UNV Procurement Associate

DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT

Preamble:

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UN organization that promotes volunteerism to support peace and development worldwide. Volunteerism can transform the pace and nature of development and it benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer. UNV contributes to peace and development by advocating for volunteerism globally, encouraging partners to integrate volunteerism into development programming, and mobilizing volunteers.

In most cultures volunteerism is deeply embedded in long-established, ancient traditions of sharing and support within the communities. In this context, UN Volunteers take part in various forms of volunteerism and play a role in development and peace together with co-workers, host agencies and local communities.

In all assignments, UN Volunteers promote volunteerism through their action and conduct. Engaging in volunteer activity can effectively and positively enrich their understanding of local and social realities, as well as create a bridge between themselves and the people in their host community. This will make the time they spend as UN Volunteers even more rewarding and productive.

1. Type of Assignment: International UN Volunteer

2. Type of Assignment Place: Family Duty Station

3. Assignment Title: Procurement Associate

4. Link with UNV Strategic Framework: Securing access to basic social services 5. Duty Station, Country: Honiara, Solomon Islands

6. Duration (in months): 12

7. Expected Starting Date: ASAP

8. Host Agency/Host Institute: UNDP

9. Organizational Context/Project:

UNDP Solomon Island Office is part of the UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji, which formally came into existence in April 2016, as a result of the realignment process of the former Fiji-based Pacific Centre and the UNDP Multi-Country Office. Amongst the programmes overseen by the UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji, UNDP Solomon Island programme is the largest, averaging 6 to 7 million USD delivery per year. Following the realignment exercise of the UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji, the office in Solomon Islands has gone through an exercise to better align the SOI component with the implemented Suva structure.

In line with the programmatic focus of UNDP in the Pacific, the three programme units have been

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The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is administered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).created to be headed by the Team Leader: Effective Governance, Sustainable Development and Resilience, and Inclusive Growth. In addition, there is a unit dedicated to results based

management and communications. The unit leaders are directly reporting to the Head of Of-

fice/Country Manager and working closely with the Team Leaders and members based in

Suva on programme formulation, oversight and implementation, as well as policy advice and

advocacy to meet the development needs of the Government and people of Solomon Islands.

For operations, the team in Solomon Islands are working through the Joint Operations Center

based in Suva to ensure efficiency and compliance of administrative services.

Under the direct supervision of the Operations Manager, the UNV Procurement Associate

provides leadership in execution of Administration and procurement services including pro-

curement and travel services in UNDP Solomon Island Office ensuring their effectiveness,

transparency and integrity. The UNV Procurement Associate promotes a client, quality and

results-oriented approach in the Unit.

The UNV Procurement Associate will work with the suport staff of the Procurement and Travel

services. The UNV Procurement Associate will also work in close collaboration with the op-

erations, programme and project teams in the UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji (particularly the JOP

and Procurement Team) other UN Agencies and UNDP HQs staff for resolving complex pro-

curement-related issues and information delivery.

Some functions outlined in this DoA are subject to change once the off-shoring of

transactional services from the Office are completed during 2017.

10. Description of tasks:

Under the direct supervision of the Operations Manager, the UN Volunteer will undertake

the following tasks:

1. Ensures administration and implementation of the operational strategies focusing on

achievement of the following results:

• Full compliance of procurement activities with UN/UNDP rules, regulations, policies and strategies; implementation of the effective internal control, proper functioning of a client- oriented procurement management system.
• Solomon Office’s Procurement business processes mapping and elaboration of the con- tent of internal Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in Procurement and Logistics, control of the workflows in the Procurement Unit.
• Elaboration of proposals and implementation of cost saving and reduction strategies in consultation with office management (such as long-term agreements for travel and other areas).
• Provision of researched information for formulation and implementation of contract strat- egy and strategic procurement in the CO including tendering processes and evaluation, managing the contract and contractor, legal considerations and payment conditions, sourcing strategy, supplier selection and evaluation, quality management, e-procure- ment introduction.
• Support/participate in the conduct of post-procurement audit to ensure overall fidu- ciary management of projects and compliance to UNDP rules and procedures.

