Job Description

IMPORTANT: This post is opened in the context of the Junior Professional Officer (JPO) scheme sponsored by the Government of the Republic of Korea and is addressed exclusively to nationals of the Republic of Korea.

The UNDP Junior Professional Officer (JPO) Programme:

The UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) JPO Programme equips outstanding young leaders with the skills and experience required to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and make a positive difference in the world. As a pathway into the world of development, the programme offers young professionals excellent exposure to multilateral cooperation and sustainable development while providing a valuable entry point into the UN system.

During their assignments, JPOs benefit from the guidance of experienced UNDP staff members and are actively involved in supporting the design and implementation of UNDP’s programs within UNDP’s headquarters, regional or country offices. Additionally, the JPO will undergo a journey of exposure and growth which will build both personal and professional capacity for a career within the multilateral development sector.

As a JPO and young professional in UNDP you should be interested in pursuing a global career with aspiration to work for a field-based organization in support of the development agenda.

The JPO will work as part of a team and be supervised by an experienced UNDP staff member, including:

• Structured guidance and feedback, especially in the beginning of the assignment, with the purpose of gradually increasing of responsibilities
• Establishment of a work plan, with clear key results
• Guidance and advice in relation to learning and training opportunities within the field of expertise
• Completion of the yearly UNDP Annual Performance Review (APR) including learning and development objectives

The JPO will benefit from the following learning and development opportunities:

• Participation in a virtual Programme Policy and Operations Induction Course within the first 4 to 6 months of assignment
• Use of yearly JPO duty-related travel and training allocation (DTTA), as per the online DTTA guide
• On-going Masterclasses on relevant and inspiring themes
• Career development support mechanisms and activities
• Networking with fellow JPOs, young professionals and senior UNDP colleagues
• Mentoring programme
• Other training and learning opportunities

The role is designed to progressively build independent procurement advisory capacity.

Organisational context

The Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific (RBAP) serves a diverse, dynamic region that includes 36 countries and territories supported by 24 Country and multi-country offices. RBAP’s presence in HQ (New York) and Bangkok Regional Hub (BRH) delivers a comprehensive range of policy, programme, and operations to enhance the quality of development results and impact. the Country Office Support and Quality Assurance (COSQA) Unit is the Regional Bureau’s primary line of support and oversight to COs and MCOs in the region. COSQA comprises of three Workstreams (i) CO Support, (ii) Operational Effectiveness & Compliance; (iii) Strategic Oversight & Analytics, which work seamlessly to deliver on COSQA’s functions outlined above., The Operational Effectiveness & Compliance Team (OE&C) is responsible for managing the Bureau’s resources, financial management, enhancing operational effectiveness, strengthen internal controls and risk mitigation practices. As part of the team, the incumbent will work with evidence and data to analyze performance indicators and contribute to the Regional Bureau’s quality assurance and oversight actions to enhance the Regional Bureau and CO management performance. S/he will also work closely with different teams in the Regional Bureau and Country Offices and other units to ensure coherent, timely, and appropriately prioritized measures and solutions.

Position Purpose

Under the direct supervision of the Procurement Specialist, the Procurement Analyst primarily supports the Operations Effectiveness and Compliance (OE&C) Team in ensuring regional oversight, quality assurance, and procurement compliance across RBAP. Additionally, the incumbent provides technical support to the Operational Support Team (OST) upon request, particularly regarding transactional procurement actions, the development of Bangkok-based LTAs, and the automation of procurement workflows. S/he promotes a collaborative approach, bridging the gap between regional compliance and local operational delivery.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Key Duties and Accountabilities

1.) Ensures effective implementation of procurement strategies and adaptation of processes in full compliance with UNDP rules and regulations:

• Promoting full compliance of procurement activities with UN/UNDP rules, regulations, policies and procedures; implementation of effective internal controls, and analysis of parameters in support of effective design and functioning of procurement support to COs in the Asia-Pacific region;
• Supporting the implementation of effective monitoring and control of procurement processes in COs including organization of RFQ, ITB or RFP, receipt of quotations, bids or proposals, their evaluation, and contracting in full compliance with UNDP rules and regulation;
• Support efforts in quality assurance reviews of procurement operations in COs and propose corrective and improvement measures;
• Providing on demand on-site and remote procurement services to COs as required;
• Providing support to COs in translating corporate procurement policies and procedures into standard operating procedures for CO-level procurement processes; providing inputs to policy changes at corporate level based on CO experience and evolving needs, as needed.

2.) Contribute to the development of regional framework agreements and vendor rosters:

• Analyzing and proposing cost saving and reduction strategies with a view to develop regional framework agreements;
• Developing and contributing to management of rosters of suppliers and performance.

3.) Support to coordination of development and implementation of procurement strategies:

• Coordinating analysis and development of contract strategies, sourcing strategies, quality management and supplier selection, improvement of procurement processes in the COs;
• Promoting and providing support to COs in introducing and implementing sourcing strategies and use of ERP e-tendering/procurement modules.

