Contract Officer, Köln

Canadian Forces Support Unit (Europe) – Regional Civilian Personnel Office (Europe)

Recruitment Process Number 034-GC-03-25

Are you passionate about procurement and contracts? As part of a support team to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Operational Support Hub Europe (OSHE), based in Köln, you will be collaborating within a team comprising of both military and civilian members. As our new Contract Officer, you will be joining the contracting team to efficiently and accurately process procurement files, ensuring that the right goods and services are procured in a compliant and cost-effective manner. The successful candidate will receive a German employment contract issued by the Regional Civilian Personnel Office (Europe) which is based in Germany. This vacancy has occurred due to an internal transfer within the OSHE. 

 What does a typical week look like?

• Producing compliant and well-organised contracting files.
• Checking that the budget funds from the requesting departments are sufficient to cover the cost of their requested purchase(s). 
• Obtaining quotes for goods and services and ensuring that the bidders are treated in a fair and transparent manner.
• Reviewing quotes for compliance and deviations from contract conditions.
• Advising about best value and making recommendations to your stakeholders (the requesting department).
• Approving and awarding contracts.
• Reconciling payments.
• Maintaining accurate electronic records of contracts.

What qualities do you offer?

• You offer sound expertise in contracting and/or procurement.
• You can successfully and diplomatically serve your customers and supervisors.
• You are competent in using Microsoft Office software and other packages as part of your daily work.
• You have a love of number crunching and managing the finances to ensure that the best standards, cost and delivery schedules are achieved within the budget.
• You thrive on collaboration and teamwork.
• You can communicate tactfully and effectively in spoken and written German & English.
• You work independently and can plan and organise your day to ensure that your work is prioritised appropriately.
  
  

NON-NEGOTIABLE FACTORS HAVING AN IMPACT ON YOUR ELIGIBILITY FOR EMPLOYMENT

 1.             You must be a citizen of a current NATO member country.

2.             You must be willing to undergo a background investigation to obtain and maintain a valid security clearance certificate from your own NATO country (if required for the specific position) and subsequently to obtain and maintain a NATO security clearance.

3.             If your country of citizenship has compulsory military service (conscription) for its citizens, you must have completed your compulsory military service (conscription) as per your country of citizenship’s legislation. If your country of citizenship does not have compulsory military service (conscription) for its citizens, this requirement is not relevant for you.

4.             You must be willing to provide the required documentation to obtain ‘reliability status’.

5.             You must be able to obtain and maintain a criminal record check.

OPERATIONAL & ORGANISATIONAL NEEDS

1.             Willingness and ability to complete mandatory education/training relevant to the position in Germany or Canada and maintain the relevant certification throughout the duration of employment.

2.             For operational or unforeseen business reasons, employees must be willing and able to work from home if requested to do so by their supervisor. However, this position is office based.

THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA ARE CONSIDERED ESSENTIAL

Essential Education: 

• Minimum successful completion of secondary school in combination with successful completion of commercial apprenticeship/vocational training (Mittlere Reife mit abgeschlossener kaufmännischer Ausbildung), or similar level of education obtained through work experience.

Essential Languages:

• Fluent written and spoken English & German are BOTH essential.

Essential Experiences:

• Experience in providing contracting and/or procurement support services.
• Experience using Microsoft Office products (e.g. Teams, Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Publisher or Access).

Essential Skills & Abilities:

• Ability to communicate effectively orally (German & English)
• Ability to communicate effectively in writing (German & English)
• Ability to work independently
• Ability to plan and organize
• Analytical
• Time Management
• Problem Solving
• Teamwork
• Client Service Orientation
• Initiative
• Integrity
• Thoroughness

-If your initial application does not clearly evidence how you meet all the ‘essential education', 'essential languages' and 'essential experiences' criteria, it cannot be considered and it will be rejected.-

-Therefore, it is important that your CV and/or motivation letter are up-to-date and that they clearly evidence all the ‘essential education', 'essential languages' and 'essential experiences' as outlined above.-

-The 'essential skills & abilities' will be assessed later on in the recruitment process via an online written assessment and an online pre-recorded video interview.-

THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA ARE CONSIDERED TO BE AN ASSET (DESIRABLE)

• Experience working with the armed forces of a NATO member country

• Experience using SAP (or DRMIS)

•  

  Ability to communicate in any other European languages of a NATO member country

 Evidencing how you meet the ‘asset’ criteria will add further value to your application.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

·          Your application must include a valid email address and you must ensure that this address is functional and monitored at all times and accepts messages from unknown users (some email systems block these types of email). It is the candidates' responsibility to inform us of a change of contact information during the course of this selection process. Failure to respond in a prescribed timeframe may result in elimination from this process.

·          You may be assessed using one or more of the following tools: written assessments (online or in-person), interviews (pre-recorded video, Microsoft Teams or in-person), reference checking, and other assessment tools.

·          Your overall conduct and communications, including email correspondence and telephone calls, throughout the entire process may be used in the assessment of qualifications.

·          Achieving the pass mark on any of the stages/assessments used does not guarantee you will move forward in the selection process. Management may decide to use a score that is higher than the pass mark on any of the evaluations used throughout the selection process.

·          Appointments are based on merit, which is achieved when the person appointed meets the essential qualifications for the work to be performed, and consideration has been given to:

·          Any additional or desirable (asset criteria) to perform the work or for the organisation, currently or in the future;

·          Any current or future operational requirements; and/or

·          Any current or future organisational needs.

·          Costs associated with assessment, obtaining documentation to achieve reliability status or relocation will not be paid for or reimbursed by the employer (i.e. travel or any other associated costs/fees)

·          Lateral (internal) transfers are possible within the organization, and these individuals will be given preference in the staffing process.

·          As part of the application process, you will be expected to upload valid evidence of your legal/official entitlement to work in Germany. Please note that the Canadian Forces Support Unit (Europe) does not sponsor or arrange any work permits directly or indirectly. Furthermore, we do not arrange or cover any costs for relocation

·          Only applications submitted in English will be considered.

- You are kindly asked to apply officially via the official way only -

- Applications received via any other method will not be considered as valid -