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The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is administered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).2. Manages procurement processes for Solomon Islands Office, NIM / DIM projects and at the request of other Agencies focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Coordinate preparation of procurement plans for the office and projects through the RBAP Portal – PROMPT.
• Organization of procurement processes including preparation and conduct of RFQs, ITBs or RFPs, receipt of quotations, bids or proposals, their evaluation, negotiation of certain conditions of contracts in full compliance with UNDP rules and regulations.
• Preparation of Purchase orders and contracts in and outside Atlas, preparation of Re- curring Purchase orders for contracting of services, vendors’ creation in Atlas.
• Prepare submissions to the Contract, Asset and Procurement Committee (CAP) and Regional/Advisory Committee on Procurement (R/ACP).
• Implementation of the internal control system which ensures that Purchase orders are duly prepared and dispatched. Timely corrective actions on POs with budget check er- rors and other problems.
• Presentation of researched information on procurement in the CO
• Preparation of cost-recovery bills in Atlas for the procurement and travel services pro- vided by UNDP to other Agencies.
• Regularly touch base through systematic meetings and discussions to seek timely guid- ance from the Fiji procurement team in JPC.
• Establish and manage a system to monitor timely execution and monitoring of con- tracts.
• Conduct a periodic analysis of case studies to ensure bottlenecks are removed in a timely manner to expedite procurement processes.
• Supports customary clearance procedures and other formalities for clearance of goods.

3. Ensures implementation of sourcing strategy and use of business process improvement

tools focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Development and update of the rosters of suppliers, implementation of supplier selec- tion and evaluation.
• Implement e-tendering tool for conducting all international procurement actions.
• Liaise with global shared service centers and Bangkok Hub to implement complex and large scale procurement actions, based on project needs.
• In consultation with the Bangkok Regional Hub, implement ATLAS Travel and Ex- penses Module for 3 managing travel transactions for the Solomon Islands Office.

4. Ensures effective administrative and financial control in the office, focusing on achieve-

ment of the following results:

• Implementation of the control mechanism for administrative services, maintenance of administrative control records such as commitments and expenditures.
• Review, research, verification and reconciliation of a variety of data and reports ensur- ing accuracy and conformance with administrative rules and regulations; creation of vendor set-up information in Atlas;
• Review of data integrity in the database, control programme; analysis of results and ini- tiation of corrective actions when necessary.

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• Assistance to procurement related aspects of common services.
• Coordination of assets management in the office, timely preparation and submission of periodic inventory reports, coordination of physical verification of inventory items.
• Coordination of the provision of reliable and quality office supplies
• Implementation of Inventory and physical verification control in the CO and pro- jects.

5. Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the CO focusing on

achievement of the following results:

• Organization of trainings for the operations/ Programme and projects staff on Procurement.
• Synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices in Procurement.
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to:

• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day);
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
• Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities;
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publica- tions/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers;
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

11. Results/Expected Outputs:

• Overall CO efficiency improved in procurement and success in implementation of opera- tional strategies.
• Accurate analysis and presentation of information provided,
• Well- organized transparent procurement processes that ensure client satisfaction and timely delivery of UNDP programmers/ projects.
• The information provided facilitates decision making of the management.
• The development of capacity through coaching, mentoring and formal on-the-job training, when working with (including supervising) national staff or (non-) governmental counter- parts, including Implementing Partners (IPs);
• Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment
• A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development dur- ing the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed

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The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is administered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).12. Qualifications/Requirements (including competencies, values and skills): A) Qualifications, skills, experience:

Degree level: Bachelor's degree

Type of Degree: Business or Public Administration. UNDP Procurement Certification –

CIPS Level 2 is a requirement and if not certified, candidate must acquire this within 3

months of appointment

Years of work experience: 2 years of progressively responsible procurement and admin-

istrative experience is required at the national or international level.

Language (s), Fluency in English

Driving license required: No

Computer skills: Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS

Word, Excel, etc.), advance knowledge of automated procurement systems, experience in

handling of web based management systems. Familiarity with and fluency in UNDP corpo-

rate system, Atlas, is strongly desirable.

B) Competencies and values:

• Integrity and professionalism: demonstrated expertise in area of specialty and ability to apply good judgment; high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take own- ership; willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures in a politically sensitive environment, while exercising discretion, impartiality and neutrality; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confi- dentially; responsive and client-oriented.
• Accountability: mature and responsible; ability to operate in compliance with organizational rules and regulations.
• Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work en- vironment.
• Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish prior- ities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities.
• Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious work- ing relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diver- sity and gender;

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The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is administered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presenta-

tions, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommenda-

tions; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military

personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse back-

grounds; ability to maintain composure and remain helpful towards the staff, but objective,

without showing personal interest; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a

wide range of different target groups;

• Flexibility, adaptability, and ability and willingness to operate independently in austere, remote and potentially hazardous environments for protracted periods, involving physical hardship and little comfort, and including possible extensive travel within the area of oper- ations; willingness to transfer to other duty stations within area of operations as may be necessary;
• Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes sol- idarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards the UN core values.

