Assistant Supply Officer; Proximity Sourcing Specialist

Assistant Supply Officer (Proximity Sourcing Specialist)

The Proximity Sourcing project, a UNHCR supply chain innovation, aims to source Core Relief Items (CRIs) from suppliers located near final beneficiary destinations, minimizing transit times, costs, and environmental impact in emergency responses. This initiative responds to escalating global displacement crises, affecting over 120 million people, by prioritizing local and regional markets in high-need areas like Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and South Asia.

Traditional long-haul procurement often faces delays from global disruptions, high freight costs, and carbon-intensive logistics; the Proximity approach builds resilient, shorter supply chains compliant with UNHCR's humanitarian principles, UN sustainability goals (e.g., SDG 13 on climate action), and local content policies. The incumbent will support this project within UNHCR's Global Supply Chain, conducting targeted market research to identify viable local CRI suppliers and enable faster, greener aid delivery.

The purpose is to support the Proximity Sourcing project by conducting comprehensive market research to map CRI suppliers within certain proximity to key operational destinations, facilitating localized procurement that cuts delivery times and boosts economic inclusion for host communities. The scope covers research design, data collection/analysis, supplier validation, and recommendations for an initial portfolio of Proximity suppliers across priority countries.

Key activities and measurable outputs include:

• Complete market scans for CRI categories in target regions, delivering detailed reports, identifying potential suppliers with verified capacity (output: supplier database with profiles).
• Analyze proximity feasibility (e.g., quality, pricing, compliance), achieving given match rate to UNHCR technical specifications and recommending suppliers for pilot tenders.
• Engage stakeholders with virtual/in-person assessments, producing a Proximity sourcing strategy with projected impacts like lead time reduction and cost savings per CRI shipment.
• Track progress via bi-weekly updates, culminating in a final evaluation report to quantify supplier viability against benchmarks.
• Support Project Coordinator to collect and harmonize inputs for donor reporting.
• Support Project relevant teams to prepare capacity building materials and other relevant tools for field engagement.
• Support the preparation of field visits to potential suppliers' facilities.

Performance will be monitored through the achievement of agreed project milestones and the timely delivery of assigned outputs, including:

• Completion of market research and supplier mapping activities in accordance with the agreed workplan and project priorities.
• Preparation of market assessments, supplier profiles, analytical reports and recommendations to support Proximity Sourcing implementation.
• Timely support to supplier engagement activities, field missions and technical assessments, as required.
• Effective coordination with internal and external stakeholders to collect, validate and consolidate project information.
• Timely preparation of inputs for donor reporting, project documentation and capacity-building materials.
• Delivery of assigned tasks in accordance with agreed timelines, quality standards and supervisor guidance.

The educational background required for this position includes Bachelor's/university degree (or equivalent) in relevant fields such as Supply Chain, Procurement, Business Administration, Public Administration, or Law. Candidates with a first-level degree may be considered if they have additional relevant experience. Professional certifications in procurement are highly desirable and can enhance a candidate's qualifications for this role.

The Assistant Supply Officer (Proximity Sourcing Specialist) position requires a minimum of 1 year of relevant work experience for candidates with a Bachelor's degree, or no experience with Graduate degree; or no experience with Doctorate degree. Relevant experience should be in public-sector procurement, supply chain management, or related fields, with a strong emphasis on international experience. Candidates should have demonstrated experience in conducting procurement reviews and managing complex procurement processes, particularly in the context of fundraising.

This is a full time assignment with 40 working hours per week and the successful candidate will be based in Budapest, Hungary.