Senior Procurement Specialist at the World Bank

The World Bank, a member of the World Bank Group, is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world. Our mission is to fight poverty with passion and professionalism for lasting results and to help people help themselves and their environment by providing resources, sharing knowledge, building capacity and forging partnerships in the public and private sectors.

We are not a bank in the common sense; we are made up of two unique development institutions owned by 188 member countries: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA).

We are recruiting to fill the below position:

Job Title: Senior Procurement Specialist

Ref No: 150797
Location: Monrovia, Liberia
3 years Term Appointment

Background / General Description

• The Africa unit of the Public Integrity and Openness (PIO) Department of GGP seeks to recruit a highly organized, energized and experienced professional, capable of operating effectively in a very demanding fragile, post conflict and capacity constrained environment to serve as the Country Office Senior Procurement Specialist.
• This position is geared to assisting the World Bank staff, Liberia Government and other agencies in implementing World Bank-financed programs by providing critical procurement advice and support.
• The ideal candidate would combine a deep understanding of project procurement in different sectors with a considerable knowledge of the budget execution issues in Liberia.
• S/he will have demonstrated operational and analytic skills and will possess strong knowledge and understanding of project procurement management.
• Fluency in English is required.
• Note: If the selected candidate is a current Bank Group staff member with a Regular or Open-Ended appointment, s/he will retain his/her Regular or Open-Ended appointment. All others will be offered a 3 year term appointment.

Duties and Accountabilities
The Senior Procurement Specialist will:

• Help implement and further develop GGODR activities in Liberia with regard to Public Procurement;
• Work across countries/sectors; be responsible for reviewing and handling the technical, commercial and legal aspects of procurement at all stages of the project cycle, including analysis of systemic and other procurement issues, procurement planning, design, implementation and management, and training.
• Provide operational advice to clients and Bank staff on concepts, policies and procedures for international and local procurement;
• Participate in the country's procurement assessment, prepare background analysis, collaborate on developing appropriate public procurement legislation and practices and tailor instrument to meet specific client needs;
• Negotiate and resolve difficult procurement issues with Borrower agencies and handle questions/complaints from senior officials and contractors on bidding and award issues;
• Play a leadership and advisory role to clients and colleagues in handling complex procurement tasks and issues, which frequently cut across sectors, countries and/or work units;
• Make significant contributions in evaluating and developing improvements to borrower's procurement regulation/practices, including influencing the design, reforms and establishment of national and subnational public procurement systems and strengthening of institutional capacity within borrower entities.

Qualifications

• MA/MS (An advanced degree with a major in relevant discipline (e.g. Engineering, Law, Procurement, Finance, Business or Commerce).
• 8 years state-of- the-art knowledge of the concepts, principles and practices which govern international procurement, the contracting of consultants services, technical specifications in design, engineering and construction of facilities, the development of public procurement policies, etc.
• Seasoned knowledge and specialized command of all major facets of Bank procurement policies and practices as applied across a wide range of Bank lending operational at all phases of the project cycle, and ability to address broader issues at sector/country level;
• In-depth understanding of Bank operational policies and practices related to projects/sector work;
• Knowledge of developing country conditions generally and of procurement-related legislation, systems and practices;
• Good understanding of critical linkages and relationships among clients' business drivers, business operations and objectives and Procurement processes;
• Proven ability to conceptualize, design and implement major projects;
• Ability to promote client commitment to ensuring implementation and longer-term sustainability of projects/programs.

Required Competencies
Procurement Principles:

• In-depth knowledge of the concepts, principles and practices which govern international procurement.
• In-depth knowledge of developing country conditions generally and of procurement-related legislation, systems and practices.
• In-depth knowledge of public procurement methods and practices; procurement laws and regulations, procurement organizational structure, procurement processes, methods, techniques.
• In-depth knowledge of main public procurement policies, procedures, requirements (and their rationale) and documents of international / regional organizations (e.g., UNCITRAL, WTO, EU/US (FTAs), OECD).

Bank Procurement Policies:

• Recognized by peers and/or managers for providing high quality, pragmatic advice to teams on the appropriate use of Bank procurement policies, and procedures. Demonstrated ability to advise teams and sector/country management on application of procurement policies.
• Experienced in providing guidance, advice and/or training on the applicable policy.
• Experienced in providing guidance to task teams in the design and implementation of projects.
• Experienced in providing guidance on how to integrate corporate priorities /concerns into individual operations.
• Conducts risk assessments, ratings and mitigation measures related to procurement (for lending operations and CASs).
• Recognized for providing pragmatic advice to teams to enable mitigation of fiduciary risks.

