The Market Development Facility (MDF), an Australian Government funded initiative, aims to:
- Create additional employment and income earning opportunities for poor women and men through broad- based and sustainable pro-poor growth;
- Improving the competitiveness and growth potential of rural and urban sectors of the economy in which the poor are involved as producers and workers;
- Trigger lasting, 'systemic' changes in the markets systems around these sectors to reduce constraints to growth and to increase their capacity to innovate and deal with competitive, regulatory, social and environmental pressures, so that the benefits for the poor will sustain and expand in time.
The Facility is committed to implementing a systems approach to stimulating pro-poor growth:
- Rather than working with the poor directly, the Facility will seek to develop partnerships with players in the private and public sectors with the ability and leverage to trigger lasting systemic changes that create broad-based, sustainable pro-poor growth.
- With each partner, the Facility will design and negotiate detailed action plans, which include clear financial and resource commitments, to arrive at appropriate, innovative and sustainable solutions.
- Sector players take the lead in implementing and the Facility's role is limited and short-term.
MDF is a multi-country facility implemented by Palladium and currently operational in Fiji, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka and Timor-Leste. Each country has its own Country Team (CT) on the ground. A Core Leadership Team (CLT), led by the Team Leader, works across all MDF partner countries to ensure uniformity and integration of approach and systems across countries. MDF can be scaled up to support further market development activities in-country and activities in additional countries as needed.
Assignment Objectives:
The Central Procurement and Contracting Specialist supports MDF countries to develop and amend service contracts and ensures adherence of all members of the MDF team to the procurement processes and procedures as specified in relevant MDF manuals, which ensure that the Facility meets its contractual and legal obligations and is compliant with Australian Government Commonwealth Procurement Rules, Palladium and DFAT requirements. The role is an essential support function, with support, capacity building and oversight components.
The Central Procurement and Contracting Specialist also maintains a database of all Short-Term Advisers, international and local expert panels, lists of prequalified individuals established by MDF to support technical implementation, service contracts, tasking notes, country office leases and insurance policies. The Central Procurement and Contracting Specialist signals when contracts expire or when other actions are required.
The Central Procurement and Contracting Specialist reports to the Operations Manager.
Specific Responsibilities:
General
a) Ensure that the MDF procurement system is clear, comprehensive and consistent with Australia’s Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines and conducive to a flexible program implementation approach.
b) Ensure measures are in place and followed to prevent misuse, inappropriate, or nonâallowed use of funds and ensure MDF personnel comply with Fraud and Corruption guidelines.
c) Ensure that the MDF procurement system and manual operate within Palladium’s Procurement Policy and Guidelines.
d) Ensure that an annual review of the MDF Procurement Manual is undertaken and that all revisions are communicated across the Facility.
e) Provide advisory and capacity-building support to MDF staff regarding procurement and contracting processes and guidelines.
f) Immediately report any suspicious behaviour to the Operations Manager and Team Leader/Deputy Team Leader.
g) Where required, support establishment of fully functional offices in advance of country team arrivals in MDF countries.
Procurement of Goods and Services
a) Work with Country Representatives and Operations Administrators in all MDF offices to ensure the annual quotation exercise to select preferred suppliers for regularly purchased goods and services (purchased outside of an established contractual relationship) is undertaken during the first quarter of every financial year. This includes:
- Identifying regularly purchased goods and services valued at less than AU$2,000
- Supporting development and distribution of the Request for Quotation materials
- Reviewing the evaluation of submissions to ensure adherence to MDF procurement policy and processes
- Conducting sample audits on supplier documentation
b) Review and make recommendations on all Procurement Requests valued at AU$2,000 or more to ensure that MDF procurement policies and processes have been adhered to and that supporting documentation is complete and correct.
Procurement of Contracted Services
a) Support CTs throughout procurement of contracted services processes (STA, subcontractors, service contractors, panel members), including the development of scopes of work, seeking vendors, assessing proposals, awarding contracts, and ensuring delivery of required works or services.
b) Develop and coordinate the approval process of contracts/service agreements and tasking notes, as required.
c) Ensure that MDF procurement policies and processes have been adhered to, that the appropriate reviewers/stakeholders are included in the contract development process and that supporting documentation is complete and correct.
d) Review and make recommendations on all contracts valued at AU$2,000 or more to ensure that MDF procurement policies and processes have been adhered to and that supporting documentation is complete and correct.
e) Maintain a central database of MDF STAs, subcontractors, service contractors, panel members), Panel members and other pre-qualified individuals (eg editors), including contract start and end dates, TORs, CVs, references and police clearance certificates.
Insurance Policy Procurement and Management
a) Work with Country Representatives and Operations Administrators in all MDF country offices to ensure coverage is complaint with Head Office requirements, and that the annual quotation exercise to select preferred suppliers for required insurance services is completed at least one month before the expiry of all current contracts
b) Work collaboratively with Operations Administrators to ensure all MDF country office insurance policies, claim forms and process information are current, accurate and are filed locally and centrally.
c) Develop, maintain and monitor a Facility-wide office Insurance policy tracker.
Office Lease Management
a) Work collaboratively with Country Representatives, Operations Administrators and Palladium to ensure any new lease agreements are undertaken in compliance with MDF procurement policies and processes, are reviewed and approved by Head Office, and that supporting documentation is complete and correct.
b) Work collaboratively with Operations Administrators to ensure all MDF country office leases and bond payment information are current, accurate and are filed locally and centrally.
c) Develop, maintain and monitor a Facility-wide office lease and bond tracker.
d) Work collaboratively with Country Representatives and Operations Administrators and Palladium to ensure any required lease terminations and/or new leases are managed effectively.
Asset Management
a) Work collaboratively with Operations Administrators to ensure all MDF country asset registers are up-to-date and accurate by reviewing them monthly.
b) Actively monitor asset procurement, transfer, donation and disposal to ensure all required documentation to support asset register data is accurate and available.
c) Provide assets information for insurance purposes as required.
d) Provide advisory and capacity-building support to MDF staff regarding ongoing management of assets, including documentation of required maintenance and disposal for all MDF offices.
e) Maintain and monitor Facility-wide and local assets registers.
Other duties
a) Perform other related duties as required, which are deemed necessary as directed by the Operations Manager
Selection Criteria
- At least a Bachelor Degree in a relevant discipline, business administration preferred
- Experience and demonstrated competence with DFAT procurement systems and processes
- Demonstrated understanding and implementation of the Commonwealth Procurement Rules and DFAT Fraud Control guidelines and policies
- Contractual and commercial acumen - supplier assessment, selection, negotiation, and vendor management
- Ability to support procurement projects - cost down, vendor rationalisation, introduction of new processes etc.
- Excellent teamwork, high level interpersonal, negotiation and conflict resolution skills, and the ability to mentor less experienced staff
- Strong working knowledge of MS Office programs
- Excellent command of both verbal and written English
- Strong attention to detail and accuracy within all aspects of work
- High level planning, multi-tasking and time management skills
- A high degree of personal initiative, enthusiasm for the work, strong organisational skills and the ability to work with minimum supervision in a multi-cultural environment
- A police clearance certificate
Application Requirements:
Applications should be emailed to [email protected]. Please quote ‘MDF Central Contracting and Procurement Specialist’ in the subject line. Positions are open to Pakistani nationals and permanent residents with authority to live and work in Pakistan. Rates of pay are based on local labour standards.
The deadline for submission of applications, including an up-to-date CV, is 1st September 2017.