Supply Officer at United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

Duties

• Analyse the existing infrastructure and ensure that it is optimally aligned with the operational needs.
• Support all activities pertaining to the supply chain function including planning, sourcing, transport, shipping, customs clearance, warehousing, asset and fleet management in the operation.
• Support the procurement process to ensure timely, cost-effective and adequate delivery of commodities and services to support operational needs.
• Contribute to the development of relevant contacts and build constructive relations with government authorities, implementing partners, UN agencies and others, to foster mutual cooperation for the timely delivery of relief items avoiding bottlenecks.
• Adapt standard supply chain structures to the local environment that are consistent with the operational needs.
• Guide the office should they need additional office space or extensions to their office leases, lease hold improvements or other construction. Carry out the procurement aspect of the establishment of office leases or extensions.
• Assist in the coordination with CBI stakeholders the design and implementation of the market assessment and market monitoring to determine if CBI is option. Carry out the procurement action to contract Financial Service Providers (FSP).
• Establish and maintain an efficient and skilled workforce that is capable of supporting on-going operations.
• Support the Identification of partners for supply chain projects based on objectives, priorities, strengths and resources of the Partner and/or contractor, according to criteria consistent with UNHCR rules and regulations.
• Participate in Identifying, assessing and selecting vendors based on their capability for delivering commodities and services. Maintain vendor and item master databases.
• Implement effective asset and fleet management that regularly monitors the asset/fleet pool, increases efficiency safeguards the investment of the organisation.
• Analyse the quality of commodities and services delivered in relation to the needs of the location and established quality standards.
• Support the coordination activities of Partners and/or contractors performing supply related activities, and ensure that they understand and adhere to relevant UNHCR rules and procedures.
• Maintain an up-to-date overview of the location's supply chain capacity and preparedness, as well as, that of its partners to ensure that adequate capacity exist also to cover emergencies.
• Monitor the quality and accuracy of supply chain related data in relevant business systems. Compile and analyse statistical information, identify trends and developments in supply chain related matters that will assist in decision making
• Implement supply operations based on interpretations of the situation and conclusions to how the operation can be best implemented.
• Resolve difficulties in the local supply chain by finding solutions to problems and bottlenecks, and provide regular reports on supply chain activities, the status of requests and the availability of items in the supply chain.
• Disseminate, promote commitment to and monitor compliance with UNHCR's global policies, standards and guidance on supply chain management.
• Ensure effective information flow in the supply chain and adapt process and documents to the prevailing environment.
• Depending on the size of the operation act as ex-officio in the LCC Review and clear procurement cases for the relevant procurement authority.

In the Regional Bureaux:

• Support Country Operations on how to implement supply operations based on interpretations of the situation and conclusions to how the operation can be best implemented.
• Ensure that global Supply policies are understood by all Supply teams in the region by offering summaries and relevant interpretations in the regional context.
• Seek opportunities for regionalizing and streamlining Supply operations where operational advantage can be achieved
• Track the progress of specific periodic operations and provide guidance that ensures timely implementation.
• Organize and deliver training at regional level in the different Supply functions such as procurement, logistics, asset and fleet management.
• Assist in coaching and advising individuals or Supply teams as requested.
• Track global Supply KPIs for the region and devise regional ones as required.
• Monitor all periodic Supply exercises such as monthly reconciliations, quarterly physical inventory exercises, and year-end accounts closure procedures and ensure that they are implemented throughout the region.
• Regularly visit country operations and their Supply teams including visits to camps and other operational sites, provide oversight and support within the operational context.
• Assist in providing a diagnostic on MSRP management reports for country operations, and coordinating with the Regional Supply Coordinator for necessary follow-up to ensure that data, in particular stocks accurately and completely reflect the reality in the warehouses.
• Support the revision of country financial reports and work with the Country Operations Supply Team leaders to address red areas relating to Supply aspects of operations.
• Ensure that country needs assessment plans are established, combine them into regional procurement plans and monitor their timely implementation and changes based on operational needs.
• Monitor and advise operations on import and customs clearance (as required) to resolve and ensure bottlenecks a smooth flow of goods to the operations.
• Ensure coordinated emergency deployments of staff in consultation with SMS to countries in the Bureau.
• Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
• Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level

• For P3/NOC - 6 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 5 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 4 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education

• Supply Chain Management;
• Business Administration;
• International Commerce;
• Engineering;
• or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses

• Certificate from Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supplies, e.g. CFIPS, CMIPS, MCIPS;
• (Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience

Essential

• Proficient knowledge of logistics/supply systems with proven experience at previous work positions, preferably UN. Good working knowledge and experience in handling contract issues in the context of UN policies and standards. Experience in contract negotiations; ability to provide technical guidance to subordinate staff; ability to plan and organise work assignments, often under close deadlines. Proven ability to deal with multiple tasks with speed, in a courteous and service oriented manner. Proven ability to manage a team.

Desirable

• Database management skills and experience and working knowledge of ERP systems, ideally of UNHCR's MSRP Supply Chain Module would be an advantage. Strong interpersonal and negotiation skills to deal with persons of different cultural and educational backgrounds. Technical knowledge of types of services, supplies and goods purchased by UNHCR for Headquarters, Regional and Field Offices would be an advantage. Relevant training, such as CIPS, or other public procurement trainings. Knowledge of UN and UNHCR Financial Regulations and Rules relating to procurement and UNHCR Chapter 8. Aviation services knowledge for movements of goods/passengers.

Functional Skills

• UN-UN/UNHCR Administrative Rules, Regulations and Procedures
• SC-UN/UNHCR Procurement Rules and Procedures
• DM-Database Management
• SC-Supply Chain planning and strategy development
• (Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)