Procurement Assistant (G6/1) – 9‑month consultancy

About the role

The Procurement Assistant will support requisitioning units throughout the full procurement cycle, from preparing solicitations to closing case files and processing payments. This is a 9‑month consultancy based at the Economic Commission for Africa office in Addis Ababa.

Key responsibilities

• Review, record and prioritize complex purchasing requests, assisting requisitioners with scopes of work and specifications.
• Identify suitable sources, interview potential suppliers and prepare tender documents such as Invitations to Bids, Requests for Proposals and Requests for Quotations.
• Compile and analyse offers, abstracts and quotations to determine the best value based on cost, quality, delivery time and other factors.
• Negotiate terms and conditions of orders under the guidance of Procurement Officers and obtain necessary supplier information.
• Prepare draft contracts and agreements in consultation with relevant departments and submit them for approval.
• Raise Purchase Orders, ensure fund obligations and maintain internal procurement databases and files.
• Research market sources, retrieve vendor information and draft correspondence related to procurement activities.
• Resolve issues related to delivered goods, including discrepancies between purchase orders and received items.

Required profile

• Experience reviewing and prioritising purchasing requests and preparing procurement documentation.
• Ability to conduct supplier interviews, prepare tender documents and analyse offers.
• Familiarity with negotiation processes and contract preparation under supervision.
• Knowledge of procurement manuals, funding source verification and internal database maintenance.
• Strong organisational skills to track contractual agreements and support requisitioners.

Required skills