Procurement Associate/Head of Procurement
Banjul
- Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
- Location: Banjul
- Grade: Level not specified - Level not specified
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Occupational Groups:
- Administrative support
- Procurement
- Managerial positions
- Closing Date: 2024-05-25
UNDP Gambia is in its final year of implementation of its Country Programme Document (CPD) 2017 – 2023. The current Country Programme seeks to support the Government of the Gambia across 3 key strategic areas.
1. Sustainable Environment and Climate Resilience
2. Responsive, Accountable Governance and Peacebuilding
3. Green, Inclusive Economic Growth
The Gambia, Africa's smallest mainland country, has achieved remarkable peace and development progress. It ranks as the third most peaceful nation in Sub-Saharan Africa, 45th out of 163 countries globally. It has notably improved in governance, earning the title of the most improved country on the Mo-Ibrahim Index of African Governance, with an overall score of 55.3/100. The country's transition to democracy in 2016 marked a pivotal moment after 22 years of authoritarian rule. The Gambia has a population of 2.6 million, with females making up. 52.4 percent.
The Common Country Analysis (CCA) highlights increased poverty, inequalities, gender inequality, insecurity, food and nutrition insecurity, and increased migration flows as challenges. The National Development Plan (NDP) cites legislative and policy challenges, including the delayed constitutional reform, enactment of anti-corruption, human rights, elections, and transitional justice related bills. The current CPD evaluation highlighted the need to enhance Knowledge Management (KM) and learning capabilities, strengthen implementing partner capacities, and expand the adoption of innovative techniques and adaptation models. UNDP's strengths lie in building national. capacities, human rights advocacy, and promoting gender equity. The evaluation recognizes UNDP as a longstanding strategic partner of the government, possessing strong technical expertise that can be leveraged for an integrated UN response.
To address these challenges the government has developed a comprehensive Green Recovery Focused National Development Plan (NDP) (2023-2027) to consolidate gains in democratic governance, accelerate green economic. and social transformation and build resilience to shocks and crises. In support of The Gambia's NDP, the United Nations has adopted the 2024-2028 Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF). Anchored in the three strategic objectives of the NDP, the UNSDCF envisions an inclusive, resilient, and prosperous Gambia. by 2028, ensuring dignity, equitable access to quality services, environmental sustainability, and the consolidation of democratic governance gains. The UNSDCF's strategic priorities encompass Human Development, Social Inclusion, and People-Centered Governance; Green Resilience and Inclusive Livelihoods; and Innovative and Integrated Development Finance and Strategic Partnership. UNDP’s comparative advantage within the United Nations System is drawn strong from institutional mandate, experience, thought leadership on governance, economic management, partnership and development financing, climate change and environment, positions it to strategically to focus on the 5 pillars - People, Planet, Peace, Prosperity, and Partnerships.
The UNDP’s 2022-25 Strategic Plan, which provides the overall guidance, is a comprehensive framework to support countries, including The Gambia, on their path towards attaining the SDGs through country programs driven by national development choices. And UNDP Gambia is further guided by the UNDP Africa offer whose overarching goal is to accelerate the attainment of the 2030 SDGs and the African Union’s Agenda 2063. It within this context that the UNDP Gambia focuses on (a) inclusive economic growth and poverty eradication; (b) governance and human rights; and (c) environment and resilience development. These efforts are part of the UN partnership in the Gambia and are in support of the national priorities.
UNDP is striving to ensure its procurement function and practices are an integral part of UNDP’s competitive advantage as a development partner of choice. This requires placing more attention on strategically integrating procurement at the project design stage, stimulating innovation in specifications and technologies, and adopting more sustainable production and consumption practices that align with UNDPs sustainable development goals. Sustainable procurement means making sure products, services, and purchases are as sustainable as possible with the lowest environmental impact and most positive social results. In implementing UNDP strategic procurement priorities, Country offices will strive to use flexible methods for high-value/low-risk and timely delivery that meet the needs of its clients and key stakeholders.
Position Purpose
Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Operations Manager, the Procurement Associate provides leadership in execution of procurement services in CO ensuring their effectiveness, transparency, and integrity. The Procurement Associate supervises and leads the support staff of the CO Procurement Unit. S/he promotes a client-focused, quality, and results-oriented approach in the Unit.
The Procurement Associate works in close collaboration with Operations, Programme and project teams in the Country Office, Region and UNDP HQ as well as with vendors and Government officials to deliver information, provide advisory support, and resolve complex procurement-related issues.
UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.
