Org. Setting and Reporting

The United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) is the United Nations headquarters in Africa and the representative office of the Secretary-General. We support programme implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Resident Coordinator System (RCS) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UNHabitat) globally, as well as other United Nations offices in Kenya, by providing administrative, conference and information services (www.unon.org).

This position is located in the United Nations Office at Nairobi, Procurement Section at the Nairobi duty station, and will be focused on all procurement activities related to the Facilities Management Section at the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON). Under the supervision of the Chief, Procurement Section the incumbent will perform the following duties:

Responsibilities

• Plans, develops and manages all procurement and contractual aspects of projects of significant complexity more specifically related to the major construction and renovations of buildings and infrastructure within the UN Nairobi complex and including all the aforementioned services under the direct mandate of the Facilities Management Section, such as the management, operation and major maintenance of buildings, office space, infrastructure, grounds, commercial operations and transport services under the direct mandate of the Facilities Management Section, through a worldwide procurement of diverse services and commodities (e.g. works, services, construction, facilities maintenance materials, equipment, instruments and supplies, furniture, etc.) taking into account local economic and other conditions.

• Advises requisitioning units and recipient entities on the full range of procurement issues, providing support and guidance at all stage of the procurement cycle.

• Formulates strategies and designs innovative solutions to resolve issues/ conflicts for complex procurement projects and establishes and maintains the work program and schedule for ongoing contracts and newly-planned ones.

• Prepares/oversees preparation and distribution of invitations to tender and manages/conducts all aspects of bid/proposal evaluations. Provides technical advice on procurement activities to officials of substantive units during all phases of procurement cycle.

• Establishes and maintains work program and schedule for ongoing contracts and newly planned ones.

• Participates in negotiations with senior supplier representatives; signs procurement orders up to the authorized limit, and, in cases where the amount exceeds authorized signature authority, prepares submissions to the Contracts Committee for review and subsequent approval by the authorized official.

• Conducts market research to keep abreast of market developments; researches and analyzes statistical data and market reports on the world commodity situation, production patterns and availability of goods and services.

• Identifies new technologies, and products/services, evaluates and recommends potential supply sources and participates in the incorporation of research results into the procurement program.

• Oversees adherence to contractual agreements, recommends amendments and extensions of contracts, and advises concerned parties on contractual rights and obligations.

• Prepares a variety of procurement-related documents, contracts, communications, guidelines, instructions, and ensure they are within the procurement manual guidelines.

• Provides guidance to, and may supervise, new/junior staff.

• Collects and analyzes 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.

• Performs any other duties as requested by the Supervisor.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of internationally recognized procurement standards and of all phases of international procurement techniques and operations used in contracting for a diverse range of goods and services; Good working knowledge of INCOTERMS and international business practices; knowledge of contract law and expertise in handling complex contract issues; knowledge of quantitative methods to measure supplier capacity systems and ability to identify sources of supply, market trends and pricing; ability to shape and influence agreements with requisitioning units and vendors; ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management; ability to apply technical expertise to resolve a range of issues/problems; 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.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in supply chain management, procurement, business administration, commerce, engineering, law or related fields is required. A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in the specified fields of studies in combination with two (2) additional years of qualifying relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job – Specific Qualification

Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supplies (CIPS) Level 4 or equivalent professional certification is required.

Work Experience

A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in procurement, contract management or related area is required.

At least three (3) years of direct first hand work in procurement is required out of which one year (1) or more must involve recent direct experience in procuring design and construction related services such as Renovations, New Build or Road Construction/Maintenance.

Experience in managing large procurement cases for goods and services in a large international organization is desirable.

Experience in procurement of building facilities and infrastructure related services is desirable.

One (1) year experience supervising a procurement team is desirable.

Experience working with a Systems Application and Products (SAP) system or another Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is desirable.

Two (2) years or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable.

NOTE: “fluency equals a rating of “fluent” in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and ” Knowledge of” equals a rating of ” confident” in two of the four areas.

Assessment

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

Special Notice

This is a temporary Job Opening. Appointment against this position is for a duration of 364 days, a limited duration and does not carry any expectancy, legal or otherwise, of renewal. 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.

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

Individual Contractors and Consultants who have worked within the UN Secretariat in the last six months, irrespective of the administering entity, are ineligible to apply for or be appointed to any professional and higher temporary or fixed-term positions, within six months of the end of their current or most recent service. For such positions, at least six months need to have elapsed between the end of a consultancy or individual contract and the time of application and consideration for an appointment as a staff member under the Staff Rules and Regulations of the United Nations.

Internal Applicants – when completing the PHP, ensure ALL fields, ALL professional experience and contact information are completed and up to date. This information is the basis for the hiring manager to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position and to contact you.

At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.

All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply on-line as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. On-line applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an email acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. In such cases, please resubmit the application, if necessary. If the problem persists please seek technical assistance through the Inspira “Need Help?” link.

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.

Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

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.