Project Procurement Officer

The Project Procurement Officer supports IFAD's procurement policies and procedures to ensure effective procurement management during project implementation and design. The role involves oversight of procurement activities, risk assessment, capacity building, and partnership building to promote integrity, transparency, and equity in IFAD's procurement processes.

Responsibilities

• Support the effectiveness of procurement management execution by country programme management teams and project teams during project implementation and design.
• Ensure compliance with IFAD procurement guidelines, manual and handbook for project preparation, appraisal, implementation and completion.
• Provide oversight for project procurement activities by IFAD's borrowers ensuring alignment with IFAD's procurement framework.
• Support procurement execution, controls, risk assessment and contract management in the regional division.
• Identify bottlenecks and weaknesses in project procurement controls and propose solutions including risk mitigation.
• Support assessment of training needs and deliver training for Country Teams and procurement consultants.
• Promote IFAD's project procurement oversight function and draft high-level documentation for IFAD units and governing bodies.
• Conduct research and analysis on corporate procurement issues and provide policy support.
• Draft and update procurement templates and guidance notes in line with other IFIs and MDBs.
• Provide guidance and advice on procurement policies, practices, processes and procedures to Regional Divisions and Project Delivery Teams.
• Manage procurement investigations and complaints.
• Support secretariat work for the Project Procurement Prior Review Committee and advise on procurement activities requiring prior review.
• Contribute to resolving procurement issues and ensure client satisfaction.
• Support project design and ensure procurement requirements are embedded for value for money and quality assurance.
• Provide strategic support and backstopping to Regional Divisions and Country Programme Management Teams.
• Assist in development of procurement documents considering sector trends and market conditions.
• Support project risk assessment and follow-up for risk mitigation.
• Advise on market analysis and communication strategies to attract bidders.
• Monitor procurement performance and prepare reports highlighting risks and problems.
• Develop reports to monitor procurement performance and propose regional improvements.
• Support training and capacity building efforts including BUILDPROC grant.
• Organize project start-up workshops and support Country portfolios.
• Stay abreast of current trends in international public procurement and organize knowledge sessions.
• Contribute to development and roll-out of IT systems for project procurement.
• Monitor procurement and contract data in IFAD ICT systems and prepare presentations for management.
• Promote dialogue on procurement matters with internal and external stakeholders and maintain a roster of qualified procurement consultants.
• Coordinate with Office of Audit and Oversight and other divisions on procurement cases.
• Maintain consolidated database and files on prior review contracts and update contract registers.
• Support review of procurement dossiers submitted by IFAD borrowers and provide expert advice to ensure fiduciary compliance.
• Identify procurement non-compliance cases and propose remedies and follow-up actions.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree in business administration, public administration, law, commerce, finance, or another field relevant to the role from an accredited institution listed on https://www.whed.net/home.php.
• At least five (5) years of progressively responsible professional experience in project procurement activities in an international organization including a proven record of supporting and delivering complex procurement programmes and record of relevant field experience.
• Knowledge of procurement policies, procedures and systems in the LAC region.
• Work experience in more than one geographic region as well as at Headquarters is an asset.
• Required languages: English and Spanish (4 - Excellent).
• Desirable languages: Portuguese or French (3 - Good).
• Contract Management: Know-how in contracting of external workforce (e.g. contracting of interpreters, subeditors and proof-reader falling under international agreements).
• Procedure adherence: Ability to strictly adhere to established, formal guidelines, including in new situations.
• Procedure interpretation: Ability to interpret established, formal guidelines to address and recommend solutions or further actions required.
• Procurement: Know-how in the application of the procurement policies, rules and regulations applicable to IFAD HQ and/or Country Programmes/Projects, including for complex individual cases.
• Record management: Know-how in record keeping (e.g. proper handling of records and systems to preserve institutional memory, including correspondence logs, office filing and reference systems, etc.).
• Risk & compliance: Know-how in asset liability management, risk reporting, capital adequacy, quality assurance and compliance (e.g. Anti-money laundering (AML), Know your customer (KYC) processes), etc.
• Risk management (e.g. reputational): Identification and assessment of potential liabilities and risks in IFAD's activities, particularly vis-à-vis third parties; ability to handle risks via contingency and mitigation strategies.
• Stakeholder management: Strong alignment capabilities and consultation skills, building on effective interactions and relationships with different stakeholders (e.g. for the co-creation of communication material with member states) and ability to build and maintain a strong network (e.g. with journalists, media outlets, etc.).
• Time management: Adherence to deadlines under time constraints and pressure (e.g. to deliver governing body documents on time); ability to coordinate and manage complex workflows and in-house and external teams.
• Performance management: Know-how in managing performance so that staff supervised deliver on the agreed objectives and meet their development needs while meeting the needs of IFAD. Proficiency in establishing clear performance goals (operational and behavioural) and learning plans as well as in evaluating the performance of staff against the set goals.
• Client orientation: Strong critical thinking combined with communication skills to liaise between the business and technologies to understand business problems and needs, document requirements and identify solutions.
• Corporate approach: Ability to bring in corporate vision and priorities into one's area of work (e.g. budgeting going beyond simple budgetary considerations, taking into account strategic priorities and risk management).
• Integrity and ethics: Strong emphasis on acting with honesty, not tolerating unethical behaviour, demonstrating equity, impartiality and sensitivity in exercising authority and interacting with IFAD personnel, and other stakeholders. Conduct must be guided by IFAD core values, IFAD's Code of conduct and a high sense of ethics.
• Interpersonal skills: Ability to deal patiently and tactfully with others.

Skills

• Project Procurement
• UN Procurement Policies
• Contract Management
• Record Management
• Risk Management
• Compliance Management
• Stakeholder Management
• Performance Management
• Time Management
• Client Orientation
• Procurement Procedures
• Risk Reporting
• Asset-Liability Management
• Anti-Money Laundering
• Know Your Customer processes
• Capacity Building
• Procurement Financial Oversight
• Budget Management
• Integrity and Ethics
• Interpersonal Skills

Languages

English, Spanish, Portuguese, French