1.Administer and support implementation of innovative and sustainable procurement strategies and policies that are in alignment with principles of fairness, integrity and transparency to achieve best value for money.
- Ensure full compliance of procurement activities with UNDP rules, regulations, policies, and strategic priorities through implementation of effective internal controls and proper functioning of UNDP’s client–oriented procurement management system;
- Elaborate/establish internal procurement Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), map CO procurement business processes, and assist in managing workflows in Procurement Unit in coordination with supervisor;
- Conducts research to provide input to the formulation and implementation of the CO contract strategy that includes tendering processes and evaluation, managing the contract and contractor, legal considerations and payment conditions; and strategic procurement that includes sourcing strategy, supplier selection and evaluation, quality management, and cost reduction strategies.
2. Organize procurement processes for CO, projects, and collaborate with other UN Agencies.
- Consolidate procurement plans for the office and projects and monitor their implementation for the country office and projects;
- Organize procurement processes that include preparation and conduct of RFQ, ITB or RFP, and the receipt and evaluation of quotations, bids or proposals in full compliance with UNDP rules and regulations;
- Conduct preliminary review of submissions to internal procurement review committees (CAP, RACP and ACP);
- Prepare Purchase Orders and contracts in and outside e-procurement systems, prepare purchase orders for contracting services, and create vendors and buyer profiles in e-procurement. Implement internal control system that ensures purchase orders are duly prepared, dispatched, and corrected on a timely basis when there are budget check errors or other problems;
- Implement harmonized procurement services and analyze new opportunities for joint procurement for the UN agencies in line with the UN reform;
- Assign tasks and projects to junior team members, ensuring workload balance and effective utilization of resources.
3.Implement a sourcing strategy and e-procurement tools to find best values in marketplace and align purchasing strategy to project and CO goals
- Develop and update rosters of suppliers;
- Implement supplier selection and evaluation;
- Develop negotiation strategies for each supplier category, focusing on cost reduction for critical suppliers and long-term partnerships for strategic ones;
- Facilitate procurement knowledge building and knowledge sharing in CO, Region and UNDP;
- Organize procurement training for operations and project staff;
- Organize procurement training for vendors on e-procurement modules;
- Synthesize lessons learned and best practices in procurement;
- Make sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
4.Ensures proper control of CO Assets focusing on achievement of the following results:
- Preparation of inventory reports;
- Implementation of inventory and physical verification control in the CO and projects;
- Responsible for ensuring that the relevant asset details are entered in the Quantum Asset Module on a timely basis, assets are tagged, the movement of assets are controlled and monitored, and that assets are safeguarded in accordance with the internal control procedures and UNDP policies and regulations
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: Supervises support staff in Procurement Unit.
CORE Competencies
Achieve Results
LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work
Think Innovatively
LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking
Learn Continuously
LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning
Adapt with Agility
LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process
Act with Determination
LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously
Engage and Partner
LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships
Enable Diversity and Inclusion
LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies
- Procurement - Sourcing - Ability to find, evaluate and engage suppliers of goods and services
- Procurement -Financial Analysis -Knowledge of evaluating businesses, projects, budgets, and other finance related transactions to determine their performance and suitability
- Procurement -Procurement Management -The ability to acquire goods, services or works from an outside external source.
- Procurement - Stakeholder Management -Ability to work with incomplete information and balance competing interests to create value for all stakeholders
- Business Management -Customer Satisfaction/Client Management - Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfill and understand the real customers' needs.
- Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy
- Look for ways to add value beyond clients’ immediate requests
- Ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needs and concerns
- Business Management - Risk Management - Ability to identify and organize action around mitigating and proactively managing risks
- Business Management- Communication - Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.
- Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels
- Secondary education is required.
- A university degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Finance, Economics or equivalent will be given due consideration, but it is not a requirement.
- CIPS level 3 or equivalent is mandatory.
- Minimum of 7 years (with high school diploma) or 4 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant progressively responsible administrative experience is required at the national and international level;
- At least 3 years in managing public sector procurement of goods and services would be an advantage.
- Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and advanced knowledge web-based management systems such as ERP is an advantage;
- Experience of procuring high value complex requirements, with any of the following categories – civil works/construction projects, IT/ communication technology, complex services is an asset;
- Experience in providing guidance and leadership to junior procurement staff, including Procurement Assistants or Clerks, and assist in their professional development is an asset;
- Experience in consolidating procurement plans, organizing procurement processes, and conducting RFQ, ITB, or RFP processes, while ensuring adherence to applicable rules and regulations;
Language requirements
- Fluency in English is required.
- Fluency in the national language of the duty station is required for local staff
Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.