Procurement Manager at Creative Associates International

Creative Associates International is a fast-growing, social impact company that specializes in the areas of education, economic growth, democratic transitions, and stabilization in post-conflict environments. Based in Chevy Chase, Maryland, this global development organization has a field presence is more than 25 countries and a strong client portfolio of that includes the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department. Since its founding in 1977 by four enterprising women, Creative has earned a solid reputation among its clients and is well-regarded by competitors and partners alike. Creative Associates International has been working in Nigeria for more than a decade to support education programs in Nigeria.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Procurement Manager

ID: 2022-2362
Location: Abuja
Category: Procurement
Reporting & Supervision: Reports to the Senior Manager Operations with a dotted line relationship to Creative HQ Procurement.

Project Summary

• Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development and in close partnership with federal partners and select Nigeria States (designated as legacy [Bauchi and Sokoto], launching and technical assistance), the five-year Leveraging Education Assistance Resources in Nigeria (LEARN) project will support sustainable improvements in reading outcomes for first and second grade pupils.
• The goal of LEARN is to strengthen and scale early grade reading (EGR) best practice by ensuring that standards-based, context-appropriate assessment, materials, training, and administrative supports needed to improve literacy skills for P1-2 pupils are embedded within the federal policy, funding, and monitoring frameworks, and state and local authorities have the implementation protocols, capacity, and resources to carry out and sustain standards-based, data-driven EGR reform.
• The project objective is to instill ownership in and build capacity of school-community, local, state, and federal systems to establish a base for adequate, consistent data-driven funding, monitoring and performance that increase the equity, inclusion, and wellbeing necessary to achieve sustained EGR gains.
• LEARN will therefore be building on lessons learned from prior Nigeria reading programs to introduce a flexible, cost- efficient EGR intervention model that can be tailored to state contexts.

Position Summary

• The Procurement Manager will be responsible for reviewing overall procurement processes to ensure compliance with Creative policy and procedures, tracking procurement of goods and services through the procurement cycle, ensuring that adequate competition is achieved for procurements, providing regular procurement mentoring to project staff to support project implementation, and coordinating with Creative HQ Procurement.

Primary Responsibilities

• Establish, lead, and implement procurement processes and logistics to support activity implementation for the project, strictly following all rules and regulations including:
  • Creative Procurement policies and procedures
  • ADS (Automated Directive System)
  • FAR (Federal Acquisition Regulations)
  • CFR (U.S. Code of Federal Regulations)
  • AAPD (Acquisition & Assistance Policy Directive)
  • Local Nigerian Law
• Manage procurement and logistics team
• Train and mentor staff in procurement policies and process.
• Work with Project Technical team to prepare the annual Project Procurement Plan is to maximize efficiency and coordination in the procurement of goods and services.
• Conduct market research for each type of procurement and maintain a data base of vendors and items commonly needed by the project.
• Determine the most reasonable and expeditious process for procurement in compliance with Creative policies and procedures and USAID regulations.
• Prepare and issue solicitation documents based on approved requisition received.
• Responsible to provide clarifications to all vendors when is required. Also, prepare and issue solicitation modification when is applicable.
• Responsible for ensuring confidentiality throughout procurement and vendor selection process.
• Facilitate the evaluation process for each solicitation according Creative’s procurement policy.
• Ensure proper documentation of the selection of vendors using the Creative’s official templates.
• Lead negotiations with vendors.
• Responsible for the drafting, negotiating, issuing and management of Purchase Orders, Purchase Order Agreements, Short-term Technical Assistance Consultancy Agreements, Fixed Price Service Agreements, and subcontracts.
• Verify quality and quantity of products according to the agreement and/or needs of the beneficiary, community, and/or Project ensuring proper documentation of the delivery.
• Process requisitions for procurement and invoices in ReQlogic.
• Review all payment requests and make sure that all the required forms are appropriately and consistently filled out and requested before being submitted to finance.
• Ensure procurement files comply with Creative’s policies and procedures and uploaded into project database.
• Prepare procurement reports on monthly basis.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management, Procurement or Logistic; Master’s Degree preferred;
• At least five years’ management experience with project implementation, managing logistics and procurement, preferably in Nigeria; minimum of three years working in international development;
• Solid understanding of donor regulations and procedures pertaining to acquisitions;
• Experience with automated purchasing systems such as ReQlogic;
• Demonstrated ability to perform complex tasks and to prioritize multiple projects;
• Ability to analyze budget line items for compliance with budget guidelines;
• Proven records maintenance and database management skills; and
• Speaking, writing and reading fluency in English required.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.