Procurement Assistant

Result of ServiceThe Procurement Assistant reports to the Head of Brazil Office. He/She shall duly and timely perform his/her obligations, under these Terms of Reference, supporting the administrative and procurement implementation of projects and initiatives. The consultant will work in close collaboration with the Operational Team of UN-Habitat in Rio de Janeiro and HQs. Work LocationRio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil Expected durationSix (6) months, with possibility of renewal Duties and ResponsibilitiesBackground The main mandate of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is to promote sustainable development of human settlements and policies conducive to adequate housing for all. Within this framework, UN-Habitat supports central and state governments, as well as local authorities and other partners for the implementation of the Habitat Agenda, the 2030 Agenda with the Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda. UN-Habitat helps the urban poor by transforming cities into safer, more inclusive, compact, integrated, resilient and connected places with better opportunities where everyone can live with dignity. It works with organizations at every level, including all spheres of government, civil society, and the private sector to help build, manage, plan and finance sustainable urban development. The Regional Office for Latin American and the Caribbean – ROLAC – is based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Agency puts emphasis on developing and managing activities in the host country. Indeed, for the past years, UN-Habitat has expanded its portfolio in Brazil by working with the three tiers of government to support the formulation and implementation of more effective, sustainable, participative, and socially fairer urban economic, social, and environmental policies. To meet with greater demand for projects’ implementation, the office of Rio de Janeiro is looking for a Procurement Assistant that will be focusing on Brazil initiatives. The professional will be asked to assist the office team by contributing to the administrative and procurement of projects and initiatives. Report to UN-Habitat Manager The Procurement Assistant reports to the Head of Brazil Office, who will evaluate him/her. Responsibilities The Procurement Assistant will support the implementation of the projects in Brazil, with the following responsibilities: a. Support the administrative implementation of projects and initiatives, ensuring compliance with organizational policies and procedures. b. Support procurement processes for goods, services, and works, ensuring full compliance with organizational procurement rules, policies, and ethical standards. c. Plan, manage, and monitor procurement activities in line with approved project workplans, budgets, and timelines under supervision. d. Support the preparation of procurement documentation, including solicitation documents, evaluations, contracts, and purchase orders. e. Support procurement planning with programme, finance, and operations teams to ensure timely delivery and budget alignment. f. Help vendor sourcing, market research, and supplier evaluations to ensure value for money, transparency, and fairness. g. Monitor contract implementation, including deliverables, timelines, amendments, and closure, in coordination with relevant units. h. Maintain accurate and complete procurement records and ensure proper filing in corporate systems. i. Provide guidance and technical support to programme teams on procurement procedures and requirements. j. Identify procurement risks and propose mitigation measures to strengthen compliance and efficiency. k. Contribute to continuous improvement of procurement processes, tools, and templates. l. Assist in budget planning, monitoring, and revisions, including tracking expenditures against approved budgets, specially in relation to procurement. m. Support and follow up on financial transactions, such as payments, advances, reimbursements, and vendor contracts. n. Maintain accurate and up-to-date financial and administrative records for projects and operations. o. Organize and archive all documents and information relevant to project administration. p. Support the team through audits and other administrative and financial compliance checks. q. Monitor financial reporting timelines and contribute to the preparation of financial reports for internal and external stakeholders. r. Support audits and financial reviews by ensuring availability and organization of required documentation. s. Be responsible of for inventory and warehouse management. t. Write official letters in Portuguese. u. Be responsible for keeping information organized and accessible. v. Participate in missions as requested. w. Carry out other activities requested by the Head of Office and/or Program Officer within the framework of this consultancy, without prejudice to fulfilling their responsibilities. m. Prepare reports to partners, internal reports, etc. at various stages of the projects. n. Perform other duties which may be requested by the supervisor. The consultant will be responsible for completing all courses and training activities that are indicated to him/her by his/her supervisor. The security course BSAFE, from UNDSS, is required to be accredited during the first month of employment. The consultant will be responsible for his/her own security, so the person should get familiarized with United Nations security mechanisms and comply with them according to the Framework of Accountability for the United Nations Security Management System. Outputs/Work Assignment The Procurement Assistant