Senior Procurement Officer at Helen Keller International

Helen Keller International is a global health organization dedicated to eliminating preventable vision loss, malnutrition and diseases of poverty. Cofounded by Helen Keller and guided by her fierce optimism and belief in human potential – the organization delivers life-changing health solutions to vulnerable families where the need is great but access to care is limited. In the US, Africa, and Asia, Helen Keller’s proven, science-based programs empower people to create opportunities in their own lives and build lasting change.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Senior Procurement Officer

Location: Abuja (FCT)

Background

• The USAID Advancing Nutrition implements and provides technical support to nutrition interventions across sectors and disciplines for USAID and its partners. The project’s multi-sectoral approach draws together global nutrition experience to design, implement and evaluate programs that address the root causes of malnutrition. Committed to using a systems approach, USAID Advancing Nutrition strives to sustain positive outcomes by building local capacity, supporting behavior change and strengthening the enabling environment to save lives, improve health, build resilience, increase economic productivity and advance development.
• The overall purpose of the project in Nigeria is to provide technical support to the Government of Nigeria, and other nutrition stakeholders and generate evidence to enhance nutrition programming toward achieving the overall goal of improving nutrition for a healthy, productive, and resilient Nigeria.

Scope of the Position

• The Senior Procurement Officer will lead the procurement of commodities and services for the USAID-funded Advancing Nutrition project. The Senior Procurement officer will report to the Chief of Party, with dotted-line reporting and communication to Helen Keller Global Grants & Contracts unit. The position is expected to work closely and coordinate with the Helen Keller colleagues in the Nigeria country office and field offices, regional office, and headquarters offices, as well as any other staff assigned to support the project. Regular communication and a spirit of teamwork among colleagues is essential to this position.

Job Responsibilities

• Establish, lead, and implement procurement processes to support activity implementation for the project, from initial sourcing through delivery and in accordance with USAID Acquisition rules and regulations, and Helen Keller Intl policies. This involves the process of overseeing competitive solicitation and selection vendors, negotiation of contracts, forecasting demand, and managing the fulfilment of supply.
• Ensures all procurements are implemented with highest integrity, transparency, and competitively, and in accordance with Helen Keller’s Code of Conduct and Ethics Policy.
• Serve as in-house project team expert on procurement under USAID Acquisition, including working knowledge of the Federal Acquisition Regulations, the USAID Acquisition Regulations, U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, and local laws. Understand and comply with Helen Keller Procurement Manual and templates, and internal review and approval procedures.
• Work with Chief of Party and technical leads to prepare a Procurement Plan to maximize efficiency and coordination in the procurement of goods and services.
• Coordinate with project team members, both operations and technical, to identify procurement needs and timelines, providing timely feedback and updates to project teams on progress of their procurements and organizing regular meetings as needed to troubleshoot and review best practices.
• Prepare and issue procurement solicitations based on approved purchase requisition and in accordance with Helen Keller policies. Manage and oversee receipt of offers, ensuring confidentiality of all offers until such time offers are evaluated by bid evaluation committee.
• Identify evaluation committee members, with Chief of Party approval. Coordinate committee members to attend committee meetings, conduct proper evaluation of offers, and document discussions and decisions following Helen Keller templates.
• Prepare and issue procurement contracts, in Helen Keller templates. As applicable, negotiate contract terms with vendors
• Support purchase requestor in overseeing the receipt of goods/services from vendor, ensuring requestor completes the required Goods and Services Received Note. Document any errors with the vendor and maintain follow-up action items.
• Work collaboratively with the purchase requestor and accounts payable team to analyze invoices to ensure payment is made against confirmed/accepted goods and services and at cost matching procurement contract.
• Provide coaching and mentoring for project staff in understanding and following required procurement procedures, roles and responsibilities.
• Travel to field-based offices to provide support, training, and oversight of procurements in those offices. Support a structured reporting structure with field-based staff and ensure all field-based procurements are conducted in accordance with Helen Keller policies and USAID regulations.
• Ensure robust documentation of all procurements and maintain all procurement documentation in organized file system.

Education

• Required: Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent related experience.

Experience:

• Required: 8+ years of experience in managing donor-funded project procurement and operations, with minimum 5 years managing procurement under USAID Acquisition (e.g. contracts) funded projects.
• Required: Working knowledge and experience with USG Regulations, including Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), USAID Acquisition Regulations (AIDAR), U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), and others.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Knowledge of sourcing and procurement strategies, tactics, processes, procedures, and systems.
• Proficiency with Procurement Systems and Sourcing tools. Strong ability to develop and use management and tracking systems for procurement.
• Experience supervising staff
• Capacity building/facilitation skills
• Proficiency in spoken and written English required.
• Experience in cross-cultural work environments
• Ability to work under pressure in fast-paced environment.

Competencies:

• Adaptable, creative, collaborative and able to think strategically.
• Critical thinking and technical expertise - uses logic and methods to solve complex business problems, seeing hidden problems, decision making effectively under pressure.
• Purpose driven and outcome focused - moving roadblocks, tackling difficult problems and is action oriented.
• Operate as a nimble learner - knowing personal strengths, weaknesses and limits, has a growth mindset.
• Committed to continuous improvement and willing to develop new skills over time.
• Keen customer focus on internal/external Impeccable negotiation and problem solving skills
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and rapport building.

Physical Demands:

• Ability to travel to and work in UAN project states- Bauchi, Kebbi and Sokoto

Terms & Conditions

• This is a local posting in Nigeria, and as such, is subject to local terms and conditions.

Application Closing Date
22nd October, 2021.