Kenya: PROCUREMENT OFFICER

The International Potato Center (CIP) is seeking to recruit a highly skilled, results-oriented Procurement Officer (Buyer Specialist) to provide support for the Senior Procurement Officer.

The Center: CIP is a not-for-profit International Agricultural Research for development with a global mandate to conduct research on potato, sweetpotato, and other roots and tubers and on the improved management of natural resources. Its vision is to emphasize the use of roots and tubers to improve the lives of the poor. CIP seeks to reduce poverty and achieve food security and improve the well-being of poor people in root and tuber farming and food systems of the developing world.

The position: The Procurement Specialist will be responsible for supporting the Senior Procurement Officer to support CIP Regional office to offer effective and efficient procurement and logistics services.

The key responsibilities include the following:

Duties and Accountabilities:

• Identify new suppliers and derivative products by constant market follow up, call for bids and acquire the best suppliers that will guarantee an optimum supply chain.
• Identify and implement alternatives for purchase sources, to minimize costs, time, and warehouse inventory levels.
• Determine purchase strategies to secure a cost-effective long term supply chain.
• Prepare and conduct contract negotiations for medium and large volumes.
• Monitor and control agreements with suppliers, and keep in touch with key contacts.
• Organize and monitor acquisitions, following standard processes and track product flow from origin to final delivery.
• Create and maintain contact with internal customers, in order to assist them with technical queries/ requests, agreed standards and deadlines.
• Process documentation for execution of logistics operations, taking appropriate actions to resolve operational issues.
• Register and maintain logistic database in corporate system for successfully tracking of information.
• Interpret data on logistics elements (supply chain management, strategic sourcing or distribution) for decision making.

Selection Criteria:

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, International Business or related disciplines;
• MUST be a member of a procurement-related professional body such as KISM, CIPS etc;
• Knowledge of suppliers in Agricultural Research activities recommended;
• At least 3 years of experience required in similar position;
• Fluent written and oral communication skills in English and Kiswahili;
• Proficient on MS Excel, Word and Power Point at user level;
• Ability to work under pressure and in a team setting;
• Strong client service orientation and displaying a good-natured cooperative attitude with internal and external clients;
• Knowledge of ERP software’s and administration of products and suppliers master files;
• Knowledge of EU, USAID, DFID, BMGF procurement conditions a plus;

Conditions: This is a Nationally Recruited Staff position (NRS), based in Nairobi, Kenya with occasional regional travel to support project activities. The employment contract will be for a two-year term (with a three-month probation period) with the possibility of renewal, subject to satisfactory performance and availability of funding.

Applicants should apply online through our CIP’s Job Opportunities website (http://cipotato.org/open-vacancies/), including a letter of motivation, a full C.V with the names and contact information of three references that are knowledgeable of the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience. The deadline for receiving applications will be 25th August, 2017. Only short listed candidates will be contacted.

CIP does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing or training). CIP also does not concern itself with information on applicants’ bank accounts.

Learn more about CIP by accessing our web site athttp://www.cipotato.org.