shall support the Program Officers in the proper planning and management of programmes’ implementation related to the office's project portfolio, according to the stated responsibilities. The consultant shall be paid a monthly allowance, upon presentation and approval by the Head of Brazil Office of monthly activities’ report. Qualifications/special skillsEducation • Bachelor’s degree in International Relations, Public Administration, Administration, Economics, or related fields is required, or additional three (3) years of relevant experience to the post, beyond the requirement. Work experience • A minimum of three (3) years of experience in program’ implementation and projects in public administration or international organizations, administrative and financial issues, and/or related areas is required. • Demonstrated experience in administrative and finance is required. • Work experience within the United Nations System is desirable. • International experience is desirable, particularly in the field of international cooperation for development, urban development, and project management. Skills • Good computer skills in Office Package (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook) are required. • Mastery of technological tools and use of software and online platforms is required. • Good knowledge of project management methodologies is desirable. Competencies • Professionalism: Experience working in an inter-institutional environment, project management, monitoring-evaluation; approaches and strategies regarding good urban governance and local and regional development. • Planning and organization: Professional approach to work, strong sense of responsibility, operate with minimal supervision; proven organizational skills and ability to manage a workload efficiently and within set deadlines. • Communication: Ability to write clearly and effectively; listen to others, interpret messages correctly and respond appropriately; show openness in information sharing and keep everyone informed; solid abstract reasoning skills together with a proven capacity to write documents for diverse audiences. • Teamwork: Ability to work with teams, demonstrate leadership, conflict management and consensus facilitation skills; ability to work in a multicultural and multi-ethnic environment, and to respect diversity; sensitivity to the main streaming of vulnerability; willingness and ability to work in difficult environments. Knowledge Management • The person must know the processes, procedures, and norms of UN-Habitat, to guarantee an adequate quality of the activities described above, following the standards of the organization. • The person will propose formats and procedures that allow the efficient implementation of the activities related to project development. • The person must know the file of the Office, work with it, and ensure its proper maintenance, accessibility for all staff, and due updating. • The person will prepare databases related to the project running. • The person will make sure that all relevant technical information will be adequately shared with the correspondent staff. • The person will ensure that all produced material will be fit-for-purpose and delivered, in an organized way, for posterior consultation and use of the Agency. • The person will only share the information produced with the team agency, assuring the privacy of the content. Languages• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat, and Spanish is the working language of the Regional Office. • For the post advertised, fluency in Portuguese is required. Working knowledge of English and/or Spanish is desirable. Additional InformationTravel details: The consultant must be available to travel to the places related to the activities in the country, if requested by the Head of Brazil Office. Missions will be coordinated and financed by UN-Habitat, according to the United Nations travel rules and guidelines. Remuneration SB-3 UNDP Brazil Salary Scale Notes Appointment against this post is on local basis and only nationals from Brazil or external candidates who hold a permanent visa in Brazil may apply. The extension of this contract is subject to availability of funds and/or performance. Any contract extension is not automatic. It is required for all the curricular information to be inserted in the system, which may take a few hours. Only complete applications in English will be considered. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. Due to the volume of applications received, receipt of applications cannot be acknowledged individually. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted. Applications should be submitted through INSPIRA and must include all documents required at the system, please be ready to include the following information at the “Candidate Profile” (CP) at Inspira: • Cover memo (maximum 1 page) • Educational Background (incl. dates) • Professional Experience (assignments, tasks, achievements, duration by years/ months) • Expertise and preferences regarding location of potential assignments • Other Experience and Expertise (e.g. Internships/ voluntary work, etc.)* * Please note that Internships, self-employment and part-time count as 50%. In addition to it, note experience not relevant to the position will not be considered. All applications should be submitted to: Inspira UN-HABITAT does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process. If you have any questions concerning people or companies claiming to be recruiting on behalf of these offices and requesting the payment of a fee, please contact: recruitment@unon.org. No FeeTHE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.