Buyer (Reserve List)

Pending Budget Approval

This requisition will lead to the establishment of a reserve list exclusively for the position of Buyer within NATO IS. Appointments from this list will be made solely based on business needs and the emergence of suitable vacancies.

1. Summary

The Office of Financial Control (OFC) is responsible for the management of financial and budgetary control systems for several NATO entities, primarily the NATO International Staff (IS) and its civil budget. Within the Procurement Service, the incumbent is responsible for a wide range of procurement transactions and executes the Procure-to-Pay order processes, as well as the upstream sourcing process from internal end‑user intake through tendering and/or direct contract, as applicable. The incumbent is also responsible for the demand intake; correct and timely actions and operational support for their respective category; for troubleshooting supplier delays in executing purchase orders and delivering products and services.

2. Qualifications and Experience

• Possess higher secondary education qualification with 4 years post‑related experience in procurement services, non‑manufacturing, or public sectors, OR upper vocational training/post‑secondary degree in a discipline relevant for this position with 2 years of experience in procurement services, non‑manufacturing, or public sectors;
• Have experience as a buyer or procurement associate, preferably in a multinational or International Organisation;
• Have experience with the use of standard Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems such as Oracle E‑Business Suite (EBS) or SAP/R3 systems;
• Demonstrate strong interpersonal skills and ability to communicate and work with internal customers and external suppliers;
• Possess the following minimum levels of NATO's official languages (English/French): V (Advanced\") in one; and II (Elementary\") in the other.

The following would be considered an advantage:

• Be at least Level 2 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) / Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) certified or possession of an equivalent level of qualification granted by a national professional association or academic institution;
• A degree or formal training in one of the following domains: commerce, trade, purchasing, contracting, or supply chain;
• Experience with current sourcing and procurement technologies.

3. Main Accountabilities

Financial Management: Provide guidance on the procurement process. Ensure that proper financial procedures are followed and that invoices are properly tracked. Follow up on activities to ensure that financial files are correctly processed and maintain records of all financial transactions.

Knowledge Management: Collect, categorise, and track relevant information required for various tasks, projects, and procurement actions. Support the Head of Procurement in documenting and maintaining the related internal control systems and procedures. Execute all procedures for purchases made by Procurement Service.

Stakeholder Management: Negotiate on commercial terms and pricing with suppliers as needed. Liaise with internal clients across International Staff (IS) and NATO Agencies for the clarification of requirements and the coordination and execution of procurement actions. Maintain contacts with external suppliers.

Expertise Development: Provide first‑level support for the accounts payable escalations related to payment issues. Proactively develop skills in areas such as planning and organising, the best practices in relevant industrial sectors, general procurement best practices and new technology, NATO official languages and effective communication.

Perform any other related duty as assigned.

4. Interrelationships

Reporting Line: The incumbent reports to the Senior Procurement Officer (Team Leader).

Interactions: They work closely with colleagues of the Procurement Service. The incumbent also liaises with internal clients across IS and NATO Agencies. They also liaise with external suppliers when directed.

Direct reports: N/A

Indirect reports: N/A

5. Competencies

• Achievement: works to meet standards.
• Analytical Thinking: sees basic relationships.
• Clarity and Accuracy: checks own work.
• Conceptual Thinking: sees patterns based on life/work experience.
• Customer Service Orientation: takes personal responsibility for correcting problems.
• Empathy: reads non‑verbal cues and understands meanings.
• Impact and Influence: takes multiple actions to persuade.
• Initiative: is decisive in a time‑sensitive situation.
• Teamwork: co‑operates.

6. Contract

Contract to be offered to the successful applicant: Definit