Contracts Specialist, P3, Fixed Term, Cold Chain Unit, UNICEF Supply Division, Copenhagen

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, Health

Access to essential products for children and their families is an overarching goal for the work of UNICEF Supply Division. As one of the largest United Nations procurement agencies, UNICEF is uniquely positioned to leverage its reach, supply expertise and purchasing power to support governments across 150 countries to deliver results for children.

This position is located with the Cold Chain Unit (CCU) in the Health Technology Centre (HTC) in Supply Division. Through applied technical, contractual and operational expertise, CCU supports countries and works with partners to roll out global cold chain strategies including in the context of the Cold Chain Optimization Platform (CCEOP), COVAX and other strategic partnerships.

Cold chain mobilization is defined as one out of for five supply chain fundamentals ensuring an effective and uninterrupted supply of life saving immunization services at country level. Efficient and effective contract management is ensuring that up-to-date cold chain solutions are provided and that sustainability and value for money is obtained. 

How can you make a difference?

Under the general guidance of the Contracts Manager (Cold Chain), the candidate will provide and execute procurements in accordance with the UNICEF Rules and Regulations for a segment of products, develop and execute procurement strategies for Cold Chain Equipment (CCE) and manage contracts and projects ensuring an uninterrupted, sustainable supply of affordable, quality CCE and related services. Focus is on securing efficient supply of CCE, incorporation of innovation opportunities and engagement in project implementation of CCE, in coordination with complex partnerships and global health programmes.

Key functions and responsibilities

• Ensures all procurement activities are in compliance with the UNICEF Financial Rules and Regulations, Supply Division Manual, and all other applicable procurement procedures.
• Manages procurement of materials and services; including proposal of supply strategy and procurement modality: Long Term Arrangements (LTA’s), Regional Procurement, Direct Order, Local Procurement Authorisation (LPA), etc.
• Including in the context of the CCEOP and COVAX, issues international tender invitations to acceptable suppliers, evaluates quotations, clarifies offers, and negotiates with suppliers as appropriate.
• Makes recommendations for finalization of purchases, adjudicates offers in consultation with the World Health Organization (WHO), Gavi and internal Technical and Quality Assurance (QA) centres. 
• Prepares and defends submissions to Contracts Review Committee and establishes related supply arrangements.
• Conducts contracts management to ensure supplier compliance to LTA’s and purchase order terms and conditions.
• Particularly in the context of the CCEOP and COVAX, ensures good project management for a set of focus countries including that the different process steps are completed and that different bottlenecks are foreseen and removed.
• Works closely with Innovation, programmes and partners providing procurement input for project planning, design, work plan and procurement coordination and integration, including development of long term forecasting of quantities.
• Ensures adequate and coordinated planning of procurement and demand of CCE, manages specific projects for procurement, including for evaluation or scale up.
• Works closely with UNICEF Country Offices and governments to ensure smooth project implementation.
• Reviews material and service specifications and requirements with the Technical and QA Centres to ensure completeness and appropriateness.
• In partnership with WHO and internally Technical and QA centres, evaluates suppliers with respect to delivery performance, product acceptability, and commercial acceptability.
• Establishes work plans and priorities, monitors achievements and evaluates performance of support staff.
• Any other duties or assignments as requested by the supervisor.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Required:

• A completed Advanced University Degree (Master’s Degree) in business administration, commerce or law or technical field is required.
• Minimum five (5) years of relevant and progressively responsible professional experience including at least three at the international level is required.
• Experience in commercial activities with the public or private sector in developing and industrialized countries is required.
• Experience in analytical work and negotiations is required.
• Experience in project management is required
• Experience and ability to manage and monitor the effective use of financial and material resources is required.
• Experience supervising and directing a team of support staff is required.
• Experience in procurement/contracting of cold chain equipment is a strong advantage.
• Knowledge of worldwide procurement, contract negotiations and administration is required.
• Fluency in English is required.

Desired:

• Knowledge of another UN language (Spanish, French, Russian, Arabic, Chinese) is an advantage.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA)

Core Competencies

• Builds and maintains partnerships
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
• Drive to achieve results for impact
• Innovates and embraces change
• Thinks and acts strategically
• Manages ambiguity and complexity
• Works collaboratively with others
• Nurtures, leads and manages people

Click here to learn more: https://www.unicef.org/careers/media/1041/file/UNICEF%27s_Competency_Framework.pdf

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 be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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.

Remarks:

• UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at: http://www.whed.net/
• Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.