4.) Guidance and support for the management of procurement processes:

• Providing advice and support to COs for preparation of procurement plans for COs, and monitoring implementation progress across the region; identifying and analyzing bottlenecks and deficiencies in procurement and proposing solutions;
• Support efforts in quality assurance reviews of procurement plans, advise on improvements, strategies and delivery acceleration measures;
• Providing technical advice for the successful implementation of medium to complex procurement projects;
• Supporting to procurement actions, outsourced from COs to the Regional Hub including review of bid documents and evaluation criteria; organizing evaluation panel meetings; preparing evaluation reports and submission to procurement review committees, as required;
• Preliminary review of CO submissions to procurement committees, as required.
• Support the Operations Support Team (OST) in BRH on procurement-related actions, including processing transactional procurement requests, compliance checks, and follow-up actions in Quantum, as required.

5.) Facilitate knowledge building and knowledge sharing:

• Supporting the organization of regional training events on procurement, including needs assessments, technical inputs and support to logistics;
• Providing training to UNDP staff on specific procurement issues, the implementation of business improvement tools such as e-tendering, automated travel processes, etc.
• Synthesize lessons learned and good practices in procurement from COs and contribute to sharing them through UNDP knowledge networks and communities of practice.
• The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization

Education requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in Procurement, Logistics, Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, or related field is required, or
• A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above, in combination with additional two years of qualifying experience at the national or international level, will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• CIPS level 3 is highly desirable for this position and candidates holding this level at the time of application will have a distinct advantage. If the desired certification is not available at the time of recruitment, it should be obtained within one year of recruitment. Candidates holding a CIPS certification at any level below at the time of application will have a proportionate advantage.

Experience, Knowledge, and Skills

• A minimum of two (2) years (with master’s degree) or four (4) years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant paid working experience atnational or international level in public sector procurement management.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and advanced knowledge of web-based management systems is required.
• Good knowledge of ERP systems (such as Oracle/Quantum) is desirable.
• Prior experience with a UN Agency or International Organization in the field of procurement is an advantage
• Experience and knowledge of UN/UNDP/Development Organizations’ Procurement Policies and Procedures is desirable.

Language Requirements

• Fluency in English and Korean is required.
• Working knowledge of other UN language, in particular French or Spanish, is desirable.
• Certificate of English proficiency test is required: Applicants should score a minimum of
  
  i) TOEFL iBT 100 or (ii) TEPS 430 or (iii) IELTS 7 or (iv) TOEIC 900
  
  - TOEFL ‘Home Edition’ score is accepted while ‘My Best Scores’ are not accepted
  
  - I ELTS General Training and Academic test are both accepted
  
  - Test scores are valid for 2 years after the test date

Nationality and Age of applicant

• This JPO position is open only to nationals of the Republic of Korea
• Age of applicant: not older than 32 years of age as of 31 st December, 202 6 (born after 1 st
  
  January, 199 4 ).
• The maximum age limit for those who served in the military will be extended accordingly: one year will be extended for those who served for less than one year; two years will be extended for those who served for more than one year and less than two years; three years will be extended for those
  
  who served for two years or more.
• Male applicants shall have completed the Korean military service or be exempted from it. Those who will be discharged from military service in the year of the application may also apply.
• Applicants can apply for a maximum of two JPO positions sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea during the year of application.

Mandatory attachments to this Application

• A motivation letter in English
• A scanned copy of applicant’s Resident Register in English, issued by the Korean Government
• A copy of university degree (Bachelor’s/Master’s degree) certificate in English
• A copy of English proficiency test certificate A copy of English proficiency test certificate
• Candidates shortlisted for interview and under final consideration should be prepared to present: Scanned copies of Certificate of Employment, including information such as the period of employment, organization, department/unit, position/title, and duties/responsibilities, in English
  
  * Note: Applicants should be readily available to submit upon request supporting documents for all professional experience listed in the application or other relevant documents
• Only for male applicants who have completed the national military service: A certificate of Korean Military Service in English.
• Only for low income applicants: a scanned copy of a certificate of National of National Basic Livelihood Security Recipients issued in Korean and an unofficial translation in English
• Only for persons with disability: A scanned copy of a certificate of person with disability issued in Korean and English.

Expected Demonstration of Competencies

Core

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality by deadline
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
• Adapt with Agilit: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

Thematic Area Name Definition Business Direction and Strategy System Thinking Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system Business Management Portfolio Management Ability to select, prioritise and control the organization's programmes and projects in line with its strategic objectives and capacity Ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives with regular activities for optimal return on investment. Knowledge and understanding of key principles of project, programme, and portfolio management Procurement Procure-to-Pay Knowledge of purchase-to-pay cycles, concepts, principles and policies, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations Procurement Procurement management The ability to acquire goods, services or works from an outside external source Procurement Contract management Knowledge of contract management concepts, principles and methods, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations Procurement Data analysis Ability Ability to extract, analyze and visualize procurement data to form meaningful insights and aid effective business decision making Procurement Stakeholder management Ability to work with incomplete information and balance competing interests to create value for all stakeholders

For general information on the JPO Programme of the Republic of Korea, please visit the website of the International Organizations Recruitment Center, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea at https://unrecruit.mofa.go.kr

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.

Right to select multiple candidates

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.

Use of AI by candidates

Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection

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