Business Support Assistant (Vendor Management) G5, Damascus

WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles.

Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis, and we are committed to promoting diversity and gender balance.

All applications should be received no later than 13 October, 2020.

This position is open to Syrian or Syrian/Palestinian nationals, or holders of a work permit and residency in Syria. 

Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract (FT-G5)
Duration: 12 months 
Duty Station: Damascus
Number of required employees: 1

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide.  The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes.  Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need.
In Syria, WFP provides food assistance to more than 4.6 million people each month. This includes families who require emergency assistance when affected by conflict and displacement and also those who need help to improve their nutrition and food security. WFP supports children across Syria with healthy meals and snacks at school, mothers with nutritious diets, and families and communities with sustainable livelihood projects.

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide.  The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes.  Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need.

The Business Support Assistant (Vendor Management) will work in the Logistics Contracting, Supply Chain and in collaboration with the other units in WFP. The incumbent will be responsible for the administration of Vendor Management (VM) systems in line with interagency standards and industry best practices.

Supervision received: This post is based in Damascus and is under the direct supervision of the Head of Logistics Contracting in Supply Chain Unit.

The Supply Chain Division is deploying a special effort for streamlining the management of its Vendor base in order to maintain an always effective and efficient supply of the needed food, goods and services, including logistics and cash transfer services, through an increased quality control of its Vendor sourcing and their management in order to further reduce operational risks. 

1. Providing guidance on new vendor registration procedures and ensures processes are known and understood
2. Maintaining proper communication channels and working relations within the different process stakeholders including Food Procurement, Logistics, Food Safety and Quality Unit and Vendor Management Committee Members
3. Ensuring proper communication with prospective vendors is maintained
4. Ensuring specific vendor issues are analysed and tackled as needed
5. Contribute in vendor performance recording improvement 
6. Contribute in updating and improving vendors’ guidance and policy documents, including vendors’ selection criteria and registration procedures
7. Process and manage routine administrative and financial tasks in various functional areas to contribute to the effective and timely management of resources 
8. Manage and maintain records and databases, to ensure information is organised and readily available for staff. 
9. Maintain relationships with a range of individuals through provision of business support to assist in information sharing and service delivery to staff. 
10. Proof-read reports, documentation, correspondence, etc., making changes in line with established guidelines where appropriate. 
11. Contribute to the improvement of business procedures and processes. 
12. Collect and perform basic analysis of data to contribute to quality business information management. 
13. Provide guidance to junior colleagues in performing their duties. 

Education: Completion of secondary school education. A post-secondary certificate in the related functional area is desirable.

Experience: Four years of relevantworking experience.

Language: Fluency in oral and written communication in Arabic and In English. 

Two years of experience in the administration of legal and financial documents.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Knowledge of specialised common business practices and methods, gained through relevant technical training and experience.
• Ability to develop and maintain relationships with a range of individuals in order to provide a high quality support service.
• Ability to carry out basic data analysis and independently rectify problems requiring attention.
• Ability to monitor and record financial transactions.
• Good communication skills required to give and receive information and work with a variety of individuals.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.

Purpose

• Understand and communicate the Strategic Objectives: Helps teammates articulate WFP’s Strategic Objectives.
•  Be a force for positive change: Suggests potential improvements to team’s work processes to supervisor.
•  Make the mission inspiring to our team: Explains the impact of WFP activities in beneficiary communities to teammates.
•  Make our mission visible in everyday actions: Articulates how own unit’s responsibilities will serve WFP’s mission.

People

• Look for ways to strengthen people's skills: Trains junior teammates on new skills and capabilities.
•  Create an inclusive culture: Seeks opportunities to work with people from different backgrounds.
•  Be a coach & provide constructive feedback: Serves as a peer coach for colleagues in same area of work.
•  Create an “I will”/”We will” spirit: Tracks progress toward goals and shares this information on a regular basis with supervisor.

Performance

• Encourage innovation & creative solutions: Explores ways to consistently be more efficient and accurate in own areas of work and shares new methods of work with colleagues.
•  Focus on getting results: Focuses on getting results and tracks trends in completion rates for own tasks to identify opportunities for efficiency.
•  Make commitments and make good on commitments: Takes responsibility for own tasks and notifies supervisor as soon as possible of potential delays in meeting deadlines or commitments.
•  Be Decisive: Independently decides what action to take when faced with critical choices in the workplace or in dangerous situations in the field.

Partnership

• Connect and share across WFP units: Suggests opportunities for partnering with other units to supervisor.
•  Build strong external partnerships: Identifies opportunities to work with colleagues and partners in the field towards common goals.
•  Be politically agile & adaptable: Develops an understanding of the value of WFP’s teams and external partners in fulfilling team’s goals and objectives.
•  Be clear about the value WFP brings to partnerships: Aligns own activities with supervisor’s priorities to fulfill internal and external partner needs.
   

Please upload your professional CV in English in PDF format making sure to include the following in terms of “Experience”:

• Company/Organization name and scope of work of the organization
• Exact Position Title
• Contract type: part-time, full-time, volunteer, consultant, or freelancer
• Start and End date of Employment for each position: From (dd/mm/yyyy) to (dd/mm/yyyy)
• Responsibilities: To mention the main responsibilities that highlight your gained skills and experience
• A proof of your experience will be required in the final stage of recruitment.

Only short-listed candidates, who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised position, shall be contacted.
Candidates must get an auto confirmation email once application is submitted.

If any of the below links do not work by clicking on it, please copy and paste it in the browser address bar:

Internal candidates: https://performancemanager5.successfactors.eu/sf/jobreq?jobId=125901&company=C0000168410P

External candidates: https://job-listing.wfp.org/sfcareer/jobreqcareer?jobId=125901&company=C0000168410P

Qualified female applicants are especially encouraged to apply

WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.

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.