Acquisition Planning Assistant, FS5 [Temporary] at United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS)

Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Acquisition Planning Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:

• Assists in the preparation of the annual (draft) acquisition plan prior to the budget formulation as part of the mission logistics planning process based on mission priorities;
• Develops and deliver statistical analysis, standard business intelligent reports and recommendations to the Chief of the Section.
• Produces timely and actionable information which help drive business results and guide decision making process. Devise and promote effective analytic models and creative data visualization to derive actionable intelligence and enable management decisions.
• Liaises with UN Global Service Centre (UNGSC) in Brindisi regarding the submission of the mission's annual (both draft and final) acquisition plan;
• Liaises on all logistics needs in each mission location and assists in monitoring and tracking all aspects of the Mission's supply chain to ensure that a continuous supply of goods and services are available to meet operational requirements;
• Assists in forecasting the logistics requirements in the near and medium terms based on changing priorities and emergencies as related to the assigned categories, provides advance information of such requirements to the concerned stakeholders;
• Monitors mission requisitions of the assigned categories to ensure purchase requests are based on forecasted acquisition plan;
• Liaises with counterparts in other Missions and/or UNGSC on items availability prior to making decision to acquire new items either for replacement or additional requirement;
• Oversees the extraction of spent data and generation of expenditure reports from computerized information system databases, including Umoja; Performs preliminary analysis of the extracted data and the reports generated, through review of stock holdings, consumption patterns, procurement cycle times, requirements and forecasts of internal and external customers, and highlights areas of concern for the attention of the Acquisition Planning Officer in order to ensure timely decision-making and minimize potential supply chain gaps.
• Supervises the process for the preparation of budget performance submissions and finalization of budget performance reports, analyzing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures, providing valid justifications for under/overspending.
• Reviews acquisitions actions and monitors status of acquisition processes for all commodities and services of assigned categories including a full range of procurement and other supply chain matters and identifies ways to overcome obstacles when delivering goods. This includes liaising with mission technical units on the planning and coordination of transportation requirements, service contract requirements and maintenance plans of assigned services, Consolidation of inbound deliveries, ensuring that adequate lead times and sourcing options are taken into account in all requisitions.
• Liaises with relevant sections with respect to the status of implementation of the acquisition plan and assists in the preparation of quarterly progress reports providing updates regarding the implementation of the mission's acquisition plan and timely submission thereof to UNGSC.
• Implements the mission policies and procedures, Standard Operating procedures (SOPs), guidelines and instructions governing the acquisition planning and requisitioning process.
• Supervises and provides work direction and guidance to junior acquisition planning assistants and national GS staff; manages and coordinates the activities in his/her area of responsibility.
• Performs other duties as required.

Competencies
Professionalism:

• Substantive experience and thorough knowledge of supply chain management functions, in the areas of acquisition planning, procurement and logistics processes with good understanding of field support operations. Knowledge of, and ability to apply procurement related policies and practices, in international organization work context. Proven analytical skills, including ability to research and gather information from a variety of external and internal sources, interpret/analyze data, and develop recommendations and plans. Demonstrated use of initiative and ability to make appropriate linkages in work requirements and anticipate next steps. Demonstrated ability to apply good judgement in the context of assignments given. 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.

Planning & 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

Education

• High School Diploma or equivalent is required.

Job - Specific Qualification

• Technical or vocational certificate in at least one of the following areas , logistics, supply chain management, business administration and procurement or related areas is required.
• Supply Chain Operations Reference Professional ( SCOR-P) certificate is desirable.
• Training and working experience in Supply Chain Planning Tool (SCPT) is desirable.

Work Experience

• A minimum of eight (8) years of progressively responsible experience in supply chain, inventory management, logistics, procurement, administration, or related area is required.
• Experience providing logistics and supply chain support services in a volatile, conflict or post conflict environment is desirable.
• Experience in sourcing, cleaning, and preparing data, selecting and developing visualizations/metrics (Power Business Intelligence (BI)) that enable easy communication/interpretation by the users is desirable.
• Experience working with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems or similar in the areas of scheduling, inventory control, procurement, and/or logistics processes is desirable.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position fluency in English (both oral and written) is required.