Supply Chain Associate at UNFPA

The Position:

The Supply Chain Associate position is located in the Country Office(CO) of UNFPA in Lilongwe. Under the direct supervision of Procurement/ Logistics Associate, the Supply Chain Associate is responsible for providing quality services and day-to-day overall assistance in the areas of supply chain for various functions and operations of the CO.  S/He takes a client-oriented, results-focused approach to interpreting the rules, procedures and guidelines, provides support and guidance to the CO, projects, implementing partners and activities of the country office as a whole.

The Supply Chain Associate is responsible for effective delivery of supply chain services, transparent utilization of financial resources and supports the management of the unit. S/He analyzes and interprets the financial rules and regulations and provides solutions to a wide spectrum of procurement and supply chain issues. S/He collaborates with other related support roles in the CO while ensuring UNFPA contributions to local inter-agency coordination support functions, common systems and shared service issues are met. External partners include other UN agencies, vendors, and other non-UN partners that are essential to the work of the procurement unit.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.  UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

All staff of UNFPA Malawi will contribute towards achieving the objectives of 9th Country Programme Document (Malawi CPD [2024-2028]) which responds to the Malawi 2063 Vision and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), 2024-2028 among others and to accelerate progress towards the three UNFPA strategic plan outcomes.

Job Purpose:

The Supply Chain Associate, is responsible for effective delivery of services, support procurement function and various operational requirements of the CO Operations Unit. S/He analyzes and interprets the administration rules and regulations and provides solutions to a wide spectrum of procurement, supply chain and logistical issues.

The Associate delivers quality services to internal and external clients in Procurement, Supply, Logistics, and supports the General Administration and Operations in compliance with all relevant rules, guidelines, processes and procedures. S/He takes a client-oriented results-focused approach to interpreting the rules, procedures and guidelines, providing support to the CO and UNFPA-supported projects.

The Supply Chain Associate works in close collaboration with the Programme and Operations staff supporting both the country office, as well as UNFPA Field Offices across Malawi. S/He is expected to provide effective supply chain, logistical support, fleet management, and work closely with procurement, programme and operations staff in order to ensure programme delivery.

This position will support the country office with supply chain, regulatory compliance, import activities and any insurance related matters for management of programme supplies in the county office. The Supply Chain Associate, will also assume the responsibility of liaising with the relevant stakeholders for obtaining facilitation letters for inland shipments and ensuring compliance with the 2018 UNFPA policy on management of programme supplies. S/He also works in close collaboration with the Administrative and Finance team members in the Operations Department to ensure effective support to the unit.

You would be responsible for:

The Supply Chain Associate, will be responsible for:

A. Supporting the Supply Chain Management Functions in the CO 

• Adapts processes and procedures, anticipates and manages operational requirements of programme/project inputs under national execution in terms of personnel, sub-contracts, equipment, fellowships, study tours and other programme and project related events to facilitate programme/project delivery.
• Prepare Requests for Quotations for Programme procurement requirements of UNFPA business units (including for third party procurement requests), evaluate the submissions including negotiations with freight forwarders as appropriate.
• Perform the dispatching function for the Country Office and Field Offices and advising staff when procured goods arrive.
• Keep the operations team informed by providing relevant information, reports or status updates.
• Support the delivery of the arrived cargos to the warehouses; support the inventory management and classification system for the UNFPA warehouse; support the distribution of medical equipment and contraceptive supplies among NGOs and Government counterparts, and collect related documents.
• Ensure the checking and timely collection of procured goods by programme staff.
• Support monitoring missions to the project sites in the field; provide assessment, evaluation, and collection of data from project sites.
• Perform regular audits on stocks and stores.
• Determine the mode of transportation and make other important logistics decisions such as type of the containers and requirements of time-temperature sensitive products paying attention to the product-specific requirements, the origin/destination’s specific challenges, procedural requirements and the best industry practices.
• Adapt and implement supply chain protocols and effective application of UNFPA policies and procedures on logistics management.
• Actively participate and effectively contribute in developing, improving, integrating supply chain systems and applications used for managing logistics, shipping arrangements, enhancing the visibility of the shipments and reporting.
• Assist in the identification, systematization and reporting of good/promising practices and lessons learnt on supply chain management issues.
• Support the operations team in achieving the Country Programme related outcomes.
• Manage the consultants’ vetting process and maintain a consultant roster for the Procurement, Supply Chain, and Logistics team and the CO.