Procurement Transactions:

• In-depth understanding of procurement planning, methods, and packaging;Strong experience with complex bidding documents, evaluation reports, and contracts.
• Strong ability to identify issues and check for compliance of the specific documents for transactions at all phases of procurement cycle.
• Experience in contract management. Experience in resolving procurement complaints.
• Strong understanding of the linkages between the technical, commercial and financial aspects of procurement.

Procurement Under Bank Financed Operations:

• Seasoned knowledge and specialized command of all major facets of Bank procurement policies and practices as applied across a wide range of Bank lending operations at all phases of the project cycle, and ability to address broader issues at sector/country level.
• Ability to design procurement arrangements and support resolution of issues for complex/multi-sectoral operations.
• Ability to review a broad range of procurement issues and documents in all phases of complex/multi-sectoral operations.
• Ability to develop appropriate follows-up actions for issues identified trough post and prior reviews, and to work with both the internal and external clients on the implementation of the recommended actions.
• Ability to contribute to enhancement of Bank's procurement practices and approaches, to produce best practice documents and develops innovative solutions.

Public Procurement Systems & Reform:

• Experienced in supervising AAA.
• Experienced as peer-reviewer on the AAA across the Bank.
• Experienced in applying public procurement systems assessment tools used by the Bank in the context of standalone assessments/reforms (e.g., CPAR, OECD/DAC) or the UCS piloting program.
• Ability contribute to the preparation of public procurement assessment sections of other PFM reports (CFAA, PER, PEFA).
• Proven ability to collaborate across boundaries with other units involved in public administration reform, namely CMU, PREM, FM, and external development partners in terms of public procurement reform.
• Demonstrated ability to initiate/maintain dialogue with high level officials on procurement reform issues.
• Ability to build alliances around a strategy for public procurement reforms.
• Ability to asses procurement systems and identify gaps.
• Demonstrated ability to design action plans for improvement of procurement systems.
• Strong understanding of the client country (ies) procurement system(s).
• Ability to develop a strategy for reforming public procurement systems (including initiating a dialogue, triggering entry points, identifying the main stakeholders, building alliances around a strategy for public procurement reforms).
• Proven ability to advise the client on the salient features of different procurement systems.

Operational Project Management:

• Takes into account in project design and implementation the key links between the project and its broader context.
• At the technical level, builds consensus and commitment on achieving realistic project objectives/results, and on addressing specific project issues/risks, in an innovative and flexible fashion.
• Manages expectations of key stakeholders including other development partners involved in the same area.
• Able to define results likely to be achievable over project life, balances risk mitigation measures with adjustments to project expected results and/or design, defines pertinent and measurable indicators and monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, continuously monitors key risk evolution and emergence of new risks over project life, and devises pertinent adjustments.
• Ensures that resources for project management are commensurate to the project breadth, and optimizes use of such resources and achieves results expected from him/her within deadlines and budget.
• Demonstrates in depth knowledge and understanding of the project management concepts, as well as of instruments and processes related to project preparation and implementation. Provides on-the-job training and mentoring to less experienced staff.

Lead and Innovate:

• Encourages and works with others to identify, incubate and implement relevant solutions. Identifies opportunities in changing circumstances and energizes others to continuously improve, using intentional strategies to boost morale, team spirit, and productivity in context of WBG's values and mission.
• Helps others to understand problems, client needs and the underlying context.

Deliver Results for Clients:

• Develops and implements solutions that show understanding of how clients and/or own work achieves results that are financially, environmentally and socially sustainable.
• Shares new insights based on in-depth understanding of the client and recommends solutions for current and future needs of clients.
• Holds self and team accountable for risk management and outcomes.

Collaborate Within Teams and Across Boundaries:

• Collaborates across organizational boundaries, internally and externally with a sense of mutuality and respect.
• Consistently engages others in open dialogue, brings out any conflicting viewpoints and incorporates viewpoints into solutions, giving credit where credit is due.
• Leverages expertise of all team members to ensure successful outcomes.
• Makes choices and sets priorities with a WBG corporate perspective in mind.

Create, Apply and Share Knowledge:

• Ensures systematic sharing of good practice and learning from lessons from across WBG, clients, and partners.
• Is known across WBG in their subject area and is sought out by WBG colleagues to advise, peer review, or contribute to knowledge products of others.
• Seeks mentoring opportunities with more experienced staff to deepen or strengthen their professional knowledge and mentors junior staff.
• Builds networks across the WBG and as part of external professional groups/networks.

Make Smart Decisions:

• Applies critical thinking and seeks inputs and experience from others to recommend a course of action consistent with the WBG's strategy.
• Evaluates risk and anticipates the short and long term implications of decisions. Commits to a decision and takes action once a decision has been reached

Application Closing Date
14th May, 2015.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online