13. Living Conditions:

Solomon Islands is a nation of 992 islands, situated in the South Pacific, stretching over 1,300

square kilometers of ocean. The nearest neighbors are PNG to the West, the Fiji islands to

the East, Australia to the SouthWest and New Zealand due South. Its capital is Honiara, which

is situated within the main province of Guadalcanal. The nation of the Solomon Islands is a

member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The Solomon Islanders comprise diverse cultures,

languages, and customs. Of its 552,438 persons, 94.5% are Melanesian, 3% Polynesian, and

1.2% Micronesian. In addition, small numbers of Europeans and Chinese are registered. The

rural/urban population breakdown was 14% in cities, about 2% in dense urban peripheries and

the remainder, 84% rural. Hospitals are located in Honiara City Council, also in other prov-

inces. There is also a UN Doctor that can provide first aid assistance and guidance. Malaria

is endemic in the Solomon Islands. Yellow fever is another disease of concern, also transmit-

ted by mosquitos. The most common language spoken among the locals is Pidgin which is

mixture of Melanesian and English. English is taught in schools and is the official language.

14. Conditions of Service for international UN Volunteers:

The duration of your assignment is 12 months. A volunteer receives a Volunteer Living

Allowance (VLA) which is composed of the Monthly Living Allowance (MLA) and a Family

Allowance (FA) for those with dependents (maximum three). The Volunteer Living Allowance

(VLA) is paid at the end of each month to cover housing, utilities, transportation,

communications and other basic needs. The VLA can be computed by applying the Post-

Adjustment Multiplier (PAM) to the VLA base rate of US$ 1,587. The VLA base rate is a global

rate across the world, while the PAM is duty station/country-specific and fluctuates on a

monthly basis according to the cost of living. This method ensures that international UN

Volunteers have comparable purchasing power at all duty stations irrespective of varying costs

of living. The PAM is established by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) and is

published at the beginning of every month on the ICSC website (http://icsc.un.org). For

example, if the PAM for the current month is 54.6%, then the VLA for that month will be (US$

1,587 x 48.5 /100) + 1,587 = US$ 2356. Moreover, a Family Allowance (FA) is added in

accordance with the number of recognized dependents: US$ 250 if the UN Volunteer has 1

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The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is administered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).recognized dependent, and US$ 450 if the UN Volunteer has 2 or more recognized dependents. Accordingly, the VLA per month will be US$ 2,357 for a volunteer without

dependent; US$ 2607 for a volunteer with one recognized dependent and US$ 3057 for a

volunteer with two or more recognized dependents.

In non-family duty stations that belong to hardship categories D or E, as classified by the ICSC,

international UN Volunteers receive a Well-Being Differential (WBD) on a monthly basis.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are provided a settling-in-grant (SIG) at the start of the

assignment (if the volunteer did not reside in the duty station for at least 6 months prior to

taking up the assignment) and in the event of a permanent reassignment to another duty

station.

UNV provides life, health, permanent disability insurances as well as assignment travel,

annual leave, full integration in the UN security framework (including residential security

reimbursements).

UN Volunteers are paid Daily Subsistence Allowance at the UN rate for official travels, flight

tickets for periodic home visit and for the final repatriation travel (if applicable). Resettlement

allowance is paid for satisfactory service at the end of the assignment.

UNV will provide, together with the offer of assignment, a copy of the Conditions of Service,

including Code of conduct, to the successful candidate.

15. Applications

If you are not yet a candidate in UNV’s database, please apply by registering your profile at

https://ereta.unv.org/html/index.php?module=myprofile. Important: Once you have created

your UNV account by validating your email address, please complete all sections of your

profile and select the following code: “17SLB_PROCUR” from the drop down menu in the

“Special Recruitment” tab of ‘MyProfile’. Your application can only be considered once you

have submitted your complete UNV profile (greenbutton). As a confirmation of your successful

registration, you will receive an email with your UNV roster number.

If you are registered in the UNV database of candidates, please update your profile at:

http://MyProfile.unv.org. In the “Special Recruitment” section on the left, click on the “Edit”

button and select the advertisement code “17SLB_PROCUR” from the drop-down list.

Application deadline: 5 February 2017. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme which welcomes applications

from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender,

nationality and culture.

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The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is administered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).