The Position:

The Contracts Associate position is located in the Strategic Sourcing Team within Pillar 2 – Supply Operations in the Supply Chain Management Unit (SCMU). The position reports directly to the Category Analyst. The Contracts Associate will work closely with other SCMU colleagues, the new integrated HQ division, the Humanitarian Response Division, other HQ Business Units, the Regional Offices and the Country Offices and with a number of external partners.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled.  UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

The UNFPA Supply Chain Management Unit (SCMU) is self-funded and was made operational in January 2022. It is tasked with ensuring that UNFPA is able to effectively and efficiently support the delivery of life-saving reproductive health products and other programme supplies to the end user when and where they are needed. To achieve this, it is important to strengthen the capacity of governments and implementing partners to ensure coordination, end-to-end visibility and accountability on all supply chain and logistics management related activities, in particular for programme supplies, across all UNFPA programmes.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

The Contracts Associate plays a supporting role in the day-to-day operations, ensuring efficient and effective management of UNFPA’s Health and Non-Health commodities. This position also involves strategic sourcing, contracting, and procurement for UNFPA’s main Headquarters and Representative Offices.

You would be responsible for:

You will support the Category Analyst with: 

A. Oversee strategic sourcing and contracting strategies for Health and Non-Health commodities and; managing procurement requirements for the main UNFPA Headquarters and Representative Offices to achieve 

• Responsible for sourcing of suppliers and establishing Long Term Agreements (LTAs) for Health and Non-Health commodities to serve development and humanitarian setting along with guidance notes on to operationalize them 
• Develop and maintain a fit for purpose UNFPA product catalogue, with a view at ensuring breadth and quality, as well as high presence of generic products. 
• Perform contracts and supplier management function to ensure supplier compliance to LTA's and contractual terms and conditions. 
• Design and implement sourcing, contracting and procurement strategy to support Corporate Procurement requirement for UNFPA Headquarters and Representative Offices 
• Foster cross-functional collaboration within and outside SCMU to ensure the timely and effective delivery of supplies to their Last Mile. 
• Ensure robustness of the procure-to-pay process, including the review and approval of procurement order up to the authorized limits, and in cases where the amount exceeds signature authority, prepare submissions to the Contracts Review Committee for review and subsequent approval by the authorized official, in compliance with UNFPA procurement policies and procedures. 
• Implement Vendor sanction decisions. 
• Support and implement activities related to UNFPA’s Governance, Risk, Compliance and Reporting function. 

B. Capacity Strengthening 

• Developing and implementing UNFPA's capacity-strengthening initiatives. 
• Advocate for the training of supply chain professionals 
• Coach and mentor UNFPA personnel to strengthen their capacity to provide informed technical guidance in the supply chain management function. 

C. Thought Leadership, Knowledge Sharing and Advisory 

• Champion UNFPA's supply chain thought leadership through actively engaging with industry experts, participating in relevant forums, contributing to research and publications, and representing UNFPA's expertise in various supply chain management discussions and initiatives. 
• Foster an environment for knowledge retention and sharing and the creation of a community of practice for supply chain. 
• Provide counsel and support on the full range of supply chain management issues, incorporating best practices and continuous improvement across UNFPA. 

D. Partnerships and Resource Mobilization 

• Prominently contribute to the development of UNFPA’s value proposition and relationships with donors and partners. 
• Support SCMU’s collaboration with the Division for Communication and Strategic Partnerships to diversify funding opportunities 
• Support SCMU’s oversight of resource mobilisation proposals for quality assurance purposes 

E. Collaboration and Representation 

• Establish effective collaboration with relevant stakeholders within UNFPA to ensure coordinated and effective tailored solutions for each area of intervention. 
• Lead the fostering of relationships with key supply chain partners with the purpose of increasing the efficiency of UNFPA’s supply chain function. 
• Represent SCMU and UNFPA in meetings related to supply chain management functions. 

F. Team Management 

• Create a conducive working environment aligned with UNFPA's 2030 People Strategy. 
• Lead and supervise team. 

Qualifications and Experience

Education:  

• Completion of secondary education is required. 
• A University degree at Bachelor Level in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Procurement, Logistics, Marketing, International Relations, Development Studies, International Commerce, or equivalent field is an asset. 
• A professional Supply Chain Management certification such as Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS) at Level 3 and/or Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT-UK) at Level 3 would be an additional asset. 

Knowledge and Experience: 

• A minimum of seven (7) years of relevant, progressively responsible experience in procurement and contracting is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to four (4) years for candidates who possess a relevant first-level or advanced university degree. Candidates should demonstrate experience in the below key areas, with the understanding that these experiences may overlap: 

1. At least one (1) year of hands-on experience working in development and/or complex humanitarian operating environments in low-resource countries. Candidates must demonstrate a deep understanding of the unique challenges and regulations specific to these contexts. This field experience is required. 
2. Demonstrated experience is required in facilitating preparatory work for their organization’s participation in international public health coordinating bodies or group meetings. This includes preparing key materials, coordinating internal stakeholders, and/or ensuring meetings notes are shared. 

• Strong interpersonal skills and capability to develop and maintain broad diversified partnerships is required. 
• Experience using Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is required. 
• Professional written and spoken presentation skills, including for the development of reports, presentations, and the ability to synthesize complex supply chain documents for both technical and non-technical audiences is required. 
• Experience in managing a team, particularly within a matrix organizational structure is an asset. 
• Basic proficiency in project management skills is an asset. 
• Knowledge of UNFPA’s country classification system, UNFPA’s Strategic Plan, Strategy for Family Planning 2022-2030 and Acceleration Plan, UNFPA Humanitarian Thematic Fund, UNFPA Strategy and Operational Plan to Scale-up and Strengthen Interventions on Gender-based Violence in Emergencies, 2023-2025 is an asset. 
• Basic knowledge of the principles and operational aspects of sexual and reproductive health commodities in global development and the humanitarian community is an asset. 

Languages: 

Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of another official UN language is an asset. 

Required Competencies

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity, 
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system, 
• Embracing cultural diversity, 
• Embracing change

Core Competencies: 

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,

Functional Competencies:

• Demonstrated experience is required in facilitating preparatory work for their organization’s participation in international public health coordinating bodies or group meetings. 
• Knowledge of the principles and operational aspects of sexual and reproductive health commodities in global development and the humanitarian community 
• Presentation skills, including the development of reports, presentations, and the ability to synthesize complex supply chain documents for both technical and non-technical audiences 
• Hands-on experience working in development and/or complex humanitarian operating environments in low-resource countries.

Managerial Competencies:

• Making decisions and exercising judgement 
• Team Management

Compensation and Benefits:

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements. 

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts. 

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.