JOB DETAILS:
Regional Purchasing Officer, Central Africa & Gulf of Guinea
Job Description
Location: Kigali, Rwanda
Reports to: Regional Operations Manager
Start Date: ASAP
Position Type: Full time
Organization Background
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a US non-profit, tax-exempt, private organization established in 1895 that saves wildlife and wild places by understanding critical issues, crafting science-based solutions, and taking conservation actions that benefit nature and humanity. With more than a century of experience, long-term commitments in dozens of landscapes, presence in more than 60 nations, and experience helping to establish over 150 protected areas across the globe, WCS has amassed the biological knowledge, cultural understanding and partnerships to ensure that vibrant, wild places and wildlife thrive alongside local communities. Working with local communities and organizations, that knowledge is applied to address species, habitat and ecosystem management issues critical to improving the quality of life of poor rural people whose livelihoods depend on the direct utilization of natural resources.
Central Africa & Gulf of Guinea Program Overview
The Central Africa and Gulf of Guinea program is one of the largest of WCS’s Global Regional Programs, spanning Nigeria, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo and Gabon. This is a rapidly growing program with a diverse and expanding portfolio of donors, partners and projects. The region presents a set of complex conservation challenges to biodiversity and their habitats and WCS field programs are addressing these through a number of initiatives including protected area management, community engagement, sustainable livelihoods, policy reform and sustainable financing. WCS recently formally established its regional hub in Kigali, Rwanda which hosts a growing team of technical specialists and regional management to support our country programs and field offices.
Job Summary
The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Central Africa & Gulf of Guinea program is seeking a highly qualified and motivated Regional Purchasing Officer to support our national and field program offices to improve efficiencies in international procurements. We are seeking a highly qualified, supply chain professional with experience in international purchasing and shipping. The candidate must be organized and have excellent communication skills. He/she must demonstrate capacity to work in multi-contextual environment. The Regional Purchasing Officer will join a dynamic regional team and report to the Central Africa Regional Operations Manager.
Responsibilities
Under the leadership of the Regional Operations Manager and in collaboration with the country programs and the global purchasing unit in New York, the Purchasing Officer will focus on purchasing goods and services for country programs providing timely delivery without compromising on quality. S/he will:
• Organize the regional purchases to ensure effectiveness and efficiency while abiding by the WCS guidelines and donor’s regulations.
• Continuously assess the international sourcing opportunities in Africa
• Play a key role in development and update of a database of approved and preferred vendors
• Play a key role in negotiation and preparation of long-term agreements where applicable and liaise with vendors maintaining up-to-date catalogues and the most favorable terms for WCS.
• Manage WCS vendors including their performance
• Prepare requisitions in SAP where needed
• Process purchase orders in SAP
• Prepare / review supporting documents and submit for payments, follow up on timely payment in liaison with accounts payable team in New York and where applicable with other countries.
• File the relevant documents and provide additional information when required during audits
• Update the purchase follow up (tracker) and communicate accordingly with requesters in country programs
• Provide inputs to country program teams for update of procurements plans and supply plans.
• Organize the shipping to country programs while abiding by the destination countries importation rules and WCS guidelines on exportation.
• Provide support to the Regional Operation Manager in other activities in line with the job, including direct support to a country program.
• Provide support to other WCS departments and business units within the Kigali regional office as needed and requested
Requirements:
• Minimum Bachelor’s degree or equivalent
• At least 3 years of professional experience in international purchasing, shipping, logistics, and in Least Developed Countries, with experience in Africa an advantage
• Experience working with international organizations or private sector
• Strong computer skills in MS Office, especially MS Excel
• Rigorous, with strong organization skills and attention to detail
• Strong communication skills
• Strong negotiation skills
• Proven capacity to work within set legal requirements framework
• Fluency in French and English
• Commitment to the values and mission of the Wildlife Conservation Society"
Regional Purchasing Officer, Central Africa & Gulf of Guinea
Job Description
Location: Kigali, Rwanda
Reports to: Regional Operations Manager
Start Date: ASAP
Position Type: Full time
Organization Background
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a US non-profit, tax-exempt, private organization established in 1895 that saves wildlife and wild places by understanding critical issues, crafting science-based solutions, and taking conservation actions that benefit nature and humanity. With more than a century of experience, long-term commitments in dozens of landscapes, presence in more than 60 nations, and experience helping to establish over 150 protected areas across the globe, WCS has amassed the biological knowledge, cultural understanding and partnerships to ensure that vibrant, wild places and wildlife thrive alongside local communities. Working with local communities and organizations, that knowledge is applied to address species, habitat and ecosystem management issues critical to improving the quality of life of poor rural people whose livelihoods depend on the direct utilization of natural resources.
