Contracts Specialist, P-3, Fixed Term Position, Afghanistan, Kabul, Afghanistan, #00125937

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to Hope

How can you make a difference?

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

Job organizational context:

The situation in Afghanistan remains exceptionally complex, with a protracted emergency situation, characterized by recurrent natural disasters, an increased number of people living in poverty, continued internal displacement, unprecedented levels of food insecurity, further compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. This complexity has greatly impacted the situation of children and women in the country. The withdrawal of United States military forces from Afghanistan in August 2021 and the establishment of a de-facto government by the Taliban has exacerbated the complexity and uncertainty of the situation. UNICEF is required to rapidly adapt its modalities of working to address the multiple operational constraints present in the highly volatile and unpredictable context.

Purpose for the Job:

Under the direct supervision of the Contracts Manager, the Contract Specialist plans, develops and executes an effective and efficient procurement of institutional services for the Afghanistan Country

Office in compliance with UNICEF procurement and contract procedures, rules and regulations.

Ensures that the contracting function produces affordable and quality outputs with a significant impact on programme delivery of much-needed services. Works closely with internal and external stakeholders and partners on project design, needs assessment, work plan, procurement execution and contract management.

The function is characterized as highly independent and provides opportunities for Contracts Specialist to function as the OIC Contracts Manager to supervise the team, provides oversight for the service contracting function and input into the design and development of improved supply chain services and delivery mechanisms.

Summary of Key Functions/Accountabilities:

• Ensures all contracting activities are in compliance with the UNICEF Financial Rules and Regulations, SD Manual, and all other applicable procurement procedures.
• Works closely with programmes and partners on project/TOR design, TOR and work plan and coordination, issues of long-term forecasting of service plan and funding availability.
• In collaboration with all stakeholders (programme, partners, suppliers, finance), effectively administers and manages contracts, i.e. development of specifications; attend bid openings and post bid evaluation meetings; review of bid documents including analyses of Bills of Quantities (BOQ) for construction projects, technical and financial proposals; compile and analyse submitted bid data.
• Advise management of contractual rights and obligations; compile and analyse data; and maintain historical information.
• Ensure the solicitation for service contracting is conducted in the most competitive and transparent manner and make effort to expand the vendor database locally and internationally.
• Provide technical advice to Contract Review Committee (CRC) for award of contracts and present such submissions. Ensure completeness, appropriateness and protect best interest of the organization by ensuring proper contracting processes and fulfillment in accordance with organizational policies, legal requirements, and customer specifications.
• Prepare contracts and Long-Term Agreements in VISION for approved service providers and manage contractual activities up to the stage of delivery stage as per contractual terms and conditions.
• Act as focal point for maintaining regular updates and reporting of statistical reports relating to contract services and Long-Term Agreements (LTA).
• Interact and follow up with programme and operations sections on issues related to contractual management and timely delivery of services including KPI achievement, and evaluate service providers with respect to delivery performance, products, programme/commercial acceptability.
• Identify opportunities, barriers, successes, problems and courses of actions to address identified challenges.
• Act as focal point for the Procurement Case Management (PCM) platform and ensure that cases are allocated and ensure that status is updated and progress shared with stakeholders on a regular basis
• Provide supply input to donor dialogue, and support development of supply components of proposals to donors including budgeting and use of innovative financing mechanisms for supplies, services and construction works.
• Provide input to capacity development initiatives in the area of supply chains services for children, in close collaboration with programme colleagues. Support supply components of health systems strengthening as might be relevant in the country context
• Supervise and identify training needs of staff under supervision
• Any other duty assigned by supervisor.

Under the direct supervision of the Contracts Manager, the Contract Specialist plans, develops and executes an effective and efficient procurement of institutional services for the Afghanistan Country Office in compliance with UNICEF procurement and contract procedures, rules and regulations.

Ensures that the contracting function produces affordable and quality outputs with a significant impact on programme delivery of much-needed services. Works closely with internal and external stakeholders and partners on project design, needs assessment, work plan, procurement execution and contract management.

The function is characterized as highly independent and provides opportunities for Contracts Specialist to function as the OIC Contracts Manager to supervise the team, provides oversight for the service contracting function and input into the design and development of improved supply chain services and delivery mechanisms

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: JD - Contracts Specialist, P-3, Fixed Term Position, Afghanistan, Kabul, Afghanistan, #00125937.doc

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements:

1. Education: Advanced University Degree (Master or equivalent) is required in Business Administration, Management, Economics, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Procurement, Contract/Commercial Law, International Development, Health or related social science field.
2. Work Experience: A minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience, at the national and international levels, in Supply, Logistics, Procurement, Contracting, Administration and/or other directly related technical fields is required. Understanding of development and humanitarian work.
3. Skills: Understanding of development and humanitarian work. Emergency experience is an advantage. Health supply chain management experiences an advantage.
4. Language Requirements: Proficiency in English is required.

Desirables:

1. Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
2. Emergency experience is an advantage.
3. Health supply chain management experience an advantage.
4. Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships
(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
(3) Drive to achieve results for impact
(4) Innovates and embraces change
(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity
(6) Thinks and acts strategically
(7) Works collaboratively with others
(8) Nurtures, leads and manages people

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per 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.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants' bank account information.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF's Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.