Procurement Officer (Temporary)

About the role

The Procurement Officer (temporary) is based in the Regional Office for Central America and the Caribbean (ROPAN), Division for Operations, of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Panama City. Working under the direct supervision of the Chief Procurement Officer and the overall supervision of the Regional Representative, the incumbent coordinates, supports and oversees the procurement function across the Latin America and the Caribbean region, including ROPAN, the Regional Office for the Andean Region and the Southern Cone, the Country Office in Mexico and the Country Office in Brazil. The position is open for 364 days and depends on the availability of funding.

Key responsibilities

• Serve as a senior procurement and contracting expert for complex supplies and services, leading and supporting procurement work in the LAC region
• Oversee staff in the Procurement Hub and advise Buyer teams across the covered offices
• Plan, develop and manage procurement and contracts for complex projects, including infrastructure and major construction, in line with building codes, regulations and safety requirements
• Ensure compliance with UN Financial Regulations and Rules and collaborate with other UN entities through common working groups
• Coordinate procurement functions between ROPAN, ROCOL, COMEX and COFRB, harmonize delegation of authority thresholds and distribute workload equitably
• Liaise with requisitioning programmes and project teams, review requests and technical specifications before publication, and advise officials and buyers throughout the procurement cycle
• Develop complex contracts, issue and manage international tender invitations, evaluate tender responses, recommend awards, and sign orders up to the authorized limit
• Conduct negotiations, resolve disputes, and build supplier capacity and regional procurement guidance
• Monitor corporate dashboards, implement enterprise tools such as Ariba and the Procurement Tracker, and oversee Low Value Acquisition and Long-Term Agreements
• Deliver procurement training, prepare reports, monitor audits, and supervise procurement staff

Required profile

• Advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in business administration, commerce, law, engineering, architecture, civil engineering or a related field; a first-level degree plus two years of qualifying experience may be accepted
• Professional certification in supply chain such as CIPS Level 4 or equivalent, to be uploaded with the application
• Minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in procurement and contract management
• At least two years of experience with construction projects, including architectural and construction services, is desirable
• Experience managing a team within the UN or another international organization is desirable

Required skills

• Knowledge of international procurement standards, contract law and complex procurement issues
• Use of ERP systems; experience with SAP (Umoja) and e-tendering solutions such as Ariba is desirable
• English and Spanish at UN Level II in reading, writing, listening and speaking