Central Africa & Gulf of Guinea Program Overview
The Central Africa and Gulf of Guinea program is one of the largest of WCS’s Global Regional Programs, spanning Nigeria, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo and Gabon. This is a rapidly growing program with a diverse and expanding portfolio of donors, partners and projects. The region presents a set of complex conservation challenges to biodiversity and their habitats and WCS field programs are addressing these through a number of initiatives including protected area management, community engagement, sustainable livelihoods, policy reform and sustainable financing. WCS recently formally established its regional hub in Kigali, Rwanda which hosts a growing team of technical specialists and regional management to support our country programs and field offices.
Job Summary
The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Central Africa & Gulf of Guinea program is seeking a highly qualified and motivated Regional Purchasing Officer to support our national and field program offices to improve efficiencies in international procurements. We are seeking a highly qualified, supply chain professional with experience in international purchasing and shipping. The candidate must be organized and have excellent communication skills. He/she must demonstrate capacity to work in multi-contextual environment. The Regional Purchasing Officer will join a dynamic regional team and report to the Central Africa Regional Operations Manager.
Responsibilities
Under the leadership of the Regional Operations Manager and in collaboration with the country programs and the global purchasing unit in New York, the Purchasing Officer will focus on purchasing goods and services for country programs providing timely delivery without compromising on quality. S/he will:
• Organize the regional purchases to ensure effectiveness and efficiency while abiding by the WCS guidelines and donor’s regulations.
• Continuously assess the international sourcing opportunities in Africa
• Play a key role in development and update of a database of approved and preferred vendors
• Play a key role in negotiation and preparation of long-term agreements where applicable and liaise with vendors maintaining up-to-date catalogues and the most favorable terms for WCS.
• Manage WCS vendors including their performance
• Prepare requisitions in SAP where needed
• Process purchase orders in SAP
• Prepare / review supporting documents and submit for payments, follow up on timely payment in liaison with accounts payable team in New York and where applicable with other countries.
• File the relevant documents and provide additional information when required during audits
• Update the purchase follow up (tracker) and communicate accordingly with requesters in country programs
• Provide inputs to country program teams for update of procurements plans and supply plans.
• Organize the shipping to country programs while abiding by the destination countries importation rules and WCS guidelines on exportation.
• Provide support to the Regional Operation Manager in other activities in line with the job, including direct support to a country program.
• Provide support to other WCS departments and business units within the Kigali regional office as needed and requested
Requirements:
• Minimum Bachelor’s degree or equivalent
• At least 3 years of professional experience in international purchasing, shipping, logistics, and in Least Developed Countries, with experience in Africa an advantage
• Experience working with international organizations or private sector
• Strong computer skills in MS Office, especially MS Excel
• Rigorous, with strong organization skills and attention to detail
• Strong communication skills
• Strong negotiation skills
• Proven capacity to work within set legal requirements framework
• Fluency in French and English
• Commitment to the values and mission of the Wildlife Conservation Society"
JOB DETAILS:
Programme Specialist
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 expands the possibilities for women and young people to lead healthy and productive lives.
Since UNFPA started working in 1969, the number – and rate – of women dying from complications of pregnancy or childbirth has been halved. Families are smaller and healthier. Young people are more connected and empowered than ever before.
Job Description
The Position:
The Programme Specialist manages and implement the UNFPA Rwanda Country Programme’s component related to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). He/She will lead on formulation, monitoring and evaluation of the SRHR programme including, but not limited to, UN joint programming initiatives, high level policy advisory inputs, research and studies as well as national development legal and policy frameworks. He/She will lead the sexual and reproductive health and rights programme team and collaborate with other programme units as well as the Country Office’s operations and administrative support staff to ensure synergy across country programme areas of work and full compliance with UNFPA’s policies and procedures.
