Procurement Officer

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Regional Office for West and Central Africa (ROSEN), Division for Operations (DO) of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Dakar, Senegal. As Head of the West and Central Africa Procurement Hub, the Procurement Officer works under the direct supervision of the Chief (Procurement), UNOV/UNODC Procurement Unit in Vienna, and the overall supervision of the ROSEN Representative. The incumbent also supports and provides technical oversight for procurement functions at the UNODC Country Office in Nigeria (CONGA). The incumbent will execute his/her functions as part of the ROSEN Operations Team and work in close coordination with the Operations Officer. For more information on UNODC, please visit the website www.unodc.org.

Responsibilities

The incumbent is expected, upon request, to support other UNODC offices and Global Programmes in the West and Central Africa region where UNODC operates. Within assigned authority the Procurement Officer will provide the following specific duties:

• Serve as a senior procurement and contracting expert with responsibility for the procurement of a wide variety of supplies and services associated with technically and legally complex contracts and procurement activities; lead and support the procurement work of Regional Offices.
• Plan, develop and manage all procurement and contractual aspects of projects of significant complexity related to diverse services and commodities (e.g., information technology, specialized electronic equipment and instruments, medicines, safety and security equipment including PPE, foodstuffs, building maintenance materials, refurbishment work, office supplies, furniture, etc.), taking into account local economic and other conditions.
• Plan, develop and manage procurement activities related to infrastructure and major construction projects, including those of significant value, in consultation and supported by UNOV/UNODC Procurement Unit, in close cooperation with UNODC architects, engineers, national authorities to ensure that all local, state, and national building codes and regulations and safety precautions are followed.
• Lead the preparation and implementation of procurement according to the United Nations Secretariat Financial Regulations and Rules; when applicable, oversee procurement processed by other UN entities — including through the Common Back Office (CBO) arrangement following the upcoming relocation to the UN House in Dakar — ensuring conformity with their respective rules, regulations, and the UN system principle of Mutual Recognition.
• Coordinate procurement functions between ROSEN and CONGA (UNODC Country Office in Nigeria) under the West and Central Africa Procurement Hub arrangement, including harmonizing delegation of authority thresholds, ensuring equitable workload distribution among buyers across both offices, and formalizing arrangements for ad-hoc mutual support with the UNOV/UNODC Procurement Unit.
• Provide technical advice and quality assurance on procurement activities to officials, buyers, and focal points during all phases of the procurement cycle; analyze and evaluate procurement requests and ensure appropriateness of technical specifications.
• Develop and prepare complex contracts for procurement of non-routine and technologically advanced commodities or long-range services; establish long-term agreements; issue international tender invitations; evaluate responses to tenders; make recommendations for finalization of purchases and award of contracts; sign procurement orders up to the authorized limit and prepare submissions to the Contracts Committee for higher-value approvals.
• Formulate strategies and design innovative solutions to resolve issues or conflicts in complex procurement projects, particularly construction, liaising closely with national authorities to ensure compliance with local laws.
• Establish and maintain work programmes and schedules for ongoing and newly planned contracts; develop tactical approaches to contracts and new methods for their application based on market research.
• Contribute to the development of regional procurement guidance notes, procedures, workflows, standards, templates, innovation initiative and criteria for the evaluation of goods, services, and supplier capacity; streamline procurement processes and support implementation of UNOV/UNODC and Secretariat-wide initiatives.
• Maintain constant examination of production patterns in exporting countries; evaluate productive capacities and performance of manufacturers to identify reliable supply sources.
• Establish approaches for negotiations and conduct or coordinate all phases of negotiations with concerned parties, including resolution of disputes arising from contracts.
• Prepare, review, clear and/or approve a variety of procurement-related documents, Note to File (NtF), contracts, communications, guidelines, and instructions.
• Develop and deliver procurement-related training (mainly in English and French), coaching, and guidance to staff, buyers, managers, and project teams; organize staff development activities and supervise junior staff where applicable.
• Manage preparation of accurate and timely reports of procurement activities; monitor and manage auditing of procurement activities, ensuring recommendations are implemented in conformity with compliance rules.
• Monitor corporate KPI and coordinate with counterparts to ensure compliance with procurement standards.
• Lead the implementation and adoption of enterprise and corporate tools mandated by UNOV/UNODC to enhance productivity and improve overall operations efficiency. These tools may include the Procurement Tracker, the e-tendering tool (Ariba), the Instant Feedback System (IFS) and the Contract Performance Reporting Tool (CPRT). Following deployment, ensure their effective utilization through user support, guidance, monitoring, and continuous improvement initiatives to maximize organizational benefits and compliance.
• Collect and analyze data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.
• Monitor and oversee the use of Low Value Acquisition (LVA) within the Hub, with the aim to identify opportunities for consolidation, reducing reliance on LVA, and promoting the establishment and use of Long-Term Agreements (LTAs) for the Hub.
• Liaise closely with all programmes and project teams in the Hub and ensure efficient and continuous communication and exchange of information.
• Conduct missions to the field, as and when needed.
• Provide guidance to and supervise procurement staff and personnel.
• Participate and represent UNODC, as delegated, in UN Country Team Operations working groups.
• Perform other work-related duties as required.

Competencies

• Professionalism: Has knowledge of internationally recognized procurement standards and of all phases of international procurement techniques and operations used in contracting for highly complex and technologically advanced goods and services. Has knowledge of contract law and expertise in handling complex procurement and contract issues. Has knowledge of quantitative methods to measure supplier capacity systems and ability to identify sources of supply, market trends and pricing. Is able to shape and influence agreements with requisitioning units and vendors. Has ability to apply technical expertise to resolve a range of complex and/or sensitive issues/problems. Is able to develop procurement policies, procedures and new programmes. Has ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. 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. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
• Planning and 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.
• Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.
• Managing Performance: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority; ensures that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member; accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches tasks to skills; monitors progress against milestones and deadlines; regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff; encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative; actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff; appraises performance fairly.

Education

An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business administration, public administration, commerce, law, engineering, architecture, civil engineering, or a related field is required. A first-level university degree in similar fields combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.