Procurement Officer - Local Regional Food Procurement Policy at World Food Programme (WFP)

BACKGROUND AND JOB PURPOSE

The World Food Programme (WFP) procures food items to support the agency’s global fight against hunger. These procurement activities include both direct (from Producers) and indirect (through Traders/Intermediaries) purchases of both raw and processed food items, such as Specialised Nutritious Foods (SNFs). In 2019 the Local and Regional Food Procurement Policy (LRFPP) was published with the objective of ensuring that WFP’s procurement activities not only meet the supply needs of the agency but also contribute more broadly to the elimination of hunger by supporting local food producers and the development of sustainable food systems in vulnerable regions.

With the inclusion of Sudan in RBN, one-third of all the food WFP buys globally is in this region, and although much of that is local procurement, there is potential for more. Three Country Offices in RBN are piloting the implementation of the LRFPP, being Ethiopia, Uganda, and Sudan. These pilots aim to promote and support the development of more inclusive food procurement systems within formal and informal markets, with a view to protecting and improving local food systems. Greater access to large and stable markets can not only raise the incomes of smallholder farmers in the region at a time when they have been so severely hit by the economic impacts of Covid-19, but also sustain and increase their ability and incentives to invest in crop production and quality.

The pilots will allow RBN to capitalize on more than a decade of efforts and investments to support smallholder market access, school feeding, and key government institutions. It will also generate important lessons and insights for WFP, government agencies, development partners, and producer organizations in RBN and other middle-income countries.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

• Consolidate and analyse data from which to inform Country sourcing strategies or plan specialist procurement initiatives that support effective and cost optimising purchase decisions.
• Provide oversight, guidance and support with / to Country Offices with relatively straight forward procurement needs (moderate value commodities, delivering programmes of a similar nature) on implementing best practice procurement policies and procedures, ensuring a strategic, forward purchasing approach to procurement in compliance with wider WFP policies, standards and regulations.
• Lead the implementation of procurement projects of moderate complexity or manage operational activities for a Country Office (e.g. issue tenders, evaluate offers and negotiate/award contracts), to ensure successful procurement of food and non-food commodities or services.
• Collate information and draft appropriate responses to recommendations to support auditing of procurement activities and ensure conformity with compliance rules.
• Identify, develop and maintain strong relationships with all relevant suppliers and vendors to enable WFP to maximise the value of the service delivered.
• Manage and coordinate effective relationships with inspection and superintendent firms to ensure quality control, specification conformity, volume assessment, monitoring and verification of deliveries.
• Work in close collaboration with cross functional counterparts to align procurement activities and promote an integrated supply-chain approach to food assistance.
• Coordinate and prepare accurate and timely reports of procurement activities to contribute to a WFP wide view that enables informed decision making and consistency of information presented to stakeholders, leading to performance optimization.
• Manage individual procurement officers or small procurement teams ensuring appropriate development and enable high performance.
• Build capacity of WFP staff and external partners to take a strategic and proactive approach to the procurement of food and non-food commodities and services e.g., through provision of training sessions.
• Contribute to preparedness actions, providing technical recommendations and guidance and monitor the management of procurement specific risks.
• Act in an assigned emergency response capacity as required to meet emergency food assistance needs.
• Other as required.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Advanced University degree in Agricultural Management, Procurement and Supply Chain Management, Economics, Development Studies, or related fields. A First University degree with additional relevant years of related work experience in agribusiness, value chain/ market development, and inclusive business is advantageous. Additional professional courses in Agricultural Business/Economics or related fields are also a plus.

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

• At least 8-10 years of meaningful and progressive professional experience in food trade business, agribusiness, and/or value chain/ market development. Experience working in the EAC region and/or a multicultural and fast-paced environment is an added value.

Languages:  

• Fluency (level C) in English language. Intermediate knowledge (level B) of a second official UN language: Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, and/or WFP’s working language, Portuguese.

KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

• Good strategic understanding of Food Systems and Food Value Chains in the region
• A strong understanding of how climate risks and other shocks affect food security in the region.
• Strong project management and analytical skills.
• Excellent communication and engagement skills (ability to understand and be understood, diplomatic skills, writing skills)
• Strong interpersonal and coordination skills, ability to work with a wide range of stakeholders from diverse backgrounds externally and internally.
• Capacity to act upon problems (intellectual / problem solving and judgement skills)
• Pro-active prioritising, planning, organizing, coordinating, monitoring, reporting, following up
• Ability to organise work and deliver results with minimal supervision and under time pressure