Under the overall leadership of UNFPA Representative and the direct supervision of the Deputy Representative, the Sexual and reproductive Health Programme Specialist contributes effectively to the implementation of the UNFPA Rwanda Country Programme and directly manages UNFPA’s led initiatives on SRHR in Rwanda. He/she analyzes and values the political, social and economic trends in SRHR in the country, assess data gaps and support evidence generation efforts in the country to make data available for use in the formulation and evaluation of initiatives at all levels including, joint programming interventions and national development programmes. In addition, the Sexual and Reproductive Health Programme Specialist will provide high level strategic and technical advisory support to the government of Rwanda, when required, and to the UNFPA Rwanda office on sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well leads research efforts on SRHR in Rwanda and supports any other study and evidence generation efforts as undertaken by colleagues in the UNFPA Rwanda Office. He/she will ensure full compliance of UNFPA policies and procedures in collaboration with relevant units.
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.
Job Purpose:
Working within a Country Office (CO) environment, you will ensure the effective management of UNFPA activities in the areas of sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Employing your technical expertise and programme management experience you will oversee and guide the implementation of the sexual and reproductive health and rights work which will include supervising staff, consultants, and experts - when required. You will establish and maintain collaborative relationships with counterparts in the office, within the East and Southern Africa Regional Office, in government, with multilateral and bilateral donor agencies and civil society, in the private sector to address emerging issues, and effectively influence diverse stakeholders to contribute to achieving UNFPA’s mandate.
You would be responsible for:
• In collaboration with the UNFPA Rwanda Country Office, Government counterparts, NGOs and other partners, overseeing the design, the monitoring and implementation of the country programme and its component projects related to sexual and reproductive health and rights, aligning with national priorities, UNFPA’s mandate as well programme policies and procedures.
• Overseeing achievement of programme results by ensuring appropriate policies are applied and monitoring and oversight mechanisms are established and implemented.
• Assessing the political, social and economic environment relevant to UNFPA programme activities, and pursuing opportunities, including strategic partnerships, for UNFPA assistance and intervention.
• Providing high level strategic and technical guidance and inputs on policies, research work and studies in relation to sexual and reproductive health and rights.
• Assessing implications of new policy developments and strategies on programme execution, and ensuring their integration within the SRHR programme domain.
• Overseeing SRHR project/programme implementation; establishing partnerships with executing agencies, experts, government counterparts and other UN agencies to facilitate timely and efficient delivery of project inputs.
• Ensures taking into account the best practices and lessons learned of quality and also policies newly developed in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights during designing, monitoring and evaluation of the programmes/projects/initiatives,
• Follows the progress and new developments in policies and strategies by analyzing the strategy papers and the national developments plans, prepares files and data for the policy dialogue, coordination of technical assistance and development programmes.
• Ensures effective implementation of knowledge management strategies by the SRHR programme team, capturing lessons learned and best practices for future planning; addresses capacity needs of project personnel and informs management accordingly.
• Participates in advocacy efforts and lead resource mobilization efforts focusing on SRHR or having SRHR components within the CO, by ensuring preparation of relevant documentation, background data, as well i.e. project summaries, conference papers, speeches, donor profiles, and participating in related meetings and public events.
• Analyses and reports on the progress of the SRHR component of the country programme in terms of results achieved and lessons learnt from existing monitoring and evaluation tools and introduces new mechanisms if need be;
• Responsible for quality execution of implementing partners AWPs, follows expenses and disbursements made in the work plans and projects to ensure achieving compliance with approved budgets and according to the expected results.
• Gathers lessons learned and best practices in the SRHR setting and share them with the office and other structures, partners and avenues as appropriate
• Regularly provide quality information to be included in articles, newsletters and social media to showcase the Country Office’s work.
• Timely contribute to the development of corporate management plans such as Office Management Plans and submit quality information using the appropriate corporate systems such as the Strategic Information System, DARTS and others.
