Organization: UNICEF – United Nations Children’s Fund
Location: Addis Ababa
Grade: Junior level – NO-B, National Professional Officer – Locally recruited position
Occupational Groups:
Procurement
Closing Date: 2024-11-18
Under the supervision of the Procurement Services Manager; UNICEF is looking for a professional who can implement the procurement services portfolio enabling UNICEF partners to procure essential supplies and supply-related services through UNICEF’s global knowledge, purchasing capacity and logistics experience. If you have the required profile, you are highly encouraged to apply. Taking up this assignment is motivating and rewarding.
UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.
At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.
UNICEF is a place where careers are built; we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.
Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.
For every child, LOVE!
Ethiopia is situated in the Horn of Africa and is the second most populous country on the continent with an estimated population of 115 million. It borders six African countries: Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan, and covers 1,104,300 square kilometers. Approximately 85 percent of the population lives in rural areas. Ethiopia represents a melting pot of ancient cultures with Middle Eastern and African cultures evident in the religious, ethnic, and language composition of its people.
Over the past two years, children and their families across Ethiopia faced multiple and complex emergencies, such as the conflict in the northern Ethiopia and the drought, which resulted in millions of people in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. UNICEF has programmes in Child Protection, WASH, Health, Nutrition, Social Policy, and Education and serves over 15 million children in Ethiopia. Join UNICEF Ethiopia to contribute to improving the lives of children and women.
How can you make a difference??
Procurement Service (PS) Transactions Management
Ensures that PS partners complete the necessary registration formalities prior to request for Cost Estimates.
Carries out preliminary screening of all PS requests from government and NGO partners for consistency with UNICEF policy and mandate; ensures that PS partner submit complete information with clear and complete specifications for supplies, distribution plans and delivery schedules.
Forwards all appropriate PS requests to Supply Division for preparation of Cost Estimates and Estimates and liaises with partners to provide any clarifications required by focal points in SD to ensure timely and complete costing of requests.
Receives all PS cost estimates from SD, reviews them for completeness and alignment with the submitted request and forwards them to relevant partners for consideration.
Ensures that necessary amendments to Cost Estimates are adequately processed.
Follows up with partners on open Cost Estimates. Obtains documentation on acceptance or rejection of Cost Estimates, confirmation of funds transfer and forwarding it to SD for processing.
Monitors the issuance of Purchase Orders (POs) and/or Copenhagen Warehouse Stock Transfer Orders on materialized PS Sales Orders. Follows up with SD and UNICEF forwarders as needed on timely delivery/shipment of PS orders.
Maintains up-to-date files for all Procurement Service transactions, including a system for monitoring the different stages of each transaction. Cost Estimates and orders.
Receives copy of final statement of accounts from SD and forwards to PS partner; follows up with partners on the required action with any remaining balances.
Partnerships
Liaises with UNICEF programme staff on PS issues relevant to their areas of work and introduces PS to their government counterparts as needed.
Ensures that, while providing Procurement Services, UNICEF contributes to capacity building of the relevant government entities responsible for different segments of the supply chain, both at central and subnational level.
Participates in relevant national Technical Working Groups, Committees and other taskforces or advisory bodies on supply chain management for health commodities.
Support exchange of knowledge, experience or lessons learned among relevant partners related to PS.
Immunization Specific
Contributes to national vaccine forecasting exercises, taking into consideration current stock levels, shipments in pipeline, introduction of new vaccines, etc.
Works with EPI Department in strengthening the monitoring of vaccine distribution chain from central stores to service delivery point, to ensure proper cold chain is maintained throughout the supply chain.
Closely monitors Gavi funded vaccine procurement managed by UNICEF, including communication and follow up with Government to ensure timely processing of annual co-financing obligations.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Minimum requirements:
Education:
A university degree is required in Business Administration, Management, Economics, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Procurement, Contract/Commercial Law, International Development, Health, pharmacy, or related social science field.
Work Experience:
At least two (2) years of relevant work experience at the national and/or international levels, in supply, logistics, procurement, contracting, administration and/or other directly related technical fields is required.
Skills:
Good analytical skill and negotiating skills.
Ability to work in a multicultural environment and establish harmonious working relationships, both within and outside the organization.
Fast learner, adapts and responds to change, tolerates ambiguity.
Good knowledge of latest developments and technology in supply chain management.
Good understanding of supply chain processes, from programme needs assessment, through planning, procurement and contracting, logistics and delivery, monitoring, and evaluation.
Good knowledge and understanding of UNICEF programmes, public procurement principles, financial and legal aspects of supply chain issues, ethics and risk management of supply chain operations.
Ability to clearly and concisely express ideas and concepts in written and oral form.
Language Requirements:
Fluency in English is required.
Desirables:
A valid Professional Certification on procurement and procurement processes from accredited institutions.
Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
Health supply chain management experience is an advantage
Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency.
For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values
The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…
Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)
Works Collaboratively with others (1)
Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)
Innovates and Embraces Change (1)
Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)
Drive to achieve impactful results (1)
Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)
During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.
UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.
UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children.
UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates and persons with disability are encouraged to apply.
UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be cancelled.
All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.
Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.