PROCUREMENT OFFICER

ECA’s mission is to deliver ideas and actions for an empowered and transformed Africa; informed by the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2063. The mission is guided by ECA’s five new strategic directions which are: Advancing ECA’s position as a premier knowledge institution that builds on its unique position and privilege to bring global solutions to the continent’s problems and take local solution to the continent; developing macroeconomic and structural policy options to accelerate economic diversification and job creation; designing and implementing innovative financing models for infrastructure, and for human, physical and social assets for a transforming Africa; contributing solutions to regional and transboundary challenges, with a focus on peace security and social inclusion as an important development nexus; advocating Africa’s position at the global level and developing regional responses as a contribution to global governance issues. This position is located in the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Division of Administration, Supply Chain Management Section (SCMS). Under the overall direction of the Director, Division of Administration, the Procurement Officer reports to the Chief, SCMS.

• Serves as Chief of the Procurement Unit and acts as a senior procurement and contracting expert with responsibility for complex civil and other construction works and the world-wide procurement of a wide variety of goods and services, including providing procurement support to the multi-year and multi-million dollar Capital Investment Programme (CIP), which is designed to renovate and modernize ECA’s real estate holdings.

• Continuously identify major procurement needs to deliver a series of quick wins that will improve ECA’s operations.

• Establish, harmonize, and maintain appropriate and consistent procurement policies, compliance standards, and procedures across the Commission, ensuring that internal processes are well understood, and best practices are consistently followed.

• Works with the requisitioners and negotiates contractual arrangements with suppliers to ensure that value for money and excellent service levels are maintained and optimized across all categories of expenditure.

• Undertakes continuous reviews of the existing procurement processes and continuously implement improvements where necessary to ensure that costs are monitored, reviewed and controlled within budgetary constraints and in line with UN Financial Rules and Regulations.

• Provides technical advice on procurement-related issues to clients during all phases of the procurement cycle, advising on post-contractual management activities, monitoring and compliance, preparation of contract amendments and arranging debriefings.

• Develops and prepares highly complex contracts for procurement of non-routine and technologically advanced commodities or long-range services; issues international tender invitations; evaluates responses to tender, and makes recommendations for finalization of purchases and award of contracts; signs procurement orders up to the authorized limit, and, in cases where the amount exceeds authorized signature authority, prepares submissions to the Contracts Committee (LCC and HCC) for review and subsequent approval by the authorized official.

• Contributes to the development of institutional procurement policies and procedures; develops standards and criteria for the evaluation of goods, services, supplier capacity, etc.

• Leads procurement process and efficiency improvements across ECA by ensuring wider use of modern technologies and online systems such as Umoja and the procurement tracking tool to monitor progress and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

• Addresses the human resource needs of the Unit, including providing leadership and supervision to staff.

• Works/undertakes any other duties or special initiatives requested by senior management, in accordance with the scope and responsibilities of the role.

• Perform any other duties as required by the supervisor or the Director of the Division of Administration.

• Collects and analyzes data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.

• Coordinate the deployment and implementation of the Supply Chain Planning Tool (SCPT) at ECA and other UN-wide procurement-related tools and initiatives. Work implies frequent interaction with the following:

• Specialists at the duty station and other duty stations.

• Colleagues and senior staff within ECA and the UN, both inside and outside the duty station.

• Government officials and counterparts in other UN organizations, businesses, or industries.

• Executives and representatives of engineering, marketing, sales, and technical firms, both domestic and international.

Professionalism: Knowledge of internationally recognized procurement standards and of all phases of international procurement techniques and operations used in contracting for highly complex and technologically advanced goods and services. Knowledge of contract law and expertise in handling complex procurement and 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. Ability to apply technical expertise to resolve a range of complex and/or sensitive issues/problems. Ability to develop procurement policies, procedures and new programmes. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. The ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management.

Planning and Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.

Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and Honors commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.

Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect.

The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential.

Applicants, who successfully go through a competitive recruitment process and are recommended for selection and/or inclusion in the roster of pre-approved candidates for subsequent job openings at the same level and with similar functions, may have their application information and roster status shared with other UN Organizations. Such applicants may be contacted by other UN Organizations for similar job openings, subject to the confirmation of their interest. Placement on the roster is no guarantee of a future selection. For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or under-represented in the

UN Secretariat as of 31 March 2025, are strongly encouraged to apply: Brunei Darussalam, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Grenada, Kiribati, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Sao Tome and Principe, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu. Andorra, Angola, Belize, China, Cuba, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Libya, Malta, Monaco, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Turkmenistan, United States of America. Pursuant to section 7.11 of ST/AI/2012/2/Rev.1, candidates recruited through the young professionals programme who have not served for a minimum of two years in the position of their initial assignment are not eligible to apply to this position.

Internal Applicants – When completing the Candidate Profile form, ensure ALL fields, ALL professional experience, and contact information are completed and up to date. This information is the basis for the hiring manager to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position and to contact you. Online applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgment within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. If the problem persists, please seek technical assistance through the Inspira “Contact Us” link.

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another.

The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible.

The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c).

Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines.

Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.