• Ensures Proactive participation in programme meetings and in thematic groups and task forces/teams in the context of the United Nations Delivering as One. Qualifications and Experience:
Education:
Master’s Degree preferably in Medicine, Midwifery, Nursing, Public Health, or relevant Social Sciences or other related fields.
Knowledge and Experience:
• Five years of increasingly responsible professional experience in the field of public health and social sciences, preferably SRHR program development and management;
• Experience in programme/ project management including experience in large multi-sector projects, designing and appraising proposals and actively liaising with relevant and potential project partners;
• Proven track record in developing policy papers, research and conducting thematic studies experiences.
• Proven experience in coordinating/managing a multi-disciplinary team of staff, experts and consultants;
• Experience in drafting legislation and policy is an asset;
• Experience in technical advice roles in SRHR is an asset;
• Field experience is an asset;
• Prior experience in the UN system is an asset.
Languages:
Fluency in English; knowledge of other official UN languages, preferably French is desirable.
Required Competencies:
Values:
• Exemplifying integrity,
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
• Embracing cultural diversity,
• Embracing change
Functional Competencies:
• Advocacy/ Advancing a policy-oriented agenda
• Leveraging the resources of national governments and partners/ building strategic alliances and partnerships
• Delivering results-based programme
• Internal and external communication and advocacy for results mobilisation
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,
• Communicating for impact
Managerial Competencies:
• Providing strategic focus,
• Engaging in internal/external partners and stakeholders,
• Leading, developing and empowering people, creating a culture of performance
• Making decisions and exercising judgment
Compensation and Benefits:
This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.
Disclaimer:
UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Fraudulent notices, letters or offers may be submitted to the UNFPA fraud hotline http://www.unfpa.org/help/hotline.cfm
In accordance with the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations, persons applying to posts in the international Professional category, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.
Programme Specialist
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 expands the possibilities for women and young people to lead healthy and productive lives.
Since UNFPA started working in 1969, the number – and rate – of women dying from complications of pregnancy or childbirth has been halved. Families are smaller and healthier. Young people are more connected and empowered than ever before.
Job Description
The Position:
The Programme Specialist manages and implement the UNFPA Rwanda Country Programme’s component related to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). He/She will lead on formulation, monitoring and evaluation of the SRHR programme including, but not limited to, UN joint programming initiatives, high level policy advisory inputs, research and studies as well as national development legal and policy frameworks. He/She will lead the sexual and reproductive health and rights programme team and collaborate with other programme units as well as the Country Office’s operations and administrative support staff to ensure synergy across country programme areas of work and full compliance with UNFPA’s policies and procedures.
Under the overall leadership of UNFPA Representative and the direct supervision of the Deputy Representative, the Sexual and reproductive Health Programme Specialist contributes effectively to the implementation of the UNFPA Rwanda Country Programme and directly manages UNFPA’s led initiatives on SRHR in Rwanda. He/she analyzes and values the political, social and economic trends in SRHR in the country, assess data gaps and support evidence generation efforts in the country to make data available for use in the formulation and evaluation of initiatives at all levels including, joint programming interventions and national development programmes. In addition, the Sexual and Reproductive Health Programme Specialist will provide high level strategic and technical advisory support to the government of Rwanda, when required, and to the UNFPA Rwanda office on sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well leads research efforts on SRHR in Rwanda and supports any other study and evidence generation efforts as undertaken by colleagues in the UNFPA Rwanda Office. He/she will ensure full compliance of UNFPA policies and procedures in collaboration with relevant units.
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.
Job Purpose:
Working within a Country Office (CO) environment, you will ensure the effective management of UNFPA activities in the areas of sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Employing your technical expertise and programme management experience you will oversee and guide the implementation of the sexual and reproductive health and rights work which will include supervising staff, consultants, and experts - when required. You will establish and maintain collaborative relationships with counterparts in the office, within the East and Southern Africa Regional Office, in government, with multilateral and bilateral donor agencies and civil society, in the private sector to address emerging issues, and effectively influence diverse stakeholders to contribute to achieving UNFPA’s mandate.
