nations Administrative Assessment Support Test (ASAT) at Headquarters or the Global General Services Test (GGST) is required.

Work Experience

A minimum of five years of experience in administration, including at least two years of relevant experience in requisition/procurement within the UN Common System is required. Experience with an ERP system (such as Umoja) in 'Source to Acquire' is required. Experience with an ERP system (such as Umoja) in Real Estate module is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. All staff in the General Service and related categories shall be recruited in the country or within commuting distance of each office, irrespective of their nationality and of the length of time they may have been in the country. A staff member subject to local recruitment shall not be eligible for the allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment.
Passing the United Nations Administrative Assessment Support Test (ASAT) at Headquarters, ECA, ESCWA, UNOG, UNOV, ICTR, ICTY or the Global General Services Test (GGST) is a prerequisite for recruitment consideration in the General Service category in the United Nations Secretariat.
Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.

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.
Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side 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.
Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.

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