Procurement Assistant, 1 yr FT, Covid, Health Technology Centre, Supply Division, Cph

Procurement Assistant (GS-5 level)

Medical Devices Unit, Health Technology Centre

UNICEF Supply Division, Copenhagen

 

Please note that this particular position is for 1 year with potential to extend. However, candidates applying for this advertisement may also be considered for other similar positions of longer or shorter duration in UNICEF Supply Division. 

 

UNICEF works in 190 countries and territories to protect the rights of every child and has spent 70 years working to improve the lives of children and their families. Defending children’s rights throughout their lives requires a global presence, aiming to produce results and understand their effects. UNICEF believes all children have a right to survive, thrive and fulfill their potential – to the benefit of a better world.

Supplies are essential to fulfil children’s rights.  UNICEF procures and supplies over 5,000 products to address the needs of children. Supporting child survival and development programmes around the world, UNICEF-procured supplies are critical in providing for children’s health, education and protecting them from abuse, exploitation and neglect.

 

For Every Child…a Sustainable Future

This position is placed in the Medical Devices Unit within the Health Technology Centre, with a specific focus on the range of Safe injection equipment (SIE) used within immunization activities.

The unit is responsible for the procurement activities for a broad range of medical equipment, devices and consumables, with over 350 products within the product portfolio, for use in UNICEF country programmes and by Procurement Services partners to support maternal, neonatal and child health for both routine and emergency program response.

The demand is service though direct shipments, direct order arrangements and warehouse deliveries (of both individual items and essential kits), where the MDU is responsible for the forecasting, establishment of the supply arrangements, with associated tendering activities, supply allocation, monitoring, reporting  and servicing the country and procurement services partner needs for both GAVI and non-Gavi funded procurement.

SIE are key strategic products within the Medical Devices Unit portfolio used in UNICEF supported immunization activities in 90-100 countries around the world, supporting both UNICEF Program and Partner needs.

As a result of the COVID-19 Emergency and the imminent roll out of a Covid-19 vaccine under the COVAX initiative, there is planned surge vaccination activities to vaccinate against Covid-19, requiring additional supply and rapid response. There will be an increased transactional workload related to the COVAX needs, including forecasting, requests, shipment plans, CTNs, tendering activities, PO placement and expediting.

 

How Can You Make a Difference?

The Procurement Associate is responsible for assistance for the range of safe injection equipment products, providing effective services to customers, ensuring accurate and timely processing of Requisitions and requests up to the completion and closure of the order, with the overall goal of meeting the needs and requirements of the customers.

Key Responsibilities will include:

Under the supervision of a Contracts Officer, the incumbent performs all procurement activities in compliance with the UNICEF Financial Rules and Regulations, Supply Division Manual and other applicable procurement procedures including:

1. Follow up with countries on the forecast demand throughout the year . Reviews and evaluates incoming supply requisitions and requests to ensure quality and adequacy of information, specifications, appropriateness of requests, quantities, shipment, delivery dates, budgets. Prepare and draft price and cost estimates for PS transaction including freight. Prepares Gavi funds requests and follow up, Report generation, Monitoring, Gavi report generation, Gavi funds returns.
2. Reviews material specifications and requirements with customers, countries, the Technical counterparts and Quality Assurance Centre to ensure completeness and appropriateness. Ensures that customers’ claims/complaints are processed in collaboration with Shipping and Quality Assurance Centre.
3. Prepares sales orders, monitor and follows up on progress of sales orders to ensure that commitments entered into are met.
4. Drafts and prepares international tender invitations for complex commodities. Assists with preparation of Contract Review Committee submittals. Drafts and prepares Purchase Orders. Assists with and prepares Long Term Agreements and Direct Order Arrangements.
5. Monitors the status of Country Office programme and procurement service orders and center specific KPIs. Pro-actively follows up on placed orders and deliveries with all parties concerned in order to ensure timely and safe delivery of goods.  Transmits all relevant information to customer including changes to planned deliveries, to facilitate delivery and customs clearance of shipments. Prepares and provides timely and regular status / monitoring reports to customers.
6. Updating of databases and management systems for use by HQ, Field Offices or Regional Offices.
7. Prepares evaluation of suppliers with respect to delivery performance and commercial acceptability of complex and highly customized commodities.
8. Maintains order filing in accordance with UNICEF guidelines.
9. Any other duties or assignments as requested by the supervisor.

 

To qualify as a Champion for every Child you will have…

Required:

• Completion of secondary education
• Five years of procurement related working experience
• Fluency in English
• Valid work permit and residency in Denmark at the time of submitting the application. Note that the selected candidate is responsible for obtaining any required extension of their residency permit as an extension cannot be dependent on an employment with UNICEF.

 

Desirable:

• Additional certified training related to business administration, procurement, supply management and similar.
• Work experience with public procurement in an international organisation
• Working knowledge of UN systems, policies and procedures
• Knowledge of SAP or similar ERP system
• Proficiency in an additional UN language (Russian, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, French)
• Good knowledge of excel, (v) report generation and (vi) supplier management
• Prior knowledge of (i) UNICEF procurement procedures, (ii) UNICEF Procurement services processes and tools, (iii) VISION (SAP)

 

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. In addition, the following functional competencies will be required for these positions:

• Analyzing
• Learning & Researching
• Planning and Organizing
• Following Instructions & Procedures

To view our competency framework, please click here: https://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

Remarks

The closing date is 3 January 2021. Kindly note that all applications should be in English and that applications outside of the online recruiting system will not be accepted. Kindly also note that diversity and gender balance are factors in the selection process. Queries can be directed to Lilia Winkel-Petersen at [email protected].

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. 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 also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

Visit us at www.unicef.org/supply/