Procurement Senior Officer

UNOPS; Freetown (IN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

UNOPS is seeking a Procurement Senior Officer to lead strategic procurement activities, ensure compliance with international procurement rules, and manage risk to deliver best value for money on complex projects.

You will analyze regulations, build strong relationships with stakeholders, and support aggregation and strategic sourcing for energy, water, health and food security initiatives. This role emphasizes ethics, teamwork, and results-driven performance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) with 4 years of relevant experience.
• Master’s degree (or equivalent) with 2 years of relevant experience is required.
• A globally or nationally recognized professional certificate (e.g. CIPS) is desired.

Responsibilities

• Execute procurement activities in accordance with UNOPS rules, regulations, policies and strategic frameworks.
• Review procurement plans and develop fit-for-purpose strategies that incorporate sustainability and value-for-money.
• Coordinate end-to-end procurement processes (RFQs, ITBs, RFPs) in line with UNOPS policies.
• Prepare submissions to the Contract and Property Committees (CPCs) and manage supplier information in the ERP system.
• Collaborate with project managers for supplier performance evaluation and provide procurement guidance.

Skills

Procurement policy

Risk management

Supplier relations

Contract negotiation

ERP systems

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Tools

MS Office

G-Suite

oneUNOPS ERP

Job description

Job Highlight

Drive efficient and compliant procurement processes that uphold best practices in international public procurement and organizational standards.

About The Project Office

UNOPS supports sustainable development in Sierra Leone through infrastructure, procurement, and project management services that enhance energy access, water and sanitation, health, and food security. In the energy sector, UNOPS implements the World Bank-funded Enhancing Sierra Leone Energy Access Project (ESLEAP), including the Moyamba Solar Power Plant (1MW) and rural electrification, totaling $12.7 million. The UK FCDO-funded Rural Renewable Energy Project (£34.5 million) has expanded solar mini-grids and powered community health centers. In water and sanitation, a Government of Japan-funded initiative has improved access to safe drinking water in Freetown, reducing waterborne diseases. To strengthen food security, UNOPS is constructing a 4,000-metric-tonne grain silo and installing solar-powered irrigation systems through a World Bank-supported Ministry of Agriculture project. In close partnership with the Government of Sierra Leone, these efforts aim to improve basic services, enhance resilience, and support inclusive, long-term development.

Role Purpose

The Procurement Senior Officer is responsible for developing and implementing strategic and effective procurement services reflecting best practices in international public procurement; compliance with UNOPS procurement rules and regulations; appropriate risk management; and obtaining the best value for money for the acquisition of goods, services and contracting of works. The role analyzes and interprets relevant rules and regulations and provides advice and solutions to a wide spectrum of complex issues related to procurement.

The Procurement Senior Officer has a deep understanding of procurement policy and processes, as well as their application to appropriate situations. In addition to responsibility for the deliverables of the work team, the role focuses on strategic relationship building and demand management, mainly related to aggregation and dealing with complex organization structures, preparation of business cases and understanding of the supply market, as well as sharing knowledge with projects in order to achieve reductions of costs and savings.

By role-modelling the highest degrees of personal and professional ethics, the Procurement Senior Officer maintains a collaborative, quality-driven, client-focused and results-oriented approach to their procurement role. S/he works in close cooperation with the office leadership and project managers, reporting to management on central issues related to procurement activities.

Functions / Key Results Expected

Procurement Operations

• Execute procurement activities in accordance with UNOPS rules, regulations, policies and strategic frameworks.
• Maintain a client-focused procurement management system, supported by effective internal controls.
• Collaborate with project managers to review procurement plans and develop fit-for-purpose strategies that incorporate sustainability and value-for-money principles.
• Implement or support all phases of the procurement lifecycle, including strategic planning; pre-purchasing; requirements definition; sourcing; solicitation; management of submissions; evaluation; review and award; post-purchasing; contract finalization and issuance; logistics; and contract management.
• Develop and manage rosters of suppliers.

Procurement Process Management

• Prepare procurement plans on time and as expected.
• Monitor implementation of procurement plans for alignment with project timelines and strategic objectives.
• Review and validate requirements to ensure clarity, completeness and suitability from a procurement standpoint.
• Follow guidelines for embedding sustainability across the procurement process.
• Coordinate the end-to-end solicitation process, including Requests for Quote (RFQs), Invitations to Bid (ITBs), and Requests for Proposal (RFPs) in line with UNOPS policies.
• Coordinate the receipt and evaluation of quotations, bids and proposals.
• Participate in the negotiation of conditions of contracts in full compliance with UNOPS rules and regulations.
• Prepare submissions to the Contract and Property Committees (CPCs)
• Enter and update supplier information in the UNOPS ERP system - oneUNOPS (oU).
• Collaborate with the project manager /project team for the supplier performance evaluation (SPE)
• Provide advice, remedial action, or solutions to project managers on procurement issues.
• Draft Long Term Agreements (LTAs) and/or service or works contracts and other instruments when necessary, and create purchase orders (POs) in the ERP system

Use of E-Procurement Tools

• Utilize the e-sourcing module in line with goals and standards set by the Procurement Group.

Knowledge Building and Knowledge Sharing

• Organize, facilitate or deliver training and learning initiatives for personnel on procurement.
• Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice by synthesizing lessons learned and disseminating best practices in procurement.
• Collect and productively utilize feedback, ideas and internal knowledge about processes and best practices.

Education Requirements

Required

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline with 4 years of relevant experience OR
• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline with 2 years of relevant experience is required

Desired

• A globally or nationally recognized professional certificate or membership (e.g. CIPS) is desired.

Experience Requirements

Required

• Relevant experience is work in advising on and implementing policies and procedures to deliver a range of complex procurement programmes and strategies within international/ multi-national organizations, or related areas.
• Experience in the use of collaboration and productivity tools (e.g. MS Office, G-Suite, etc) and web-based management systems is required

Desired

• Experience of working in multicultural environments or UN system organizations in a developing country is desired.
• 1 year previous experience working with UNOPS/UN.
• Experience in development or humanitarian contexts is desired.
• Previous experience in procurement in West Africa