Procurement Specialist

Procurement Specialist / Category Manager

Job #:
req25055

Organization:
World Bank

Sector:
Procurement

Grade:
GF

Term Duration:
3 years 0 months

Recruitment Type:
International Recruitment

Location:
Washington, DC,United States

Required Language(s):
English

Preferred Language(s):
English

Closing Date:
12/11/2023 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank consists of two entities the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA).It is a global development cooperative owned by 189 member countries. As the largest development bank in the world, the World Bank provides loans, guarantees, risk management products, and advisory services to middle-income and creditworthy low-income countries, and coordinates responses to regional and global challenges. Visit

Unit Overview:

The Corporate Procurement Unit is responsible for the procurement of goods, works and services (including consulting services) to support the WBGs 130+ offices around the world. Corporate Procurement manages an annual spend around USD 2B with around 25,000 vendors. The team has staff located in Washington, DC, Chennai, India and Sofia, Bulgaria. Corporate Procurement utilizes category management to achieve better outcomes, improved quality, greater savings, efficient use of resources, a better understanding of the market, and an increased focus on collaboration and innovation.Corporate Procurement focuses on three key principles: Commerciality, Risk Management, and Environmental, Social, and Governance outcomes. Categories of spend include: i) Corporate Services and Real Estate; ii) Human Resources and Professional Services; and iii) Technology. To learn more about Corporate Procurement, visit: CP website.

Roles & Responsibilities:

The Procurement Specialist (Category Manager) position is located at the Corporate Procurement in the Corporate Services and Real Estate (CSRE) team located in Washington D.C. This position reports to the Senior Procurement Specialist (Head of Category), who in turn reports to the Chief of Corporate Procurement.

Responsibilities include being a trusted business partner to client on all matters related to sourcing and shall undertake all sourcing activities from strategy development through contract award, support in contract administration to contract close out.

The position for the CSRE team requires in-depth knowledge of sourcing of services real estate.

The category includes sourcing high performing contracts for architectural and engineering services, cost estimation services, construction works, project management services, etc. as well as establishing framework agreement for furniture fixtures and equipment etc.

Key accountability for this position includes:

Leads category and sourcing initiatives for corporate real estate services for offices across the world.

Understands clients needs, prepares procurement plans, designs innovative solutions for complex solicitations for high value, high risk services.

Undertakes internal analysis for demand projections, explores areas of synergies with other related programs, uses category knowledge to propose improvement in service delivery format, pricing format etc.

Conducts market research for current and emerging market trends, identifies sources of supply; analyzes financial reports (cash flow statements, income statements, balance sheets) of major corporations, takes a keen interest in industry benchmarks across international markets.

Possesses expert level understanding of commerciality and can demonstrate achieving value for money through strategic planning, solicitation, and negotiations.

Possesses good understanding of risks, analyses service risk as well as vendor risk and works with business partners to mitigate risks through sourcing and managing risk during category management.

Maximizes positive impact on sustainability through the sourcing process and category management.

Prepares category strategy which incorporates internal demand, market opportunities and industry trends.

Prepares and presents complex sourcing projects to WBGs leadership for review and approval.

Collaborates with business partners in sustainability, legal, risk, data privacy, office of information security, etc. as projects are prepared, sourced, and managed.

Provides category related guidance to teams located in Washington DC and offices worldwide.

Prepares solicitation documents, criteria for pre-qualification and evaluation, reviews technical specifications for completeness, errors, omissions, and competitive qualities.

Conducts pre-proposal conferences, leads review of responses.

Negotiates contract terms and conditions and manages negotiation process for technical specification and finalizes contracts for award.

Conducts debriefing for dispute and protest.

Resolves contractual issues, supports clients in monitoring vendor performance and timely delivery and quality of services, expedites delivery as appropriate.

Undertakes contract administration to ensure compliance with WBG policy and contract terms. May provide guidance and direction to project managers on contract management issues.

Performs any other job-related instructions, as requested, with reasonable accommodation.

Work implies frequent interaction with the following:

WBG staff at all levels, typically Business Unit Managers, Country Directors and Managers, Chief Administrative Officers, Legal Counsels, Resource Managers, Administrative Procurement Review Committee Members, and Project Task Leaders etc.

Supplier representatives typically heads of companies and VPs, account managers, sales representatives, and commodity specialists, and technical representatives etc.

Due to the requirements of the job, this position may require frequent adjustments to the work schedule created by the time zone difference with many of the clients it supports and may also involve a limited amount of travel.

Selection Criteria

Masters degree or equivalent combination of education and experience. Recognized professional certifications (e.g., CPSM, CIPS) or courses would be highly desirable.

Minimum 10 years of relevant experience in working in multicultural environments would be highly desirable.

Minimum of 10 years of experience in real estate and construction category as a category manager which could also include experience as a construction project manager or construction project engineer. Experience should include category management, conducting procurement for architectural and engineering services, cost estimation services, construction works, project management services, etc. as well as establishing framework agreement for furniture fixtures and equipment etc.

Knowledge of international procurement practices and understanding application of public & private sector procurement procedures and processes.

Ability to make impactful presentation to senior leadership about category strategy and sourcing programs.

Proficiency in program leadership and ability to influence change by bringing industry leading practices.

Extensive experience in developing category strategy incorporating industry benchmark, understanding of sources of supply, market trends, pricing, etc.

Proven excellence in negotiating skills, including negotiating complex contract terms and conditions (e.g., international regulations, technology issues, data privacy, indemnification, intellectual property, cultural issues, assignment, contract termination, etc.).

Knowledge of operations research and quantitative methods approaches to measure supplier capacity and systems to produce and deliver goods and services as proposed.

Proven project management and dispute resolution skills.

Demonstrated strong interpersonal and analytical capabilities and logical problem-solving skills, and ability to structure data and assign resources effectively, monitor implementation and deliver results in line with project goals.

Ability to translate theory into practical applications in the context of Bank Group work.

Ability to proactively manage the work program and portfolio, contribute to team responsibilities and manage client expectations.

Proven Project Management skills with extensive experience in managing multiple related projects to ensure the overall program is aligned and directly supports the achievement of strategic objectives.

Excellent leadership skills coupled with strong communication and interpersonal capabilities.

Ability to give knowledge-based guidance to more junior staff and to participate in multi-disciplinary teams.

Ability to deal sensitively in a multicultural environment and build effective working relationships with clients, colleagues, and other stakeholders.

Experience with MS Office applications and proficiency of technology and/or systems relevant to the functional area (e.g., SAP, R3, Admin Portal) is desirable.

General Competencies:

Demonstrates in depth knowledge and understanding of project management concepts, as they relate to the implementation of complex, multi-functional projects in varied geographical and economic conditions.

Ability to lead complex and strategically important negotiations.

Superior communication skills in English (verbal, written, and comprehension), and ability to resolve interpersonal conflict.

Ability to function effectively in multi-disciplinary teams within a matrix management environment, as well as an individual contributor.

Strong client service orientation.

Other language skills would be an asset.

World Bank Group Core Competencies

The World Bank Group offers comprehensive benefits, including a retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; and paid leave, including parental leave, as well as reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.

Learn more about working at theWorld BankandIFC, including our values and inspiring stories.

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