Background   UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.   UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.   The UNDP Regional Hub for Latin America and the Caribbean is located in Panama and serves 25 country offices (covering 42 countries and territories) in the Latin America and the Caribbean region, offering regional policy and advisory support to country programme needs, and a trustworthy source of knowledge, experiences, and resources provided by a group of experts and professionals.
The Regional Hub works through its country offices with governments and people to create customized solutions to development challenges and thus contribute to strengthen national and local capacities and achieving sustainable development.     Scope of Work The Procurement Associate provides support for the execution of procurement processes for goods and/or services under the Regional Hub/RBLAC and other requesting units, implementing methodologies according to each requirement, complying with the Organization's Procurement Policies and Standards, focusing on the achievement of the following functions:

Support the review, implementation and monitoring of the Procurement Plans for the Regional Hub/RBLAC; Organize, coordinate and execute calls for each procurement process according to the correspondent categories and strategies: terms of reference revision, invitations, advertisements, completion of forms and requests, organize and facilitates the evaluation panels assignements, minutes preparation, review of procurement cases and submission to the Procurement Committees when appropriate, communication with bidders, contract processing; Prepare Purchase Orders implementing the internal control framework. Take timely corrective actions on purchase orders with budget verification errors and others. Support the projects in issues related to the delivery process of complex purchase orders, ensuring that all aspects of the logistics chain are carried out successfully and in accordance with the contract and applicable customs regulations. Provide advice to the projects on procurement policies and strategies, as well as on complex aspects such as storage, product distribution, consultancy development, etc. Assist the projects in cases of non-compliance with delivery or dispatch conditions, at any point of the logistics chain, supporting the Procurement Analyst and the Head of the Operations Unit, in the follow-up and case solutions. Collaborate to strength the knowledge and capacities of Regional Hub/RBLAC requesting units on procurement issues; Perform, within the framework of experience and technical skills, other activities assigned to support the management of the Procurement Unit.   Institutional Arrangement
Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Procurement Analyst, the Procurement Associate provides support for the execution of transparent and efficient procurement services and processes in the Regional Hub for Latin America and the Caribbean/RBLAC. The Procurement Assistant promotes a service-oriented, and consistent with rules and regulations approach in the Unit.
The Procurement Associate works in close collaboration with the operations, programme and projects’ staff in the Regional Hub for LAC, HQs, UN Agencies and UNDP Country Offices in the LAC region to exchange information and ensure consistent service delivery.

Competencies

CORE COMPETENCIES

ACHIEVE RESULTS - LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline. THINK INNOVATEVELY - LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements. LEARN CONTINUOUSLY - LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback. ADAPT WITH AGILITY - LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible. ACT WITH DETERMINATION - LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident. ENGAGE AND PARTNER - LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships. ENABLE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION - LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination.

CROSS FUNCTIONAL & TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Knowledge Generation: Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need Knowledge Facilitation: Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally. BUSINESS MANAGEMENT Communication: Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. Digital Awareness & Literacy: Ability and inclination to rapidly adopt new technologies, either through skilfully grasping their usage or through understanding their impact and empowering others to use them as needed. PROCUREMENT Contract Management: Knowledge of contract management concepts, principles and methods, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations. Data Management: Knowledge of processing, storing, and validating procurement data. Procure-to pay: Knowledge of purchase-to-pay cycles, concepts, principles and policies, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or
practical situations. Supplier / Relationship Management: Knowledge of supplier management concepts, principles and methods, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations.   Required Skills and Experience
Education
Secondary Education is required ; or Bachelor's degree in Economy, Business Administration, Industrial Engineering, Public Administration Social Sciences or other related areas, will be given due consideration.

Experience

Minimum 6 years with Secondary education or 3 years with Bachelor's degree of progressively responsible procurement or contracting experience is required at the national or international level.

Required skills and competencies

Proven experience in the preparation or organization, management and compendium of technical files, terms of reference, bases and evaluation tables. Experience in procedures for the procurement of goods and contracting of services; Intermediate and/or advanced knowledge in the use of computers and office software packages, especially Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Desired skills

Experience or familiarity with the interpretation and application of United Nations or UNDP procurement policies, rules and regulations is desirable. Experience or familiarity with UNDP operational and reporting systems, including experience using an ERP system (i.e. Oracle Cloud, SAP or PeopleSoft), is desirable. Work experience with the United Nations system or international organizations is an advantage.

Required languages

Fluency in Spanish and English, both oral and written.

Professional certificates

Specialized certification in Procurement is highly desirable.
Disclaimer

Important applicant information
All posts in the NPSA categories are subject to local recruitment.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters
Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Workforce diversity
UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Scam warning
The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.

This vacancy is archived.

Recommended for you