Senior Procurement Officer

March 9 2026

H (no hardship)

Family

PR4

Professional

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

Senior Procurement Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The position may be located at Headquarters (within DEPS) in a Regional Bureau or in a Country the Bureau the incumbent normally reports to the Senior Management in charge of Supply Senior Supply Coordinator Senior Operations Coordinator or to the Head of Bureau Strategic Planning and Management Service or the Senior Strategic Planning and Management the Country Operation s/he normally reports to the Head of Office to the Representative or the Deputy Representative (Operations) at the same level as the Programme and Administration functions.
The Senior Procurement Officer leads oversees coordinates and supports the procurement activities at global regional or country operations level. The incumbent will lead a procurement team whilst discharging her/his duties and in doing so s/he will supervise staff in the international professional and general service category.
The incumbent will manage the procurement processes in a timely and cost-effective manner in conformity with UN/UNHCRs procurement rules and regulations. S/he is responsible to lead the development of complex goods and services contracts clearly define terms and conditions ensure best value for money and pro-actively manage associated risks. Thus the Senior Procurement Officer must ensure that high quality acquisition process is combined with faster turnaround of end-to-end procurement actions (from planning to contract establishment and order placement) and timely delivery of goods and services for effective program implementation. The incumbent acts as Ex-Officio to the HCC.
The incumbents role is to deploy effective and efficient procurement skills in conformity with the prevailing rules and regulations. S/he will assist in the development and recommendation of various operational policies and procedures within the framework of UNHCR procurement rules and regulations and provide expert functional advice to the upgrade of operating systems/tools. S/he will contribute to effective procurement strategy in cooperation with HQ or Field Requestors and other relevant stakeholders factoring in sustainability social economic environmental and/or climate considerations in support of this aspect s/he will provide functional advice to Requesting Units and other relevant stakeholders promote public procurement practices that are sustainable and guide in the drafting of frame agreements.
The incumbent will need to deploy an effective global framework for managing suppliers across the three dimensions of administration contract performance and ethical compliance. Good professional and ethical relations will be maintained with suppliers. This gives a key external image of the function where the incumbent must represent the Organisation with gravitas and with the required technical expertise that will engender supplier confidence.
The incumbent also maintains an open communication channel and shares information with counterparts in other UN agencies and International Organisations within the framework of joint UN collaboration and mutual recognition if and whenever necessary. S/he is responsible for observing the maximization of resources and the simplification of processes through cooperation with other UN agencies (Deliver as One) and with her/his involvement in inter-agency coordination mechanisms.
The Senior Procurement Officer function extends to providing advice capacity-building coaching and guidance on policy and operational issues to ensure compliance with UNHCR procurement rules and regulations. The incumbent plays an important role in identifying opportunities for capacity development in the supply teams for requesting units and for other stakeholders (such as Partners).

