Contract Officer (m/w/d)

European Southern Observatory (ESO) • Other • Garching • 1m ago

Within the Directorate of Administration, the Contracts and Procurement Department is responsible for and executes the procurement process. This is done within the framework of the Organisation's policy for awarding contracts for supplies and services as specified in the Financial Rules and Regulations and in the ESO Procurement Rules and Regulations. Our dynamic and highly multicultural department consists of 18 staff members, 9 of which are based in Garching.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

As part of the Contract and Procurement (CP) Department, you will be responsible for the management of the entire procurement cycle for a very broad range of goods and services, from items and services of common use for the Headquarters to technical and scientific equipment and services for construction, operation and maintenance of ESO's Observatories. You will work in close collaboration with the Divisions, Departments and Project Teams of ESO HQ to identify and implement the most efficient procurement solutions in compliance with the procurement rules and regulations of the Organisation. In particular you will:

Review and discuss with the requesters the requests for purchases (including the requirements contained therein) to determine their adequacy and completeness and the appropriate procurement strategy;
Identify the suppliers capable to supply the requested goods and services;
Prepare the tendering documentation including the contract terms and conditions and coordinate and document the procurement process through evaluation of the tenders, negotiation of the terms and conditions with the bidders where appropriate and award of the orders/contracts;
Participate as the procurement representative in project teams;
Prepare documentation for the Organisation's governing bodies with regard to the procurements that you are involved in;
Participate in the follow-up of orders/contracts. This includes the participation in meetings, both internal and with the respective contractors, held under major ongoing contracts, and the provision of expert guidance, advice and support regarding any related commercial and contractual matters as required; and
Participate, as required, in the development of procedures and practices for procurements within the Organisation.

The above responsibilities are not exhaustive and a flexible approach and willingness to adapt to unexpected needs is required.

Reports to:

Head of Contracts and Procurement Department.

Key Competences and Experience

Essential Competences and Experience:

At least five years of experience in a procurement role of a similar level of responsibility, of which at least three years were gained in public procurement;
Very good consultancy skills including a collaborative attitude, taking initiative, establishing credibility and acting resourcefully;
Excellent communication skills, being able to discuss and clarify with the requesters the requirements, market conditions and procurement strategies on a tactical level in an efficient and constructive way;
Ability to communicate with others on different levels including senior managers;
Positive and flexible attitude to look into solutions for the presented problems taking into account the rules and boundaries of the Organisation;
Ability to anticipate and solve complex problems in a timely manner;
Sound judgment to challenge constructively and balance the requester's needs in relation to the ESO rules and regulations;
Good sense of judgment as to when cases need to be discussed with or escalated to a more senior level;
Good knowledge of MS Office;
Experience working with an ERP system (MS NAV, SAP, Oracle, etc);
Ability to work in an organised and accurate manner;
Ability to work autonomously after training and to contribute to a positive team spirit.

Desirable Competences and Experience:

Recent experience in a similar procurement role in an international setting which includes a proven record of managing and delivering complex procurement projects and/or services;
Experience in a similar procurement role in a technical environment;
Ability to understand technical and operational issues at a general level, i.e. why a product or service is needed and what the consequences are if it is not on time and of in the right quality, etc;
Experience working with an electronic tendering tool.

Qualifications:

Bachelor of Applied Science degree or equivalent diploma in Procurement, Business Management, Business Engineering, Economics or Law.

Language skills:

Full command of English (written as well as spoken). Knowledge of Spanish would be an asset.

Remuneration and Contract:

We offer an attractive remuneration package including a competitive salary, comprehensive pension scheme and medical, educational and other social benefits, as well as financial help in relocating your family and the possibility to place your child/children in daycare.

Our Salary Structure

ESO's salary structure is based upon a range of career paths which reflect the nature and level of our jobs. Each career path is made up of two or three grades which are used to further reflect experience.

Please follow this attached link for more details https://www.eso.org/public/jobs/conditions/intstaff/salary-structure/

ESO aims to support members of personnel in maintaining a good work-life balance (https://www.eso.org/public/jobs/conditions/intstaff/#work-life-balance) between their professional and private life. ESO is also committed to offering family-friendly support (https://www.eso.org/public/jobs/conditions/intstaff/#family-friendly-support), creating a work environment and policies which allow staff to balance their professional and private responsibilities through flexible working arrangements and financial support for families.

The contract is for a fixed term duration of three years, and is subject to successful completion of the probation period. For any further information, please visit ESO's conditions of employment. Please note that the contract policy and in particular the regulations concerning fixed-term and indefinite contracts are currently under review which may lead to changes in the c ontractual conditions applicable to this position.

Duty Station:

Garching near Munich, Germany with occasional duty trips to all ESO sites in Chile.

Career Path: IV

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