CHARITY JOBS IN AFRICA

Organization: World Food Programme
Country: Sudan
Closing date: 22 Sep 2014

Procurement Officer P4, Sudan

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian agency, fighting hunger worldwide. We are seeking to fill the position of Procurement Officer P4, based in our Country Office in Khartoum, Sudan.

WFP purchases an annual average of 2.4 million tons of mixed food commodities for operations in 76 countries. To mitigate the challenges faced by continuing market uncertainty, the organisation requires country supply strategies and procurement modalities in line with updated internal tools and industry best practices that allow it to manage price and supply risks and drive cost savings.

To push forward these efforts, the Procurement Officer will need to have strong managerial skills and technical expertise to lead the Sudan Country Office (CO) Procurement Unit and support the CO in all aspects of food and goods & services procurement which averages about US$54 million a year, one of WFP’s largest operations and purchase execution offices.

Reporting to the Deputy Country Director, Support Services, and under the functional responsibility of the Director of Procurement, the Procurement Office will implement and integrate the food sourcing strategy and execution of local (food commodities and goods & services) purchasing at the Country Office level. Specific duties will include:

· Supervise and lead a team of ten international and national procurement staff;

· Lead development and analysis of market data from which to support development of annual (food) sourcing strategy, consolidating local, regional and international sourcing options and optimize buying decisions through the use of internal mechanisms;

· Provide technical advice on procurement activities, following rules, procedures and regulations;

· Act as focal point for the WFP operational country: understand local purchase commodity market, manage the physical purchase of commodities/products render technical advice to Country staff and provide emergency procurement support;

o Issue local tenders, evaluate offers and make recommendations for the finalization of purchases and the award of contracts by using WFP’s corporate system;

o Analyze and evaluate commodity tender results;

o Review technical proposals of suppliers and carry out cost/benefit analysis for equipment and services procurement;

o Develop and prepare technical and legal contracts;

o Render technical advice and support to management in country offices and support procurement officers in other offices;

o Contribute to any preparedness actions such as early warning, risk analysis and contingency planning and make the necessary recommendations. Periodically monitor the management of risks and report on any actions taken;

· Oversee and support the scale up of pro smallholder farmer purchases as an integral source of local procurement including effective monitoring and reporting and the expansion of Cash & Vouchers as per corporate guidance;

· Manage and coordinate WFP's relationship with inspection and superintendent firms to ensure quality control, specification conformity, volume assessment, monitoring and verification of deliveries;

· Support and coordinate negotiations with all interested parties including contract disputes and claims;

· Support supply chain optimization in close coordination with various Divisions as a key member of the Country Office Supply Chain Working Group;

· Develop WFP's commodity supplier relationship programme at the country level;

· Run system queries, prepare reports and management presentations on procurement activity;

· Perform other related duties as required.

Qualifications & Experience Required

Education:

• University Degree, preferably at advanced level, in Economics, Commerce, Business Administration, Engineering, Legal, Accounting or other related fields.

Experience:

• At least 8 years (3 of which international) of postgraduate progressively responsible professional experience in multicultural procurement operations;
• Experience with UN agencies or large international conglomerates preferable across procurement, logistics and/or supply chain activities.

Technical Skills & Knowledge:

Essential:

• Good knowledge of internationally recognized food and goods & services procurement standards and of all phases of international procurement techniques and operations used in contracting for a diverse range of goods and services;

· Knowledge of international and national food commodity and freight markets;

· Ability to draft clear concise reports or rationale for procurement decisions on key issues.

Desirable:

· Knowledge of food procurement in developing countries, especially in East Africa;

· Knowledge of contract law and expertise in handling complex contract issues;

· Knowledge of quantitative methods to measure supplier capacity systems and ability to identify sources of supply, market trends and pricing;

· Ability to shape and influence agreements with requisitioning units and vendors;

· Advanced knowledge of ERP systems (e.g. SAP).

Competencies:

• Resourcefulness, initiative, maturity of judgement and tact;
• Good communication skills with the ability to present complex issues articulately, strategically and convincingly;
• Good action management skills with the ability to establish priorities, cope with changing requirements and plan, coordinate and monitor own work and those under his/her supervision;
• Ability to promote needs and expectations of clients to management and staff so that they can be better met;
• Good negotiation skills and the ability to prepare staff prior to negotiation;
• Ability to provide seasoned technical advice in a broad range of procurement areas to managers;
• Good management skills to lead a procurement unit and to formulate new strategies and technical approaches for procurement related issues and areas;
• Excellent interpersonal skills demonstrated by the ability to gain the assistance and cooperation of others in a team endeavour through the demonstration of technical leadership;
• Ability to deal patiently and tactfully with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.

Language:

• Fluency in oral and written English with an intermediate knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) or Portuguese (one of WFP’s working languages);
• Knowledge of Arabic is highly desirable.

Terms and Conditions

Selected candidate will be employed on a fixed-term contract with a probationary period of one year.

WFP offers an attractive compensation and benefits package, including basic salary, post adjustment, relocation entitlement, travel and shipment allowances, 30 days’ annual leave, home leave, an education grant for dependent children, pension plan and medical insurance. For more details please visit icsc.un.org

How to apply:

Go to: http://i-recruitment.wfp.org/vacancies/14-0015551

Step 1: Register and create your online CV.

Step 2: Click on “Description” to read the position requirements and “Apply” to submit your application.

NOTE: You must complete Step 1 and 2 in order for your application to be considered for this vacancy.
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Deadline for applications:**22 September 2014