Consultant Procurement, CST II, Addis Ababa Ethiopia

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

12 June 2026-23:59-GMT+03:00 East Africa Time (Addis Ababa)

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ABOUT WFP

The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity, for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

At WFP, people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse, committed, skilled, and high performing teams, selected on merit, operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment, living WFP's values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves.

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WHY JOIN WFP? 

• WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

• WFP offers a highly inclusive, diverse, and multicultural working environment.

• WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship, and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities.

• A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country, regional and global offices around the world, and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe.

• We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section of this vacancy announcement).

CONTRACTUAL INFORMATION

Position: Procurement Officer

Grade: Consultant Level 2
Type of Contract: Regular Consultant

Unit: Supply Chain
Duty Station (City, Country): Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Duration:11 months

Reporting line: Head of Procurement

Only Open to Non-Ethiopian nationals

Background and Purpose
The Ethiopia Country Office (ETCO) is one of WFP’s largest operations, managing complex, high-volume procurement of food commodities (including cereals, pulses, and processed foods), goods, and services under delegated authority.
Current operational demands—driven by increased procurement volumes, emergency response requirements, evolving market conditions, and heightened audit expectations—require strengthened technical capacity in food procurement and market-based approaches.

The role is established to:

• Ensure continuity and efficiency of large-scale food procurement operations across diverse commodity categories, including manufacturers and local suppliers
• Lead implementation of Local and Regional Food Procurement Policy (LRFPP) and sourcing from local markets and smallholder farmers
• Support cash-based transfer (CBT) and market-based programme delivery through effective procurement and market engagement
• Strengthen compliance, internal controls, and audit readiness across procurement activities

Objectives of the Assignment
The Procurement Officer will deliver the following strategic outcomes:

• Ensure timely, compliant, and cost-effective procurement of food commodities (including cereals, pulses, and processed/manufactured food items) aligned with WFP rules and operational timelines
• Strengthen local and regional food sourcing pipelines, including engagement with smallholder farmers and food manufacturers
• Support pre-positioning and supply readiness strategies (GCMF and country-level pipelines)
• Support cash and markets (CBT) programming through market analysis, supplier engagement, and procurement inputs
• Enhance audit readiness, documentation quality, and traceability of all procurement actions
• Ensure effective coordination of food procurement for emergency and regional operations

Key Responsibilities
A. Strategic Food Procurement Leadership (Core Focus)

• Lead end-to-end food procurement across commodity categories, including cereals, pulses, and processed/manufactured food products
• Develop and implement sourcing strategies covering traders, aggregators, and food manufacturers to ensure supply reliability and value for money
• Act as focal point for LRFPP implementation, driving increased sourcing from local and regional markets
• Develop and implement annual food procurement plans, including smallholder farmer engagement and structured sourcing from manufacturers
• Design sourcing strategies based on market intelligence, seasonality, price trends, and supply risk analysis

B. Procurement Operations and Contract Management

• Manage high-value and time-sensitive procurement actions from requisition to contract award and delivery monitoring, with emphasis on food supply continuity
• Ensure all procurement processes fully comply with WFP Goods and Services Procurement Manual and delegated authority framework
• Lead complex evaluations and contracting for bulk commodities and processed food suppliers
• Strengthen contract management practices, including performance monitoring, delivery compliance, and contract amendments where required

C. Market Development, Cash & Markets (Secondary Focus)

• Conduct market assessments and supply chain analysis to inform both in-kind food procurement and CBT interventions
• Support cash-based transfer (CBT) programming, including:
• Retailer and supplier mapping
• Market functionality assessments
• Input into FSP/retailer selection processes (as required)
• Expand and maintain a diverse supplier base, including traders, smallholder suppliers, and food manufacturers
• Support market strengthening initiatives to improve availability, quality, and price competitiveness of food commodities in local markets

D. Compliance, Risk Management, and Audit Readiness

• Ensure strict compliance with WFP procurement rules, procedures, and internal control frameworks
• Enforce end-to-end documentation standards, including complete audit trails for PRs, solicitations, evaluations, contracts, and POs
• Identify, assess, and mitigate procurement, market, and supplier-related risk
• Lead or support responses to internal and external audit queries, ensuring accuracy and timeliness
• Contribute to continuous process improvement and compliance strengthening initiatives

E. Cross-Functional Coordination and Operations Support

• Coordinate closely with Programme, Logistics, Finance, Supply Chain, and external stakeholders to ensure alignment between procurement, pipeline, and programme delivery requirements
• Support regional and cross-border procurement coordination, including South Sudan and other pipeline commitments
• Contribute to emergency preparedness, contingency planning, and surge response procurement

F. Capacity Strengthening and Team Support

• Provide technical guidance, coaching, and supervision to procurement staff
• Develop and deliver training on procurement processes, compliance, and best practices
• Strengthen knowledge management, documentation practices, and process improvement initiatives

5. Deliverables
By the end of the assignment, the Procurement Officer will deliver:

• Continuity and stabilization of food procurement operations across commodity categories, with no pipeline disruptions
• Timely completion of priority food procurement actions (including manufacturers and local sourcing) aligned with operational requirements
• Strengthened LRFPP implementation, with measurable increase in local and regional sourcing volumes
• Demonstrated support to CBT/market-based activities, including market assessments and supplier engagement
• Fully audit-ready procurement files, with complete documentation and traceability
• Reduced backlog of procurement cases and improved processing timelines
• Functional procurement tracking and reporting tools supporting pipeline visibility and decision-making
• Strengthened capacity of procurement staff and stakeholders

Minimum Qualifications and Experience

Education: Advanced University Degree in Supply Chain Management, Public Administration, Business Administration, Economics, Law or Social Sciences. or other related field, or First University degree with two additional years of related work experience.

Experience
•Minimum 5–6 years of progressive procurement experience
•Demonstrated expertise in food procurement (including cereals, pulses, and/or processed food commodities)
•Experience in market-based programming (CBT) and/or market analysis is an added advantage
•Experience in emergency or cross-border procurement operations preferred

Language: Fluency in both oral and written communication in English.

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

 

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Click here to access WFP Leadership Framework

 

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

 

WFP is committed to supporting individuals with disabilities by providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation, please contact:  global.inclusion@wfp.org

NO FEE DISCLAIMER

 

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REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

• All applications must be submitted exclusively through our online recruiting system. We do not consider CVs or applications sent by email, LinkedIn, or any other channel.

• We strongly recommend that your Workday profile is accurate and complete, and that all sections are filled in, including your employment history, academic qualifications, language skills, and UN grade (if applicable). Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.

• If you experience technical issues while submitting your application, you may contact us at global.hrerecruitment@wfp.org. Please note that this email is only for technical issues with an application - unsolicited applications or documents sent to this inbox will not receive a reply.

• At the application stage, the only required documents are your CV and Cover Letter. Additional documents (passport, certificates, recommendation letters, etc.) may be requested later in the process.

• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the recruitment process.

All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

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.