National Procurement Officer

JOB DETAILS

Type of contract : Service Contract

Level :  SC8

Hiring Unit : Sector For Administration and Management (ADM)

Duty Station : Yangon

Work location : On site

Duration of contract : 12 months Initial three (3) months probationary period; renewal subject to satisfactory performance and availability of funds. 

Hiring open to : External candidates

Application deadline (Midnight UTC+7 Time) : 16/11/2026

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

Only candidates who have the right to live and work in Myanmar may apply for this position.

BACKGROUND

Under the overall authority of the Regional Director of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Regional Office in Bangkok and Office for UN Coordination for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCO Bangkok), and reports to the Head of the Project Antenna Office in Yangon, the incumbent will work closely with, and under the direct supervision of the Senior Operations Officer. The National Procurement Officer will coordinate and support procurement, contract management and administrative processes, ensuring effective coordination, and advising management on procurement and operational matters in compliance with UNESCO rules, regulations, and procurement procedures. The incumbent will be in charge of conducting procurement processes to support programme and operational implementation for the UNESCO Project Antenna Office in Yangon. 

Major Duties and Responsibilities

Working closely with and under the functional guidance of ADM/OPS, the incumbent will carry out the following roles and responsibilities:

1. Coordinate procurement planning, and support quality assurance, effective coordination and monitoring of compliance with procurement policies, rules and regulations. Review procurement and contract requests and supporting documents and submissions by requesting units to ensure completeness, accuracy, consistency and procedural compliance with organizational procedures, and support the overall administration of procurement activities within the Programme.

2. Develop, implement and maintain a Procurement Plan and design, monitor and update work plans and schedules for on-going and new procurement and contracting requirements, in consultation with requesting units, programme teams and administration and finance unit.

3. Review and verify the procurement requirements and support the acquisition, delivery, monitoring, and contract management of goods, services, works, materials, supplies, and equipment in accordance with programme needs and organizational procurement policies and procedures.

4. Coordinate and administer solicitation process, including preparation and issuance of solicitation documents, arrangement of publication of procurement opportunities, clarification processes, facilitation of bid/proposal receipt and evaluations, and participation in supplier/vendor negotiations, when duly authorized as appropriate.

5. Provide secretariat and technical support to evaluation committees and procurement review processes, facilitate consistent application of the approved evaluation criteria, ensuring fairness, transparency, consistency of evaluations, and achievement of best value for money in accordance with procurement policies and procedures. Review draft evaluation reports and recommendations for completeness, internal consistency and procedural compliance prior to contract award.

6. Review procurement and contract requests prepared by Programme staff to ensure completeness, correctness, and adequacy; promote fair, transparent, and competitive procurement processes; Conduct market research and supplier-market analysis, assist requesting units in selecting appropriate procurement approaches and provide advice and guidance on competition, sourcing, procurement risks and value-for-money considerations and other relevant procurement guidelines.

7. Provide technical guidance and capacity-building support to programme and operational staff on the application of established procurement and contracting procedure, including procurement planning,  market analysis, budget estimation, appropriate solicitation and relevant procurement methods and routine contract-management requirements, . Escalate high-value, high-risk procurements or exceptional cases to the supervisor and the relevant organization units.

8. Prepare and maintain procurement-related documentation, including solicitation documents, draft contracts, amendments, purchase orders, communications, reports, guidelines, instructions, and other procurement records.

9. Analyze procurement requirements across the Office and identify common needs, aggregation opportunities, and categories suitable for framework agreements, collaborative procurement or joint UN procurement, and translate the analysis into appropriate sourcing strategies.

10. Maintain procurement and contract tracking system and database to monitor contractual compliance, supplier performance, delivery schedules, contract milestones and required follow-up actions; identify cases potentially requiring amendments, extensions or corrective action, submit relevant information and analysis to the supervisor and authorized officials for decision and prepare periodic and ad hoc procurement reports, including lessons learned and recommendations for process improvement.

11. Develop and maintain working relationships with UN organizations, government counterparts and other relevant partners on procurement matters, including joint and collaborative procurement activities.

12. Carry out additional activities that may be required to ensure the success of the work team.

DURATION OF ASSIGNMENT

The Service Contract assignment is for 12 months, with initial three (3) months probationary period.

Extension of the Service Contract is subject to satisfactory performance, continued need of the services/tasks and availability of funds.