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter UN Staff Regulations and Rules UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability addition staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core functional cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCRs core values of professionalism integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties
- Design and continuously improve procurement planning tools and procedures to be used by UNHCR and partner Organizations.
- Establish strategic procurement plans to improve value for money and monitor procurement forecasts versus actual requirements factoring in sustainably economic environmental and/or climate considerations.
- Develop procurement and supply chain strategies for important commodities and services and ensure adequate capacity to respond to emergencies.
- Make recommendations to improve contract clauses and processes to ensure the best delivery and service terms.
- Coordinate manage and support the procurement process to ensure timely cost-effective and adequate delivery of goods and services to support operational needs.
- Conduct market surveys identify assess and select vendors based on their capability for timely and effective delivery.
- Advise on relevant purchase requests to ensure they are complete and in accordance with specifications standards procurement policy and procedures available resources and delivery time.
- Clear and approve relevant tendering documents for procurement of goods and services up to delegated authority.
- Negotiate and conduct interviews with suppliers as required.
- Prepare clear approve and present relevant submissions to the relevant Committee on Contracts in conformity with UN/UNHCR Financial Rules and Regulations in the role of Ex-Officio.
- Prepare contracts and Purchase Orders based on Statement of Works or Terms of Reference from requesting sections and send confirmations requests for inspection and other correspondence.
- Approve and sign contracts and purchase orders as well as frame agreements according to delegated authority.
- Support and guide the office on the procurement aspect should they need additional office space or extensions to their office leases lease hold improvements or other construction.
- Coordinate with CBI stakeholders the design and implementation of the market assessment and market monitoring to determine if CBI is option. Carry out the procurement action to contract Financial Service Providers (FSP).
- Ensure Vendor review and administration is properly conducted and managed including maintenance of the vendor and item master databases.
- Organize and conduct periodic contract performance reviews in conjunction with requesting units and provide feedback to relevant parties.
- Monitor the quality and accuracy of supply chain related data in relevant business systems.
- Analyse statistical information; identify trends and developments in procurement related matters that will assist in decision making.
- Resolve difficulties in the local supply chain by finding solutions to problems and bottlenecks and provide regular reports on supply chain activities the status of requests and the availability of items in the supply chain.
- Disseminate promote and monitor compliance with UNHCRs global policies standards and guidance on supply chain management.
- Coordinate the work of the procurement function to achieve operational objectives in a timely and cost-effective manner. Ensure the effective and efficient use of financial and material resources within the rules and procedures of UNHCR.
- Identify partners for supply chain projects based on objectives priorities strengths and resources of the Partner and/or contractor according to criteria consistent with UNHCR rules and regulations.
- Coordinate activities of Partners and/or contractors performing supply related activities and ensure that they understand and adhere to relevant UNHCR rules and procedures.
- Advise operations and colleagues on partner procurement multifunctional team role and Partner Procurement Qualification processes and requirements.
- Maintain an up-to-date overview of the locations supply chain capacity and preparedness as well as that of its partners to ensure that adequate capacity exist also to cover emergencies.
- Develop relevant contacts and build constructive relations with government authorities partner Organizations UN Agencies and other external counterparts to foster mutual cooperation for timely delivery of goods and services avoiding bottlenecks such as streamlining green light processes and customs clearance processes.
- Ensure effective information flow in the supply chain.
- Establish and maintain an efficient and skilled workforce that can support on-going operations.
- Manage staff performance and coordinate procurement activities ensuring broad understanding and adherence to the relevant and prevailing procurement rules and procedures.
- In coordination the Supply focal points contribute to the development and provision of procurement training.
- Monitor infrastructure and ensure that it is optimally aligned with the operational needs.
- Implement practical projects to improve supply performance that has clear objectives timescales tasks and resources defined and monitors the project execution against the plans and acts when actual implementation deviates from plans.

- Lead risk assessments and discussions with team(s) to proactively manage risks and seize opportunities impacting objectives. Ensure that risk management principles are integrated in decision-making both at strategic and operational levels. Allocate resources for planned treatments with resource requirements in Strategic Plans. Ensure that risks are managed to acceptable levels and escalate as needed. If a Risk Owner designate the Risk Focal Point and certify that the annual risk review is completed and ensure that the risk register is updated during the year as needed.
- Perform other related duties as required.

Regional Bureaux
- Advise Country Operations in implementing procurement strategies based on requirements risks and emergency context. Contribute to the elaboration of contingency planning whenever needed.
- Provide advice capacity-building coaching and guidance on policy and operational issues to ensure compliance with UNHCR procurement rules and regulations.
- Advise and review the sourcing/procurement aspects of the supply function as Bureau remains a procurement-prone region requiring a sound level of risk management tools.
- Mainstream UN procurement principles as well as UNHCR internal policies throughout the region.
- Secondary review for RCC Submission.
- Act as Ex-officio of the Regional Committee on Contracts.
- Capture analyse and report on procurement data from the different Country Operations of the Bureau.
- Monitor adequate implementation of procurement KPIs for the region and draft regional ones as required.
- Design procurement regional training materials and deploy adequate training tools of regional supply staff and relevant stakeholders.
Country Operations
- Coordinate procurement activities of UNHCR Partners and/or contractors within the AoR ensure that they understand and adhere to relevant UNHCR rules and procedures.
- Engage with MFT on delegation of procurement to partners. Clear the recommendations made by the supply function under comparative analysis
- Adapt standard supply chain structures to the local environment that are consistent with the operational needs.
- Engage with local authorities to facilitate timely green light processing and customs clearance of consignments.
- Coordinate local inter-agency procurement activities.
- Act as ex-officio in the LCC Review and clear procurement cases for the relevant procurement authority.

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P4/NOD - 9 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 8 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 7 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
Procurement Supply Logistics
Business Administration Law Engineering
or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses
Proc & Supply Fellowship-CIPS
IAPSO/UNDP Procurement
UN Joint Logistics Centre
Project Management Certification
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Profound and extensive functional procurement expertise is essential to enable effective procurement processes that deliver the best outcomes for UN in compliance with rules and regulations. Strong theoretical background and substantive experience in contracting for goods and services excellent working knowledge of business administration and contractual laws. Experience in handling complex contract issues in the context of public procurement. Knowledge of best practices of procurement and subject matter expert in public procurement. Proven problem solving and statistical analysis capacity. Proven ability to lead a team. Proven proactive and customer service-oriented attitude. Experience in contracts negotiations; ability to provide technical guidance to subordinate staff; ability to plan and organise work assignments often under close deadlines. Proven ability to deal with multiple tasks with speed in a courteous and service-oriented manner. Team player flexible and adaptive in various situations including multi-cultural and multi-lingual environments. A combination of excellent technical and soft management skills including an extensive experience in negotiations is a further requirement Good understanding on applying International Commercial Terms (INCOTERMS) experience in international transport arrangements by air sea and land including basic understanding on customs clearance formalities cargo specific requirements (i.e. dangerous goods temperature-controlled goods etc) and basic packaging / palletization requirements.

