Logistics Associate UNFPA Uganda

The Logistics Associate is responsible for effective delivery of logistics and supply chain services, and supports various operational requirements of the CO Operations Unit. He/she analyzes and interprets the admin rules and regulations and provides solutions to a wide spectrum of logistical and supply chain issues.
He/she delivers quality services in logistics to internal and external clients in Procurement, Logistics, and supports the General Administration and Operations in compliance with all relevant rules, guidelines, processes and procedures. S/he takes a client-oriented results-focused approach to interpreting the rules, procedures and guidelines, providing support to the CO and UNFPA-supported projects.
The Logistics Associate works in close collaboration with the Programme and Operations staff supporting both the country office, as well as UNFPA Field Offices across Uganda. The incumbent is expected to provide effective logistical support and work closely with procurement, programme and operations staff in order to ensure programme delivery.
This position will support the country office with procurements, management of shipments, customs clearance, regulatory compliance, import activities and any insurance related matters for management of programme supplies in Syrian county office. The Logistics Associate will also assume the responsibility of liaising with the relevant stakeholders for obtaining facilitation letters for inland shipments and ensuring compliance with the 2018 UNFPA policy on management of programme supplies.

You would be responsible for:
A. Pipeline Monitoring of Shipments and Effective Logistics Management
• Adapts processes and procedures, anticipates and manages operational requirements of programme/project inputs under national execution in terms of personnel, sub-contracts, equipment, fellowships, study tours and other programme and project related events to facilitate programme/project delivery.
Arrange in an optimum manner the shipments and logistics by ensuring the required coordination between the internal PSB teams, UNFPA suppliers (goods and services), freight forwarders, logistics and procurement staff of other UNFPA business units and partners.
• Analyze shipping requests, communicate with CFPs of PSB, country offices, field offices and/or other customers to ensure clarity on product specific shipping, delivery, customs and other regulatory requirements
• Prepare Requests For Quotations for Programme procurement requirements of UNFPA business units (including for third party procurement requests), evaluate the submissions including negotiations with freight forwarders as appropriate;
Liaise with the UN freight forwarders and other logistics partners to identify the optimal shipping and logistics solutions for UNFPA programmes and partners;
• Determine the mode of transportation and make other important logistics decisions such as type of the containers and requirements of time-temperature sensitive products paying attention to the product-specific requirements, the origin/destination’s specific challenges, procedural requirements and the best industry practices;
• Process and issue Freight Purchase Orders in the ERP system of UNFPA ensuring that the most cost effective proposals are selected, delivery dates communicated and followed up on with the CFPs of PSB, Logistics and Procurement Focal Points of the UNFPA business units and customers;
• Maintain and accurately update country and partner-specific information relevant for arranging the shipments and customs clearance details in the designated systems and applications of UNFPA
• Issue freight purchase orders; continuously follow up on and track all deliveries to ensure timely arrivals; in case of changes, inform/update all relevant parties; liaise with the CFPs of PSB and Logistics and Procurement Focal Points of the UNFPA business units or the customers in order to resolve delivery challenges;
Review and validate invoices including liaising with the finance and/or the freight forwarders involved to solve any issues;
• Issue Freight purchase orders in a timely manner further to the receipt of funds and coordinate issues regarding delivery and payment of freight invoices
• Adapt and implement logistics protocols and effective application of UNFPA policies and procedures on logistics management.
• Routinely monitor exception reports for unusual logistics activities and investigate anomalies or unusual transactions. Informs management of the results of the investigations.
• Supervise delivery of effective and efficient logistical support services to UNFPA’s staff and clients across the country.
B. Managing Freight as a Service Vendors and Partnerships
Collect UN Long Term Agreements for freight services and organize them in the most optimal manner for piggybacking by UNFPA;
• Actively participate in logistics and shipping related meetings with the freight forwarders and other UN agencies to address contract performance issues and gaps;
• Actively participate in joint UN / partner activities such as Logistics Cluster in order to identify logistics and shipping solutions for UNFPA through those joint initiatives;
• Actively participate and effectively contribute in developing, improving, integrating the systems and applications used for managing logistics, shipping arrangements, enhancing the visibility of the shipments and reporting;
• Actively participate in joint solicitation processes conducted by the UN for identifying freight service providers and also conduct standalone solicitation processes to identify freight service providers for UNFPA if required;
• In cooperation with the Strategic Procurement Cluster of PSB (Contracting Team) monitor the performance of the freight forwarders with respect to on-time delivery and communication, accuracy and completeness of order tracking data and quality of services provided. Identify freight forwarders’ performance gaps and corrective actions as required
• Track the shipments managed by PSB from origin to destination and assist with the customs clearance processes at destination as required;
In collaboration with the PSB Business Analytics team and the UN freight forwarders, produce and submit regular reports to the UNFPA business units and customers for providing a continuous overview of supply chain operations including volumes, values etc.;
• Facilitate the effective collaboration between the customs clearance agents used by UNFPA business units/ customers and the international freight service providers in order to facilitate timely customs clearance and delivery of the goods;
• Manage logistics and freight-related matters such as damaged and lost shipments per the procedural requirements of UNFPA and coordinate the logistics requirements across the various regional procurement teams of PSB, the suppliers of goods, the freight forwarders, the insurance service providers, the government authorities and other parties as applicable.
C. General Support
• Stand-in for other team members on selected functions as may be required.
• Carry out any other duties as may be required by UNFPA leadership.

Qualifications and Experience:
Education:
• Completed Secondary Level Education required.
• University degree or equivalent certification in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Shipping and Freight, Public or Business Administration, Procurement or related discipline is preferable
Knowledge and Experience:
• Minimum 6 years of relevant work experience preferably in public or private sector procurement, logistics, shipping and freight, public or business administration, commercial or law and related disciplines, preferably in organizations working in international development or public sector institutions is required.
• Experience from non-governmental organizations and non-profit organizations will be treated equivalent.
Note that an Advanced University degree (or equivalent: i.e CPA, ACCA, Jurist Doctor etc) in Procurement, Supply Chain Management/Logistics, Shipping and Freight, Commerce, Business Administration, Public Administration in combination with 4 years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of 6 years of experience.
• Working knowledge of MS Office is required (in particular, applications related to database and data analysis), ERP systems such as PeopleSoft or alternatively Oracle, E-filing system and other software applications is a strong advantage.
• Experience in working with international procurement and logistics, shipping and freight or business operations is required.
• Knowledge of reproductive health related commodities and medical terminology is an asset.
• Logistics, shipping, freight and procurement related Certificates such as CIPS is an asset
• A thorough understanding of the UN system in general, and especially UNFPA mandate, its policies and operations and current development topics and political issues in Uganda will be an added advantage
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team
Languages:
Fluency in English; knowledge of other official UN languages, preferably French is desirable.

Required Competencies:
Values:
• Exemplifying integrity,
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
• Embracing cultural diversity,
• Embracing change
Core Competencies:
• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves, our relationships, and others
• Communicating for impact
Functional Skill Set:
• Innovation and marketing of new approaches
• Organizational skills
• Engaging internal/external partners and stakeholders
• Client orientation
• Job knowledge/technical expertise
• Making decisions and exercising judgment
• Providing logistics and shipping services and support
• Managing information and workflow
• Planning, organizing and multitasking
• Communication and negotiation skills
• Oral and written reporting skills
• Time management skills
• Ability to effectively establish priorities
• Performance management