COMPETENCIES - Core (C) & Managerial (M)

• Communication (C)
• Accountability (C)
• Innovation (C)
• Knowlegde sharing and continuous improvement (C)
• Planning and organizing (C)
• Results focus (C)
• Teamwork (C)

   

  For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

Bachelor’s degree or Advanced University Degree (Master’s or equivalent) in Procurement, Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Economics, Logistics, Public Administration, Contract Management or a related field.

WORK EXPERIENCE

•    Minimum two (2) years with a Bachelor’s degree or less than two (2) years with a Master's degree. Proven relevant professional experience in planning and managing procurement processes, including sourcing, solicitation, tendering, bid evaluation, contract administration, supply chain management or a related filed.
•    Demonstrated experience in ensuring compliance with procurement policies, rules, regulations, and procedures within national and/or international organizations.
•    Experience in preparing or reviewing procurement documentation, such as procurement plans, market research, solicitation documents, evaluation records, purchase orders, contracts, and procurement-related reports.
•    Experience in supporting programme implementation through timely acquisition of goods, services, and works.
•    Experience in coordinating with internal and external stakeholders, including supplier/vendors, partners, and project teams.
•    Knowledge of public procurement or United Nations procurement principles, including competition, fairness, transparency, integrity and value for money.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

•    Excellent organizational, communication and interpersonal skills.
•    Ability to work independently within established procedures, manage multiple assignments on delegated tasks and to meet deadlines
•    Excellent drafting and report writing skills, including ability to prepare clear procurement documents, correspondence and reports.
•    Ability to review documentation carefully and identify inconsistencies, missing information and procedural risks.
•    Excellent ICT skills with proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams)
•    Strong analytical, creative thinking and problem-solving skills.
•    Ability to work well with team members across different functions and activities.
•    Ability to work efficiently under pressure and in a multi-cultural environment.
•    Ability to work effectively with diverse groups of professionals toward common goals.
•    High sense of responsibility, accountability and willingness to take initiative and to seek guidance on exceptional or complex cases.
•    Demonstrates integrity, discretion and professional conduct by modeling the United Nations values and ethical standards.

LANGUAGES

•    Excellent knowledge of English and Myanmar (written and spoken).

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

•    Additional training or professional certification in procurement, supply chain management, contract management or a related field. A CIPS qualification or recognized UN procurement training would be an advantage.

WORK EXPERIENCE

•    Minimum four (4) years with a Bachelor's degree or two (2) years or more with a Master's degree.
•    Experience working with the United Nations, or an international organization, a development partner, a non-governmental organization or a donor-funded programme.
•    Experience managing complex procurement processes, including high-value and competitive bidding exercises.
•    Experience using Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) or procurement management system.
•    Experience supporting procurement activities under government, multilateral, or donor-funded projects.
•    Experience conducting market assessments and procurement risk analysis.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

•    Familiarity with UN programming policies and procedures. 
•    Working knowledge of results-based and budget management tools.
•    Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. 
•    Knowledge of international procurement principles, best practices, and ethical procurement standards. 
•    Ability to manage multiple procurement actions simultaneously and meet deadlines. 
•    Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and procurement-related reporting tools.

LANGUAGES

  •    Basic knowledge of an additional language from the Asia-Pacific region will be an advantage.
  •    Knowledge of other official UN languages (i.e. Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish) will be an advantage.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Interested and qualified applicants are invited to submit through UNESCO Careers website:
•    a cover letter;
•    a full resume (stating details of educational qualifications and work experience, present income, home and office contact addresses, email address, telephone numbers and three references) or UNESCO CV (Form HR 5-1).

Please note that applications received after the deadline will not be accepted. 

Only short-listed applicants will be contacted.

SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information, by the above deadline.

To apply, please visit the UNESCO Careers website. No modifications can be made to the application once submitted. 

The process may include pre-recorded video interviews and/or written assessments, interviews with a Panel, as well as reference checks. In addition, candidates may be requested to provide additional information which may be pertinent to the position’s qualifications.  

Please note that all candidates, whether selected or not, will be informed of the outcome of their application in due course. 

Short-listed candidates may also be added to Talent Pools; subject to their consent (i.e. Data Privacy Statement).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• UNESCO recalls that paramount consideration in the appointment of personnel shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, technical competence and integrity.
• UNESCO applies a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of harassment.
• lndividuals from minority groups and indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.
• All applications will be treated with the highest level of confidentiality.
• The statutory retirement age at UNESCO is 65 years.
• UNESCO does not charge a fee at any stage of the hiring process.