Desirable
Combination of academic knowledge procurement management and field supply experience. Technical knowledge of types of services and goods purchased by UNHCRs Headquarters as well as Regional and Field Offices. Relevant training such as CIPS IAPSO UNJLC or other public procurement trainings. Experience and working knowledge of ERP systems.

Functional Skills
SC-Supply Planning
SC-PeopleSoft Supply Chain Management
SC-Customer Oriented Skills - Care
SC-Contract management
SC-UN/UNHCR Procurement Rules and Procedures
IM-Statistics Analysis
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements
For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse harassment including sexual harassment sexism gender inequality discrimination and abuse of power.

As individuals and as managers all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening shortlisting and selection of candidates.

Essential attributes:

Proven experience and capability to translate operational requirements into robust sourcing strategies and procurement plans that balance urgency market conditions risk sustainability and value for money.
Recognized expertise in designing complex ITBs/RFPs evaluation methodologies scoring models and compliance frameworks ensuring defensible outcomes and full procedural integrity including in emergencies or highly volatile operational settings.
High-level competence in drafting reviewing and managing complex contracts including performance management amendments dispute resolution and supplier governance.
Demonstrated ability to manage procurement risks (fraud conflicts of interest sanctions supplier due diligence) and ensure decisions withstand internal and external audit scrutiny.
Proven capacity to deliver clear concise and authoritative written advice on complex and contentious procurement cases including submissions to Committees on Contracts.
Strong leadership skills with experience managing teams mentoring staff setting priorities and influencing senior stakeholders across organizational units.
Experience driving procurement process optimization standardization or digital transformation initiatives in complex organizational settings.


Desirable Attributes
Experience with Corporate or System-Wide Procurement Initiatives with exposure to global LTAs category management market-shaping initiatives or corporate procurement reform projects.
Demonstrated Commercial Acumen with advanced application of total cost of ownership life-cycle costing price reasonableness analysis and negotiation strategies leading to measurable savings or service improvements.
Ability to build trust and credibility with senior management program counterparts legal finance and oversight bodies in high-pressure environments.

French

Spanish

Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station please visit this link:

of Position:

The Senior Procurement Officer leads the delivery of strategic end-to-end procurement guidance and operational support to UNHCR operations ensuring that high-quality compliant procurement outcomes are achieved with accelerated turnaround times from procurement planning and sourcing strategy through to contract award and subsequent administration. The incumbent provides authoritative advice to operations on complex procurement cases and submissions to the relevant Committees on Contracts strengthening governance value for money and risk management throughout the procurement cycle.

In addition the incumbent delivers as requested timely well-reasoned responses to technical and policy-related queries from multiple organizational units ensuring full alignment with UNHCR procurement rules regulations and established procedures while promoting best practices and continuous process improvement.

Living and Working Conditions:

The position is based in Budapest capital of Hungary where adequate infrastructure health education banking recreational facilities are available and easily accessible. Budapest is H category duty station. There are no specific security concerns notwithstanding incidental events. Personal security is generally not a problem. However s/ms should take responsibility for their own personal and residential security.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

SC-Developing and reviewing procurement plans SC-E-procurement / e-tendering SC-Market research/assessment SC-Public procurement SC-Solicitation / Tendering SC-Sourcing

Education

Bachelor of Arts: Business Administration Bachelor of Arts: Engineering Bachelor of Arts: Law Bachelor of Arts: Logistics Bachelor of Arts: Procurement Bachelor of Arts: Supply Management

Certifications

IAPSO/UNDP Procurement - Other Procurement and Supply Fellowship CIPS - Other Project Management - Other UN Joint Logistics Centre - Other

Work Experience

Workforce to Supervise

Competencies

Accountability Client & results orientation Commitment to continuous learning Communication Empowering & building trust Judgement & decision making Leadership Managing performance Managing resource Negotiation & conflict resolution Organizational awareness Stakeholder management Strategic planning & visions Teamwork & collaboration Technological awareness

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Bi-Annual 2026 Compendium - Part B

Additional Information

This position doesnt require a functional clearance