Procurement Associate

The Procurement Associate provides leadership in executing the full range of Country Office procurement services ensuring effectiveness, transparency, and integrity. The role involves managing procurement processes, implementing procurement strategies, and collaborating with operations and programme teams to support UNDP's sustainable development goals in the Pacific region.

Responsibilities

• Ensure administration and implementation of Procurement strategies and policies, adapting processes and procedures to achieve full compliance with UN/UNDP rules, regulations, policies and strategies.
• Map CO Procurement business processes and elaborate internal Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in Procurement and Logistics, controlling workflows in the Procurement Unit.
• Elaborate proposals and implement cost saving and reduction strategies in consultation with office management.
• Provide researched information for formulation and implementation of contract strategy and strategic procurement in the CO including tendering processes and evaluation, contract and contractor management, legal considerations and payment conditions, sourcing strategy, supplier selection and evaluation, quality management, and e-procurement introduction.
• Provide information to management and personnel on corporate strategies, especially the People for 2030 strategy, rules and regulations, policies and procedures.
• Manage procurement processes for CO, NIM/DIM projects and at the request of other Agencies including preparation, updating and monitoring of procurement plans, development of procurement strategy, facilitation of procurement processes including preparation RFQs, ITBs or RFPs, receipt of quotations, bids or proposals, facilitate evaluation, and negotiation of contract conditions in full compliance with UNDP rules and regulations.
• Prepare Purchase orders and contracts; review project procurements, support CAP/RACP/ACP submissions, and provide analytical inputs to strengthen quality and decision-making.
• Implement internal control system ensuring Purchase orders are duly prepared and dispatched with timely corrective actions on POs with budget check errors and other problems.
• Present researched information on procurement in the CO; prepare cost-recovery bills in Quantum for procurement services provided by UNDP to other Agencies; organize joint procurement processes for the UN Agencies.
• Ensure implementation of sourcing strategy and e-procurement tools including development and update of rosters of suppliers, implementation of supplier selection and evaluation, successful implementation of UNDP corporate electronic tools for procurement function, and dissemination of best practices in use of electronic, digital and AI systems related to procurement.
• Ensure effective administrative and financial control in the office including implementation of control mechanism for administrative services, maintenance of administrative control records such as commitments and expenditures, review, research, verification and reconciliation of data and reports ensuring accuracy and conformance with administrative rules and regulations, creation of vendor set-up information in Quantum, review of data integrity in the database, control programme, analysis of results and initiation of corrective actions when necessary.
• Facilitate knowledge building and sharing in the CO including organization of trainings for operations/projects staff on Procurement matters, training and supporting colleagues on Quantum and other online applications, synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices in Procurement, and contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
• Perform other duties within functional profile as deemed necessary for efficient functioning of the Office and Organization.

Requirements

• Minimum Secondary Education is required, OR a university degree (bachelor’s degree) in procurement management, business administration, public administration, finance, economics or relevant related field will be given due consideration but is not a requirement.
• CIPS level 3 is highly desirable for this position and candidates holding this level at the time of application will have a distinct advantage. If the desired certification is not available at the time of recruitment, it should be obtained within one year of recruitment.
• Candidates holding a CIPS certification at any level below at the time of application will have a proportionate advantage.
• Minimum 7 Years (With Secondary Education) or 4 years (with Bachelor’s Degree) of progressively responsible procurement and administrative experience is required at the national or international level.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and experience in handling web-based management systems.
• Experience with Procurement processes.
• Experience in managing official travel and logistical arrangements will be an asset.
• Knowledge of UN or UNDP’s Procurement rules, policies and procedures is an asset.
• Experience of working with UN or other international organisations is an asset.
• Working knowledge of local languages Fiji Hindi or iTaukei will be considered as desired.
• Experience in Facilitation of procurement processes including preparation RFQs, ITBs or RFPs, receipt of quotations, bids or proposals, facilitate evaluation, undertaking negotiation of certain conditions of contracts in full compliance with UNDP rules and regulations is desired.
• Fluency in English and Fijian/Fiji Hindi is required.
• Procurement certification(s) is an advantage

Skills

• Procurement Management
• CIPS Certification
• Procurement Procedures
• Contract Negotiation
• RFQ Process
• ITB Preparation
• RFP Preparation
• Quotation Evaluation
• Bid Evaluation
• Proposal Evaluation
• UNDP Procurement Modalities
• Travel Management
• Logistics Coordination
• Office Applications
• MS Word
• MS Excel
• Web-based Management Systems
• International Procurement Experience
• Procurement Facilitation

Languages

English, Fijian, Fiji Hindi