Job Title: Supply & Logistics Assistant (UN Jobs)
Organisation: United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda
About US:
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is mandated by the UN general assembly to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.
Job Summary: The Supply & Logistics Assistant’s impact directly affects the quality and timeliness of the delivery of a range of different services for which the Unit is accountable. The impact of these services indirectly affects the timely completion of other processes for clients and reflects directly on the overall reputation of the Supply Team in terms of quality and responsiveness to client needs.
The Supply & Logistics Assistant reports to the Supply and Logistics Manager, P4, in the Supply & Logistics Unit. The position supports a broad variety of general and standardized tasks to ensure the efficient administrative support and addressing client requests, which frequently requires the evaluation and adaptation of procedures and processes to resolve such cases.
The function provides opportunities for the staff member to lead and carry out responsibility from the beginning to the end of the process and provide input into the design and development of improved services and delivery mechanisms.
Purpose for the job: Under the guidance of the Supply and Logistics Manager, the position is responsible for assisting in the uninterrupted supply of affordable and good quality supplies and services. Additionally, the position also ensures timely flow of incoming UNICEF programme shipments, including providing effective services, ensuring accurate and timely process of requests and monitoring of procurement cases including shipments, with the overall goal of meeting the needs and requirements of the Sections, the Government and Implementing partners.
Key Duties and Responsibilities: The position performs all activities in compliance with the UNICEF Financial Rules and Regulations, including the applicable Supply & Logistics Guidelines & Procedures
Procurement/Contracting:
- Support in contracting services to fulfill the requirements of the Supply Plan including conducting data review and analysis in the development of procurement strategies.
- Liaise with colleagues from respective programme sections in planning procurement and contracting initiatives, supporting development of relevant specifications, terms of reference, and logistics arrangements and timelines. From lessons learnt, contribute with good practices to strengthen sustainability of supply chains.
- Keep stakeholders/partners informed on the progress of procurement processes. Liaise with suppliers, ensuring timely follow-up on delivery schedules. Implement appropriate vendor management practices such as supply performance reviews.
- Regularly monitor dashboard reports and coordinate to ensure necessary supply action is taken in a timely manner in support of UNICEF Programmes.
- Support in conducting local market surveys on ongoing and regular basis for identification of potential suppliers to procure the goods and services at competitive costs.
In-country logistics:
- Provide input on the logistics component of the supply plan, including advising on infrastructure constraints (e.g. customs clearance, port capacity, transport options and warehousing capacity) and different delivery mechanisms. Keep track of demurrages and detention charges. Negotiate with Airport/Port/Shipping Line for waiver of demurrage/detention charges whenever required. Calculate budget requirements for various delivery modalities and ensure establishment of budget with the colleagues from the respective programme sections.
- Liaise with Supply colleagues as well as colleagues from respective Programme Sections, use supply dashboards to ensure pipeline monitoring establishment of appropriate logistics capacity. Monitor progress of offshore and/or regional procurement and take action to ensure timely customs clearance of supplies entering the country.
- Provide support in logistics, following standard processes and contributing, directly or indirectly, to the effective delivery of programme supplies. Liaise with internal and external stakeholders to support logistics operations management and contribute to effective service delivery.
- Review needs for contracting of logistics third party services (e.g. customs clearance, warehousing, transport, distribution) and transmit all supporting information for contracting of such service providers including establishment of KPIs and performance monitoring mechanisms.
- Maintain and process documentation for execution of logistics operations (e.g. customs clearance, invoice verification), and take appropriate actions to resolve operational issues, escalating complex issues to the supervisor.
- In liaison with forwarding agents arranges consolidation of shipments, taking into account programme priority, warehouse capacity, purchase order delivery dates and special requests from Field offices & Procurement Service Customers.
- Follows up on late deliveries and expedites reports provided by Freight Forwarders.
- Assist in analysis of insurance policy, processing insurance claims and ensuring that shipments with a value above insurance coverage are appropriately covered.
- Perform analysis of shipments through UNICEF freight forwarders and make recommendations to business processes and contracts based on findings of analyses.
Warehousing and inventory management:
- Support in in the supervising receipt of consignments and dispatch of supplies where necessary.
- Support in carrying out regular physical counts of inventory in the warehouse.
Alternative delivery mechanisms and Procurement Services:
- Assist in activities that lead to building partnerships and collaborative relations with UN organizations to support harmonized and collaborative procurement and logistics arrangements.
- Any other duties or assignments as requested by the supervisor.
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
- The applicant for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Supply & Logistics Assistant job should have completed secondary education with additional training in Business or equivalent.
- At least five years of relevant working experience in Supply & Logistics operations or similar.
- Demonstrated knowledge in complex operations or a commercial context is required.
- Understanding of development and humanitarian work is an advantage.
- UNICEF’s Core Values: Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values
- UNICEF competencies: (1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others,
- Language: Fluency in English with knowledge of another UN language as an advantage.
Skills
- Thorough knowledge of a range of specialized topics, including the relevant supply chain policies, partnership mechanisms, rules and regulations.
- High level of proficiency or skill is required in the interpretation and application of specialized rules and regulations to the particular circumstances of complex individual cases.
- Demonstrated understanding of the relevant supply chain processes and ability to consistently apply relevant policies, procedures and good practices in the daily work.
- Good judgement in order to handle complex cases including considerations for exceptions.
- Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with clients, suppliers and colleagues and gain the assistance and cooperation of others in a team endeavor.
- Ability to use supply related modules within the UNICEF ERP system.
- Ability to establish priorities and plan his/her own work and plan, coordinate and monitor the work of those under his/her supervision.
- Ability to draft clear and concise reports or rationale for supply related decisions on key issues.
NB: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
How to Apply:
All suitably qualified and interested applicants who wish to join United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) should apply online at the link below
Deadline: 20th February 2024