VA033-2026 Procurement Officer (NOA) Damascus
Organizational Context
Syria faces significant humanitarian needs, with millions affected by food insecurity and displacement. Declining funding necessitates resource optimization and value for money. A strong procurement function is crucial for timely, cost-effective acquisition of essential goods and services to support emergency response, recovery, and resilience activities in this complex environment.
Job Purpose
The Procurement Officer will lead and manage procurement activities in Syria, ensuring the timely, compliant, and cost-effective acquisition of food commodities, non-food items, services, and operational requirements. Operating in a complex and resource-constrained environment, the role is vital for driving value for money, ensuring supply continuity, mitigating risks, and maintaining operational efficiency to support WFP's emergency response, recovery, resilience, and social protection interventions. The incumbent will provide technical leadership on procurement strategy, sourcing, and contract management, while also strengthening procurement capabilities among WFP staff and partners to support Syria's recovery and the transition to more resilient systems.
Responsibilities
The Procurement Officer in Syria is responsible for leading and managing all procurement activities to ensure the timely, compliant, and cost-effective acquisition of essential goods and services. This includes food commodities, non-food items (NFIs), and operational requirements that support WFP's emergency response, recovery, resilience, and social protection initiatives. Operating within a complex and resource-constrained environment, the role focuses on driving value for money, ensuring supply continuity, mitigating risks, and enhancing operational efficiency. The Procurement Officer provides technical leadership in procurement strategy, sourcing, contract management, and supplier engagement. They also play a crucial role in strengthening procurement capabilities among WFP staff, cooperating partners, and other stakeholders, contributing to Syria's recovery and the development of resilient systems. Key responsibilities include managing end-to-end procurement processes, leading negotiations, developing procurement strategies, ensuring compliance with WFP policies, preparing reports, supporting audits, and managing supplier relationships. The role also involves leading the presentation of procurement cases to committees, serving as a system focal point, and contributing to emergency preparedness and response efforts. Additionally, the officer provides leadership and technical oversight to junior staff, fostering professional development and ensuring high-quality service delivery.
Work Experience
The role requires an advanced university degree in a relevant field or a first university degree with additional years of experience. A professional certification in Procurement and Supply Chain management is highly desirable. Candidates need at least one year of experience with a master's degree, or three years with a bachelor's degree, in procurement, contract management, or supply chain management. Experience leading complex procurement portfolios and managing teams is essential. Fluency in English and Arabic is required.
Skills
Procurement, Contract Management, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Negotiation, Data Analysis, Reporting, Audit Support, Stakeholder Coordination, Training Delivery, Team Leadership, Emergency Preparedness, Risk Management, Supplier Relationship Management