B. Managing Freight as a Service Vendors and Partnerships 

• Collect UN Long Term Agreements for freight services and organize them in the most optimal manner for piggybacking by UNFPA.
• Actively participate in logistics and shipping related meetings with the freight forwarders and other UN agencies to address contract performance issues and gaps.
• Actively participate in joint UN / partner activities such as Supply Chain and Logistics Cluster in order to identify logistics and shipping solutions for UNFPA through those joint initiatives.
• Actively participate and effectively contribute in developing, improving, integrating the systems and applications used for managing logistics, shipping arrangements, enhancing the visibility of the shipments and reporting.
• Actively participate in joint solicitation processes conducted by the UN for identifying freight service providers and also conduct standalone solicitation processes to identify freight service providers for UNFPA if required.
• In cooperation with the Strategic Procurement Cluster of PSB (Contracting Team) monitor the performance of the freight forwarders with respect to on-time delivery and communication, accuracy and completeness of order tracking data and quality of services provided. Identify freight forwarders’ performance gaps and corrective actions as required.
• Track the shipments from origin to destination and assist with the customs clearance processes at destination as required.
• In collaboration with the Business Analytics team and the UN freight forwarders, produce and submit regular reports to the UNFPA business units and customers for providing a continuous overview of supply chain operations including volumes, values etc.
• Facilitate the effective collaboration between the customs clearance agents used by UNFPA business units/ customers and the international freight service providers in order to facilitate timely customs clearance and delivery of the goods.
• Manage logistics and freight-related matters such as damaged and lost shipments per the procedural requirements of UNFPA and coordinate the logistics requirements across the various regional procurement teams, the suppliers of goods, the freight forwarders, the insurance service providers, the government authorities and other parties as applicable.

C. General Support 

• Stand-in for other team members on selected functions as may be required.
• Carry out any other duties as may be required by UNFPA leadership.

Qualifications and Experience: 

Education:  

• Completed secondary level/ high school education is required.
• Bachelor’s degree is desirable in business administration, logistics, procurement, supply chain, or related field.

Knowledge and Experience: 

• At least 6 years of relevant experience in administration, procurement, logistics, fleet management, supply chain, or related fields.
• Good knowledge of PeopleSoft, Quantum, or other ERP systems is an asset.
• Relevant experience in providing administrative management services.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling web based management systems.
• Experience in working with international procurement and logistics, shipping and freight or business operations is required.
• Supply Chain Management, shipping, freight and procurement related Certificates such as CIPS is an asset.
• A thorough understanding of the UN system in general, and especially UNFPA mandate, its policies and operations and current development topics and political issues in Malawi will be an added advantage.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team.

Languages: 

• Fluency in oral and written English is required. Working knowledge of another UN Official Language, an asset.

Required Competencies: 

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity,
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
• Embracing cultural diversity,
• Embracing change

Core Competencies: 

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,

Functional Competencies:

• Projects Management, Supply Chain Management and Support
• Understanding of Logistics and Procurement Issues and Systems in UNFPA
• Managing documents, correspondence and reports
• Managing information and workflow
• Planning, organizing and multi-tasking
• Managing operational processes
• Job knowledge / technical expertise
• Proficiency in current office software applications; good basic knowledge of Project Management dashboard and software.

Compensation and Benefits:

 This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA’s workforce – click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants’ bank accounts.

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.