Procurement Associate SC 6

World Food Programme; Dubai; On-site; AED 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

An international humanitarian organization in Dubai seeks a Procurement Associate. This role involves providing operational coordination and administrative support for procurement services, managing supplier relationships, and supporting procurement projects effectively. Candidates should have strong negotiation skills, data analysis capabilities, and at least six years of relevant experience in procurement or administrative roles.

Benefits

Medical insurance

Attractive compensation package

Professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• Completion of secondary school education.
• Six or more years of progressively responsible work experience.
• Fluency in English; multilingualism is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Provide operational coordination and administrative services for procurement projects.
• Recommend potential suppliers and compile data for supplier selection.
• Prepare purchase orders and contracts for approval.

Skills

Supplier research

Negotiation skills

Data analysis

Operational coordination

Education

Post-secondary certificate in related field

CIPS 2 certification

Job description

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

13 November 2025-23:59-GMT04:00 Gulf Standard Time (Dubai)

WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability.

ABOUT WFP

The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

At WFP people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse, committed, skilled and high‑performing teams selected on merit operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment living WFP’s values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves.

To learn more about WFP visit our website: follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube LinkedIn Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok.

WHY JOIN WFP

• WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.
• WFP offers a highly inclusive, diverse and multicultural working environment.
• WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities.
• A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country, regional and global offices around the world and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe.
• We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section of this vacancy announcement).

ORGANISATIONAL CONTEXT

This position is advertised as a Procurement Associate based in Dubai, UAE under Headquarters (HQ) and reports to the Procurement Officer.

Job holders at this level demonstrate responsibility and initiative to respond independently to queries and problems with only general guidance. There is a requirement to use judgment in dealing with unforeseen problems on a daily basis. Job holders have a level of expertise and knowledge to adapt and contribute to the development of systems and processes in order to continually improve the level of support provided. Job holders supervise, provide technical advice, coach and coordinate a team of support staff.

JOB PURPOSE

To provide coordination administrative services and research to support the efficient and effective procurement services.

The Procurement unit in Dubai is an outposted office under WFP HQ Supply Chain Division Procurement unit. The Procurement Team based in Dubai manages categories that are mainly Non‑Food Items. This position shall be under the Contracting team that is managing tenders and activities related to contracting.

SALARY

Starting from AED 22,456.81 per month (inclusive of pension) plus medical insurance and other entitlements.

DUTY STATION

Dubai, UAE

DURATION OF EMPLOYMENT

12 months with possibility of extension.

APPLICABILITY

This position is open for UAE nationals and/or those holding a valid UAE residency visa.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Provide operational coordination and administrative services to support procurement projects and activities following standard processes and contributing to the effective procurement of goods and services.
2. In collaboration with Supplier Relationship Management Team and Category Officer identify and recommend potential suppliers and compile data/documents (including minutes of meetings) to support the selection of suppliers ensuring standard processes are followed.
3. Review records and prioritise purchasing requests and provide support to requisitioners to support the procurement of appropriate goods and services at lowest cost to WFP.
4. Contribute to negotiations with new suppliers on terms and conditions of orders alongside a senior officer in order to obtain the best terms and lowest costs for WFP.
5. Prepare purchase orders, contracts and any supporting documentation for approval by the appropriate stakeholder and approve purchases within delegated authority to enable the swift purchase of goods and services.
6. Resolve issues related to delivered goods using initiative liaising with all parties and following standard processes to ensure timely and accurate resolution of problems.
7. Research, collect and analyse data in order to produce reports to enable informed decision‑making by Procurement Officers and consistency of information presented to stakeholders.
8. Manage updates and further develop databases and records to ensure information is accurate, organised and available for others to access and supports reporting requirements.
9. Maintain relationships with internal counterparts to support the alignment of procurement activities with wider programmes and ensure a coherent approach to meeting food assistance needs.
10. Supervise the work of support staff providing practical advice and guidance to ensure individual and team objectives are delivered to agreed standards and deadlines.
11. Follow standard emergency preparedness practices to support WFP to quickly respond and deploy food and needed resources to affected areas at the onset of the crisis.
12. Other associated duties as assigned by the supervisor.

OTHER POST REQUIREMENTS

1. Compile relevant data and conduct in‑depth analysis to generate insightful reports identifying areas of improvement, acceleration and optimisation.
2. Create detailed dashboards and reports to facilitate stakeholders and team members in visualising performance metrics and identifying areas for enhancement.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

EDUCATION

Completion of secondary school education. A post‑secondary certificate in the related functional area. CIPS 2 certification or equivalent is an added advantage.

EXPERIENCE

Six or more years of progressively responsible work experience in the relative business stream with experience in general administrative work.

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

• Demonstrated familiarity with purchased commodities/goods/services.
• Experience conducting supplier research and coordinating with retailers, wholesalers and traders.
• Demonstrated knowledge of public procurement processes and linkages with other operations (e.g. logistics).

LANGUAGE

Fluency (level C) in English language. Multilingualism is an asset to engage with different contractors at global level.

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

WFP Leadership Framework guides to the common standards of behaviour that guide HOW we work together to accomplish our mission.

Click here to access WFP Leadership Framework

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

WFP is committed to supporting individuals with disabilities by providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation please contact:

NO FEE DISCLAIMER

The United Nations does not charge any application processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee please disregard it. Furthermore please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.

REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

• We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, language skills and UN Grade (if applicable).
• Once your profile is completed please apply and submit your application.
• Please make sure you upload your professional CV in the English language.
• Kindly note the only documents you will need to submit at this time are your CV and Cover Letter.
• Additional documents such as passport, recommendation letters, academic certificates etc. may potentially be requested at a future time.
• Please contact us at in case you face any challenges with submitting your application.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

All employment decisions are made on the basis of organisational needs, job requirements, merit and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment and abuse of authority. Therefore all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.