Procurement Assistant – UNODC

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is seeking a Procurement Assistant to support procurement and contracting activities within its Country Office for Nigeria in Abuja. The position supports compliant and efficient procurement transactions, supplier management, contracting, procurement reporting and coordination with programme and operations teams.

FULL JOB DESCRIPTION:

POSITION DESCRIPTION & REQUIREMENTS

ABOUT UNODC:

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is a lead United Nations agency addressing illicit drugs, transnational organised crime, terrorism and corruption. The UNODC Country Office for Nigeria contributes to peace and security, human rights and development by working with the Nigerian Government and people to promote justice, the rule of law and resilient societies.

The position is based in the Operations Unit of the UNODC Country Office in Nigeria (CONGA), Division for Operations, Abuja. The Operations Unit provides integrated finance, procurement, human resources and general administrative support to UNODC units and projects.

JOB SUMMARY:

The Procurement Assistant works within the procurement team and supports supply chain operations, including procurement and contracting. The position works closely with programme and project teams and other operational support functions to ensure procurement transactions are processed efficiently, correctly and in accordance with United Nations rules and procedures.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

01 | Review, record and prioritise procurement requisitions and assist requesters in developing scopes of work, terms of reference and specifications for required goods and services.

02 | Support procurement planning by determining funding availability and suggesting suitable product substitutions where appropriate to achieve cost savings while meeting requirements.

03 | Process procurement requests for goods and services and check requisitions for completeness, accuracy, correct terminology and compliance with applicable United Nations procurement principles.

04 | Prepare and issue solicitation documents and assist with Requests for Quotation, Invitations to Bid, Requests for Proposal and other tender documentation according to procurement requirements and thresholds.

05 | Compile quotations, proposals and bids and prepare abstracts of offers to support supplier selection based on best value for money, quality, delivery timelines, transportation costs and other relevant considerations.

06 | Prepare and process Purchase Orders and contracts under delegated authority, checking vendor information, object codes and financial amounts for accuracy.

07 | Support the evaluation of bids and quotations by undertaking preliminary analysis of price, compliance and other basic requirements and preparing comparative tabulations for review.

08 | Support negotiations on procurement terms and conditions under the guidance of Procurement Officers and obtain relevant credit and supplier information where required.

09 | Finalise Purchase Orders and contracts for approval and prepare required submissions to Local and Headquarters Committees on Contracts.

10 | Provide logistical and administrative support for submissions to the Contracts Review Committee and other procurement review processes.

11 | Conduct market research to identify potential procurement sources and engage prospective suppliers as required.

12 | Maintain procurement databases, vendor files, contract records and information on Long-Term Agreements, including monitoring agreement expiry dates and alerting the supervisor.

13 | Support supplier performance management by maintaining relevant records and undertaking supplier performance evaluations against established criteria.

14 | Resolve procurement and delivery issues, including discrepancies between Purchase Orders and goods received, and prepare appropriate return-to-vendor documentation for damaged or unacceptable goods.

15 | Liaise with requisitioners and suppliers regarding order status, pricing, product availability and delivery schedules.

16 | Work with programme teams and operational support functions to monitor shipments, deliveries, claims and other procurement-related issues.

17 | Compile procurement information and support the preparation of periodic procurement reports for management review.

18 | Support preparation of the annual CONGA Acquisition Plan by gathering and consolidating procurement inputs from relevant units.

19 | Participate in UN Nigeria Procurement Network meetings and prepare relevant notes and follow-up information for the supervisor.

20 | Ensure procurement activities comply with United Nations Financial Regulations and Rules, procurement policies and the United Nations Procurement Manual.

21 | Keep informed of changes to procurement policies and procedures and apply updated requirements to assigned procurement activities.

22 | Supervise, allocate and review the work of more junior staff as assigned.

23 | Support data collection, analysis, presentations, reports, visualisations and information materials used for planning, decision-making, knowledge management and reporting.

24 | Perform other work-related duties as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS:

01 | High school diploma or equivalent is required.

02 | A CIPS Level 4 or higher certification, or an equivalent certification recognised by the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply, is required and must be uploaded with the application.

03 | At least seven years of progressively responsible experience in procurement, administrative services or a related area is required.

04 | The required experience is reduced to five years for candidates holding a first-level university degree or higher.

05 | Experience using an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is required.

06 | Experience using computer and office software packages, including Microsoft Word and Excel, is required.

07 | Experience with SAP/Umoja is desirable.

08 | Previous experience within the United Nations system or another international organisation is desirable.

09 | Experience supporting procurement processes in field operations or similar international organisations is desirable.

10 | Experience in data analytics or a related area is desirable.

11 | Experience handling urgent procurement requests and working to tight deadlines is desirable.

12 | Knowledge of procurement policies, processes and procedures and purchasing and accounting practices is required.

13 | Ability to apply financial rules and regulations and exercise sound judgement in procurement assignments is required.

14 | Strong planning, organisation, problem-solving and client-orientation skills are required.

15 | English is required.

16 | Candidates may be required to complete an assessment exercise and competency-based interview.

17 | The appointment is subject to local recruitment in Nigeria and is a fixed-term limited appointment initially for one year.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

Interested candidates should apply through the official UN Careers/Inspira recruitment platform using the Procurement Assistant vacancy.

Applicants should provide complete and accurate information about their qualifications and experience and follow all instructions provided in the UN recruitment platform.

Vacancy Reference:

UNODC-286104

APPLICATION LINK:

https://careers.un.org/jobSearchDescription/286104?language=en

DEADLINE:

22 October 2026