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Procurement Specialist (P-3) IAEA

Duty Station: Vienna, Austria
Issue Date: 20 January 2012
Application Deadline: 2 March 2012
Type/Duration of Appointment: Fixed term, 3 years (subject to a probationary period of 1 year)

Organizational Setting

The Office of Procurement Services contributes to the implementation of the IAEA's programmatic activities and mandates through the procurement of goods and services in a manner that effectively manages risk and opportunity and achieves best value for money in the interests of the IAEA. The IAEA issues thousands of procurement actions and contracts annually with a total value of over €100 million. About half of this volume is for delivery to counterparts in IAEA Member States in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America in support of IAEA field projects. The remainder is for delivery to IAEA's Headquarters in Vienna, Austria and its Laboratories at Seibersdorf, Austria, and Monaco.

Major procurement projects undertaken by the IAEA are for specialized construction of nuclear-related facilities and security upgrades to such facilities in Austria and other member states; development of software and hardware systems to support the IAEA's nuclear safeguards, administrative, and scientific activities; projects for disposal of spent nuclear fuel and other radioactive materials; and accelerators and cyclotrons for medical purposes. Other Headquarters deliveries consist of computer and office equipment and supplies; specialized equipment for the IAEA's nuclear safeguards operations; and scientific equipment for use at the IAEA's Laboratories. Field deliveries are of a wide range of equipment and services related to radiation detection, laboratory, isotopes, nuclear imaging and radiotherapy, sample analysis, and nuclear safety and security.

The Office of Procurement Services, a team of 38 staff, is the operational group that manages procurement of goods and services for the IAEA. Opportunities to achieve best value for money are identified in the procurement forecasting and planning phases and are realized through the supplier engagement, selection and contract management phases of the procurement cycle.

Main purpose

Reporting to an Account Manager within MTPS, the Procurement Officer is a contracting authority with responsibility for the world-wide procurement of a wide variety of supplies and services associated with technically and legally complex contracts and procurement activities. He/she and leads procurement work in a specific sector related to the IAEA's mandate.

Role

The Procurement Officer is: (1) a contracting authority within delegated limits, (2) a specialist in a sector related to the IAEA's mandate; (3) a financial and commercial evaluator on tendering and contracting process for procurement of a specific range of commodities and services; (4) a focal point in negotiations for contracts of significant complexity; and (5) an agent promoting the principles of best value for at all stages of the procurement cycle; (6) a team leader in charge of a multidisciplinary team that follows critical procurement projects throughout the procurement cycle, from identification of needs and requirements through bidding, source selection, contract issuance, and post-award administration.

Partnerships

Advises requisitioning units and recipient entities on the full range of procurement issues, providing support and guidance at all stages of the procurement cycle; negotiates with international service-providers and agents and representatives of commercial organizations. Advise internal requesters and project counterparts on bidding and technical matters up to the award of contracts.

Functions / Key Results Expected

  • Obtain best value for money in international procurement of a wide variety of equipment, supplies and services in support of the IAEA's programme.
  • Successfully lead multidisciplinary teams through the entire cycle of major procurement activities, including analysis of requirements, market, demand, stakeholder and requirements analysis.
  • Develop appropriate procurement strategy as a result of analyses, preparing complex tenders and draft contracts for procurement of non-routine and technologically advanced commodities or services, documenting these results in a procurement plan for approval.
  • Evaluate responses to tenders, making and documenting recommendations for award and obtaining necessary management clearances.
  • Manage contracts to ensure on-time and on-budget completion, ensuring key performance indicators identified in procurement plan are tracked; making recommendations for improvements of future procurements of like goods or services.
  • Keep abreast of market trends, production patterns in exporting countries and applicable export controls in sector of expertise to identify available sources of supply, new products, and alternate procurement approaches that will result in best value for money for the IAEA in meeting a given requirement.
  • Contribute to development of procurement policies and procedures and to the development of standards and criteria for the evaluation of goods and services, supplier capacity, etc.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

  • Understanding of modern approaches to strategic supply management and application of best value for money throughout the procurement cycle.
  • Effective collaboration and partnerships with officials at all levels inside and outside the organization, in a multi-cultural setting.
  • Sound contracting and negotiation skills.
  • Technical knowledge of sector(s) related to the IAEA's mandate.
  • Knowledge of current market and production trends and ability to make projections for future development within the IAEA.
  • Knowledge of the scope and application of results based management.

Education, Experience and Language Skills

  • Advanced university degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Commerce, Engineering, Law or other relevant discipline.
  • A UNDP or UK CIPS Certificate in Purchasing & Supply - Level 3; US ISM CPM or CPSM certification; or equivalent certification or work experience.
  • At least 5 years of progressively responsible professional experience in high volume procurement operations of which at least 2 at the international level, and a proven record in handling complex procurement evaluation and tendering process. Knowledge of a sector related to the IAEA's mandate desirable.
  • Fluency in spoken and written English; knowledge of any other IAEA official languages (i.e. Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) and/or of German is an advantage.
  • Sound knowledge of international trading practices is an advantage, as well as experience in an organization or commercial enterprise related to the IAEA's mandate.

Remuneration

The IAEA offers an attractive remuneration package including a tax-free annual net base salary starting at US $56 018 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance), a variable post adjustment which currently amounts to US $29 578*, dependency benefits, rental subsidy, education grant, relocation and repatriation expenses; 6 weeks' annual vacation, home leave, pension plan and health insurance.

How to apply to the IAEA

Complete an Online Application

* Subject to change without notice


Applications from qualified women and candidates from developing countries are encouraged

Applicants should be aware that IAEA staff members are international civil servants and may not accept instructions from any other authority. Staff members may be assigned to any location. The IAEA retains the discretion not to make any appointment to this vacancy, to make an appointment at a lower grade or to make an appointment with a modified job description or for shorter duration than indicated above. Testing may be part of the recruitment process.