You would be responsible for:
• In collaboration with the UNFPA Rwanda Country Office, Government counterparts, NGOs and other partners, overseeing the design, the monitoring and implementation of the country programme and its component projects related to sexual and reproductive health and rights, aligning with national priorities, UNFPA’s mandate as well programme policies and procedures.
• Overseeing achievement of programme results by ensuring appropriate policies are applied and monitoring and oversight mechanisms are established and implemented.
• Assessing the political, social and economic environment relevant to UNFPA programme activities, and pursuing opportunities, including strategic partnerships, for UNFPA assistance and intervention.
• Providing high level strategic and technical guidance and inputs on policies, research work and studies in relation to sexual and reproductive health and rights.
• Assessing implications of new policy developments and strategies on programme execution, and ensuring their integration within the SRHR programme domain.
• Overseeing SRHR project/programme implementation; establishing partnerships with executing agencies, experts, government counterparts and other UN agencies to facilitate timely and efficient delivery of project inputs.
• Ensures taking into account the best practices and lessons learned of quality and also policies newly developed in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights during designing, monitoring and evaluation of the programmes/projects/initiatives,
• Follows the progress and new developments in policies and strategies by analyzing the strategy papers and the national developments plans, prepares files and data for the policy dialogue, coordination of technical assistance and development programmes.
• Ensures effective implementation of knowledge management strategies by the SRHR programme team, capturing lessons learned and best practices for future planning; addresses capacity needs of project personnel and informs management accordingly.
• Participates in advocacy efforts and lead resource mobilization efforts focusing on SRHR or having SRHR components within the CO, by ensuring preparation of relevant documentation, background data, as well i.e. project summaries, conference papers, speeches, donor profiles, and participating in related meetings and public events.
• Analyses and reports on the progress of the SRHR component of the country programme in terms of results achieved and lessons learnt from existing monitoring and evaluation tools and introduces new mechanisms if need be;
• Responsible for quality execution of implementing partners AWPs, follows expenses and disbursements made in the work plans and projects to ensure achieving compliance with approved budgets and according to the expected results.
• Gathers lessons learned and best practices in the SRHR setting and share them with the office and other structures, partners and avenues as appropriate
• Regularly provide quality information to be included in articles, newsletters and social media to showcase the Country Office’s work.
• Timely contribute to the development of corporate management plans such as Office Management Plans and submit quality information using the appropriate corporate systems such as the Strategic Information System, DARTS and others.
• Ensures Proactive participation in programme meetings and in thematic groups and task forces/teams in the context of the United Nations Delivering as One. Qualifications and Experience:
Education:
Master’s Degree preferably in Medicine, Midwifery, Nursing, Public Health, or relevant Social Sciences or other related fields.
Knowledge and Experience:
• Five years of increasingly responsible professional experience in the field of public health and social sciences, preferably SRHR program development and management;
• Experience in programme/ project management including experience in large multi-sector projects, designing and appraising proposals and actively liaising with relevant and potential project partners;
• Proven track record in developing policy papers, research and conducting thematic studies experiences.
• Proven experience in coordinating/managing a multi-disciplinary team of staff, experts and consultants;
• Experience in drafting legislation and policy is an asset;
• Experience in technical advice roles in SRHR is an asset;
• Field experience is an asset;
• Prior experience in the UN system is an asset.
Languages:
Fluency in English; knowledge of other official UN languages, preferably French is desirable.
Required Competencies:
Values:
• Exemplifying integrity,
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
• Embracing cultural diversity,
• Embracing change
Functional Competencies:
• Advocacy/ Advancing a policy-oriented agenda
• Leveraging the resources of national governments and partners/ building strategic alliances and partnerships
• Delivering results-based programme
• Internal and external communication and advocacy for results mobilisation
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,
• Communicating for impact
Managerial Competencies:
• Providing strategic focus,
• Engaging in internal/external partners and stakeholders,
• Leading, developing and empowering people, creating a culture of performance
• Making decisions and exercising judgment
Compensation and Benefits:
This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.
Disclaimer:
UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Fraudulent notices, letters or offers may be submitted to the UNFPA fraud hotline http://www.unfpa.org/help/hotline.cfm
In accordance with the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations, persons applying to posts in the international Professional category, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.