Contracts Management Associate

Job Description

Job Identification: 6619
Locations: Harare, Zimbabwe
Apply Before: 11/12/2022, 06:59 AM
Job Schedule: Full time
Agency: UNDP
Grade: NB3
Vacancy Type: National Personnel Service Agreement
Practice Area: Health
Bureau: Regional Bureau for Africa
Contract Duration: 1 Year
Education & Work Experience: Bachelor’s Degree
Other Criteria: 4 years experience
Required Languages: English
Desired Languages: Shona and/or Ndebele
Vacancy Timeline: 2 Weeks

Background

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 170 countries and territories, working with governments and people on their own solutions to global and national development challenges to help empower lives and build resilient nations.

In Zimbabwe UNDP is the Principal Recipient (PR) of the New Funding Model (NFM3) for the HIV grant and is also providing Support Services (Fund Administration) to the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) as the continuing PR for the TB and Malaria grants. UNDP-GF partnership under the new funding cycle (2021-2023) aims to contribute towards the achievement of the vision and goals of Zimbabwe National HIV Strategic Plan for the period 2021-2025.

In fulfilling the continued role of Principal Recipient, UNDP ensures quality financial management, timely procurement of supplies, and efficient monitoring and service delivery. UNDP‘s management role consists of implementing grants, ensuring financial accountability, and training of national and international counterparts on program management and financial accountability.

Procurement and Supply Chain Management (PSM) of quality assured health products represents a major portion of the budget and expenditure of the Global Fund HIV programme to Zimbabwe. As the interim PR, UNDP’s responsibilities include proactive oversight over timely supply planning, procurement and adequate storage conditions and distribution of the health products to the last mile to the end users. In partnership with the MoHCC, NatPharm and other in country stakeholders, there are ongoing efforts to strengthen the in-country supply chain systems to ensure that health products are accounted for and kept under recommended conditions and adequately delivered according to the programmatic needs.

Duties and Responsibilities

Ensures contract performance planning and support development of SMART contracts deliverables that can be monitored effectively through participation in all areas of procurement precontracting, such as:

• Provides inputs to statement of works/requirements, TORs, Contracts, Asset and Procurement Committee (CAP) and Advisory Committee on Procurement (ACP) submissions, development of technical evaluation criteria, advise on evaluation of vendor/contractor proposals and guidance during contract formulation, drafting and negotiation;
• Assists the PSM Specialist in the implementation of operational plans, standard operating procedures (SOPs), initiatives and projects relating to contract compliance and performance management;
• Helps to develop a quality assurance plan to provide a systematic, structured method to evaluate goods and services;
• Coordinates the PSM Unit’s inputs on PSM Plan and budget.

The Contracts Associate assists the role of the PSM Specialist to ensure the effective implementation of goods and service contracts, with an aim to achieve probity, proper performance of obligations by both parties and risk mitigation by:

• Facilitates and documents the pre-award contract meetings with the supplier;
• Works with the beneficiaries to manage and control contract variations;
• Assists in contract close out including identifying, memorializing and disseminating best practices and lessons learned and performing vendor/contractor assessment from contracts management perspective;
• Manages contract warranties, defects liability and ensure final inspections and certifications are carried out as per contract stipulations;
• Ensures the enforcement of UNDP contracts in consultation with the programme colleagues as appropriate, and liaising with SRs and SSRs, including handling of claims and disputes, demanding specific performance, claiming against warranties, and other contractual remedies;
• Supports the PSM Unit in resolving the contract conflicts/performance issues arising in cases of poor performance or non-compliance with contractual obligations with full consideration of the terms and conditions of the contract.

Manage maintenance of PSM contract information both in Atlas and related contract tracking tools:

• Create innovative contract tracking tools to manage and monitor contracts periods, thresholds, and timeliness of delivery of goods and services; ensures that agreed timelines in the contracts are complied with and where necessary, extensions are done before the contracts end;
• Share weekly update on all contract implementation with PSM Specialist;
• Regularly monitor atlas commitments to ensure that open commitments correctly reflect the outstanding contract amounts;
• Ensure that all contracts are supported by Atlas Purchase orders;
• Support donor reporting by leading PSM input in variance explanations and related reporting requirements;
• Lead Atlas data maintenance by performing routing PO review and closure and dashboard reviews and proactively address issues.

Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing:

• Maintains electronic and hard-copy files and records of the contract files to ensure proper accountability;
• Share contract progress update periodically with PSM Specialist;
• Provides training and guidance to a team of procurement staff at GF, SRs and SSRs and develops work plans and priorities, monitors achievements and evaluates performance of supervised staff.

Supports coordination of work within the PSM team by monitoring the compliance of PSM unit on routine PMU requirements.

• Drafts relevant audit responses and share with PSM specialist as and when needed;
• Review the completeness of the several tracking tool and flag gaps to PSM specialist.

Institutional Arrangement

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the PSM Specialist, the Contracts Management Associate provides leadership in ensuring effective management of all contracts. The position will put in place a tracking tool and monitor the same to ensure that all contracts are executed within the agreed time-frame and the necessary extensions are done prior to contract end dates. s/he will liaise closely with vendors, contractors, etc. for the effective execution of contracts.

Competencies

Core Competencies

• Achieve Result: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline;
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements;
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback;
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible;
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident;
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships;
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

Business Direction and Strategy: Negotiation and Influence

• Ability to reach an understanding, persuade others, resolve points of difference, gain the advantage in the outcome of dialogue, negotiate mutually acceptable solutions through compromise and create ‘win-win’ situations.

Business Development: Knowledge Facilitation

• Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally.

Business Management: Results-based Management

• Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus on improved performance and demonstrable results.

Business Management: Communication

• Ability to communicate in a clear, concise, and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication. to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.
• Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate.

Procurement: Procurement Management

• The ability to acquire goods, services, or works from an outside external source.

Procurement: Supplier / Relationship

• Knowledge of supplier management concepts, principles, and methods, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations.

HIV, Health and Development: Access to treatment

• Knowledge of access to treatment policy and principles and strategic and/or practical situations for procurement of health commodities, particularly pharmaceuticals for communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Procurement, Business, Economics, Public Administration, or Law or related field.

Experience:

• Minimum 4 years relevant professional experience in procurement;
• Demonstrated experience in infrastructure and/or civil works related public procurement;
• Demonstrated experience in building capacities of national entities in the area of procurement;
• Relevant experience of minimum 2 years working in the UN or international Organizations in procurement;
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, Power-point).
• Proven knowledge of UN or International Organizations procurement policies and procedures would be added advantage;
• Previous experience working with Global Fund projects would be an added advantage;
• Previous experience in contract management is an asset.

Required Language(s)

• Fluency in written and spoken English.
• Basic working knowledge of Shona and/or Ndebele would be an asset.

Professional Certificates

• CIPS Level 3 and above qualification is an asset.

Disclaimer

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Scam warning

The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.