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. 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 personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

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

For every child, Support

The Procurement Services (PS) mechanism is an integral part of UNICEF programs of cooperation, and allows UNICEF to make its procurement capacity, scale and expertise available to partners. PS provides an opportunity to facilitate a more optimal use of national budgets for children, as well as an entry point to provide targeted technical support to national supply chains and systems. Ultimately, these engagements drive results for Tanzanian children and mothers, while UNICEF works with the government to strengthen local government supply chain systems.

UNICEF Tanzania has been providing Procurement Services to the Government of Tanzania (mostly the Ministry of Health Tanzania Mainland and the Ministry of Health of Zanzibar), other UN Agencies, and some development partners including some NGOs. The health sector has especially benefited from a major strategic leveraging opportunities for the provision of essential medical supplies and equipment for children and women for Tanzania and Zanzibar. As an example, Tanzania (including Zanzibar) has accessed Procurement Services for procurement of childhood vaccines, related injection devices, cold chain equipment and devices and rapid diagnostic tests, with the value of over US$ 60 million in 2022. The total volume of PS transactions in 2023 was over US$ 75 million.

How can you make a difference?

Under the supervision of the Supply & Logistics Specialist, the Procurement Services Officer is responsible for coordinating and managing all transactional aspects of the Procurement Services (PS) portfolio/activities, including forecasting and planning of needs, processing of Cost Estimates (CEs) against partner requests, importation permits, customs clearance, monitoring and reporting on PS activities.

Key Functions/Accountabilities

Supply Chain Service Delivery and Response:

• Responsible for transactional processes, logistics, and pipeline monitoring, communication, and coordination of procurement services transactions.
• Provides technical advice on specifications, supply, and logistics arrangements facilitating efficient procurement, clearance, storage, and distribution of supplies and equipment in support of the country programme procurement services transactions.
• Processing of requests for Cost Estimate (CE) and facilitates delivery of goods purchased under procurement services.
• Supports procurement services clients with supply planning of all the annual needs.
• Receive and review all procurement services requests before submitting them to Supply division for processing.
• Prepare Cost Estimates requests forms for requests and timely share with Supply Division for processing.
• Communicate with Supply Division and the clients to ensure needs are clearly understood and the right products/equipment are delivered timely.
• Monitor the movement of goods for procurement services clients and ensure their timely clearance and delivery to the clients.
• Ensure coordination and monitoring of PS transactions, including beyond the point of entry; facilitate an effective PS workflow; and facilitate resolution of any bottlenecks, gaps, or other in-country issues associated with any PS transactions in close collaboration with SD and national counterparts.
• Maintain procurement services requests tracking sheet and share this regularly with clients for follow-up and expediting.
• Monitor all PS purchase orders to ensure timely delivery and maintain an offshore shipment tracking system.
• Work closely with UNICEF Logistics Associate, MOH, and GPSA to ensure timely clearance and delivery of all offshore shipments.
• Liaise with implementing partners for timely delivery and receipt of goods and equipment once cleared from the ports of entry.
• Ensure effective support in Government capacity-building efforts in Supply chain management to enhance efficient, effective, and timely supply delivery.

Manage the Procurement Services Portfolio:

• Ensure that key elements of Procurement Services transactions are incorporated into national, donor, and UNICEF strategies, including CPD and vice versa.
• Ensure that PS activities/transactions are a drawdown from strategies that have been jointly established between Government and UNICEF.
• Work with the government to strengthen pre-ordering and post-delivery activities for existing PS supplies and support them in establishing strategies that will maximize the decisions/impact resulting from the PS partnership.
• Manage the statement of accounts for all PS transactions.

Support National Supply Chain System Strengthening:

• Support National Supply Chain System Strengthening through effective collaboration and partnerships with other donors and implementing partners to improve the supply chain efficiency in the country.
• Support in identifying system and capacity gaps in any segment of the supply chain, including supply financing challenges that may require technical assistance from UNICEF related to vaccines, health, and nutrition.
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• Provide technical support to MOH in conducting workshop(s) and training on supply chain management.
• Provide technical support to MOH in quantification and budgeting of vaccines, cold chain equipment, malaria drugs, bed nets, HIV/AIDS drugs, etc.

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

Minimum Requirements

• Education: A university degree in Business Administration, Management, Economics, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Procurement, Contract/Commercial Law, International Development, Health, or related social science field is required.
• Work Experience: At least 2 years of relevant work experience in supply, procurement, logistics, purchasing, contracting, administration, and/or other related fields. Strong experience in procurement of goods and contracting services, and experience in and understanding of development and humanitarian work. Work experience in emergency duty stations and response from a procurement perspective is an advantage. Health supply chain management experience is an advantage.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English and Swahili is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish) is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, 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…

• Builds and maintains partnerships
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
• Drive to achieve results for impact
• Innovates and embraces change
• Manages ambiguity and complexity
• Thinks and acts strategically
• Works collaboratively with others

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to including everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of measures to include a more diverse workforce, such as paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

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. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will 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.

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’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, 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.

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.