Procurement Officer (+ Reserve List)

1. SUMMARY

The Office of Financial Control (OFC) is responsible for the management of financial and budgetary control systems for several NATO entities primarily the NATO International Staff (IS) and its civil budget.
As the custodian of member Nations funds the OFC provides reliable and value adding financial and procurement services in support of IS Divisions and offices as well as a number of extra budgetary funds (including trust funds) and bilateral arrangements enabling them to achieve Organizations objectives. It works to comply with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) and other best practices including the management of enterprise risk.

The OFCs main goal is to be a proactive financial partner providing insightful analysis and collaborative guidance that enables the Secretary General and NATO IS organization as a whole to achieve its strategic objectives maximizing the efficient and effective use of financial resources while ensuring compliance.

The OFC is organised around five functions with a Front Office overseeing these functions:
o Budget Procurement and Reporting;
o Accounting and Finance including Missions (Duty Travels);
o Treasury;
o Business Management Systems & Control; and
o Programmes & Business Support.

The Procurement Service is responsible for end-to-end sourcing contracting and spend management across a broad portfolio of services and products in support of the needs of NATO HQ and NASOs. The Service is organized as 2 teams each led by a Senior Procurement Officer (Team Leader) with delineated category management responsibility. Each Procurement Officer (Category Manager) is responsible for their assigned spend category some more complex categories are supported by a team of Procurement Officer and a dedicated Buyer. All Procurement Service staff members are ultimately accountable to the Head of Procurement.

The Procurement Officer under the supervision of the Senior Procurement Officer (Team Leader) is responsible for overseeing and managing the procurement and contractual aspects related to a portfolio of goods and services required for the maintenance and operation of NATO HQ while ensuring the required quality and standards as well as legal compliance and adherence to NATOs financial and procurement regulations. The role of the Procurement Officer is to lead facilitate and execute the full procurement process from the clarification and definition of the requirements to the contract close-out in close coordination with the representatives of requesting Divisions the source selection authority and other relevant stakeholders (e.g. NATO Office of Security and Health & Safety Officer). As the Category Manager for their assigned spend portfolio they are also responsible for developing an enterprise-wide view and strategy of assigned category by periodically conducting a spend analysis to track changing category spend volumes and characteristics capturing and developing business requirements to enable best value and conducting sourcing and contract management processes to ensure the achievement of planned benefits.

The Procurement Officer acts for or represents the Head of Procurement and has legal authority to enter into commercial agreements and contracts on behalf of the Organization within the limits specified in their personal delegation and applicable regulations.

For categories with dedicated Buyer support the Procurement Officer mentors guides supports and quality assures work outputs of the respective assigned Buyer. The Procurement Officer retains overall accountability and ownership of respective procurement category.

2. QUALIFICATIONSAND EXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL

The incumbent must:

• possess a university degree in any of the following domains: commerce trade purchasing supply economics management law business administration or engineering or equivalent;
• have at least 3 years procurement and contracting experience preferably in indirect procurement or public sectors;
• have significant experience in supplier and proposal evaluation activities and in organising managing and leading supplier and proposal evaluation teams;
• have demonstrable problem solving facilitation and conflict resolution skills;
• possess excellent verbal and written communication skills;
• possess excellent analytical and critical thinking skills;
• have expertise in contemporary strategic sourcing processes commonly used by best-in-class organisations particularly in non-manufacturing and public sectors;
• have demonstrated experience in using current sourcing and procurement technologies (e.g. e-sourcing e-procurement contract management systems etc.);
• have advanced knowledge of MS Office;
• have experience in the use of ERP systems such as Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS) SAP or other;
• possess strong negotiation and contract management skills;
• possess the following minimum levels of NATOs official languages (English/French): V (Advanced) in one; and III (Intermediate) in the other.

DESIRABLE:

The following would be considered an advantage:

• a post-graduate degree in purchasing contracting or supply management;
• Level 4 UNDP/CIPS certification or equivalent or a higher level of qualification granted by a national professional association;
• extensive experience or formal training in procurement for government or International Organisations;
• experience in the use of Oracle EBS in general and more particularly with the use of Purchasing Sourcing and Procurement Contracts applications of Oracle EBS;
• experience with the use of MS SharePoint or similar collaboration sites;
• experience or professional certifications as a project manager;
• familiarity with NATO procurement procedures and regulations.

3. MAIN ACCOUNTABILITIES

Project Management

Formulate procurement strategies and design innovative solutions. Implement strategies and develop plans to accomplish business operations and objectives. Arrange and assign work to use resources efficiently and effectively. Develop source selection plans assign organisational resources and optimise processes to fulfil Organizational goals within relevant constraints and in compliance with regulations. Implement and monitor procurement plans from initiation to conclusion conduct associated procurement actions and monitor benefit realisation. Establish financial/budgetary and administrative criteria for contract funding and control.

Stakeholder Management

Prepare manage and facilitate a wide variety of events and procurement actions with industry and or NATO representatives such as requirements workshops site-visits pre-solicitation conferences bidders conferences solicitations source selection processes negotiation sessions and contract performance evaluation meetings. Work closely with other business functions Units and/or NATO bodies to identify and drive best-value opportunities. Develop organisational standards and best practices for professional relationships with internal and external customers. Identify and resolve Organization-wide customer service issues. Model and promote positive customer relationships with internal and external customers.

People Management

Guide mentor and support as required the assigned staff. Determine direction by influencing groups and direct these groups toward a specific goal or mission. As a skilled conflict resolution practitioner collaboratively resolve conflicts by managing reactions perceptions and behaviours.

Expertise Development

Possess and continuously acquire professional procurement skills and/or knowledge of procurement law policies regulations practices and NATO policies and procedures. Acquire knowledge of accounting principles and methods in relation to procurement. Continuously improve knowledge of relevant sources prices market factors cost and production structures trends commercial strategies and product characteristics of commodities/contracts. Stay abreast of relevant best practices and the use of professional tools and systems. Assess vendors financial standing and viability. Use a wide variety of price and cost analysis techniques and tools.

Knowledge Management

Research and analyse data identifying market trends and buying habits in order to maximise efficiencies. Using available tools store administer and share procurement and contract documentation.

Information Management

Monitor and ensure adherence to established standards. Collect and process procurement-related information.

Perform any other related duty as assigned.

4. INTERRELATIONSHIPS

The incumbent reports to the Senior Procurement Officer (Team Leader). They work closely with the other members of the Procurement Service and Sections of the Office of Financial Control the Budget Planning and Analysis Section and Divisions/Independent Offices across the NATO IS as well as other NATO entities and National Delegations. The incumbent interacts with external suppliers on a regular basis and regularly reviews the work of the other staff.

Direct reports: N/a

Indirect reports: N/a.

5. COMPETENCIES

The incumbent must demonstrate:

• Achievement: Works to meet standards;
• Analytical Thinking: Sees multiple relationships;
• Clarity and Accuracy: Checks own work;
• Conceptual Thinking: Applies learned concepts;
• Customer Service Orientation: Takes personal responsibility for correcting problems;
• Empathy: Is open to others perspectives;
• Impact and Influence: Takes multiple actions to persuade;
• Initiative: Is decisive in a time-sensitive situation;
• Teamwork: Solicits inputs and encourages others.