Purchasing & Research Analyst - Entry Level at the Place (Smackers Limited)

The Place - We are a fast growing, world class, and dynamic, multi-billion Nigerian conglomerates, established and managed by a team of professionals with decades of management consulting and accounting experience/ training from Arthur Andersen (now KPMG in Nigeria). We are a profitable player in the QSR sector of the Hospitality industry in Nigeria with great prospects and staff strength of over 1000 employees. Currently, our operations span across 17 locations in Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria, with rapid expansion plans to penetrate more locations in the short to medium term.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Purchasing & Research Analyst 

Location: Lagos 
Job type: Full-time
Industry: Agriculture, Procurement, Supply Chain

About the Role

• We are looking to employ Research & Sourcing personnel who will play a key role in building our direct farmer engagement and strategic sourcing capabilities.
• This opportunity involves in -dept market research, Frequent travel across Nigeria and cultivating strong supplier relationships to ensure a reliable and cost-effective supply of agricultural products.

Key Responsibilities
Farm source Research:

• Identify potential farms, cooperatives, aggregators, and agricultural suppliers.
• Build and maintain a database of verified farm sources.
• Research crop availability, harvest periods, production capacity, and regional supply trends.
• Conduct background checks and supplier assessments.

Market Intelligence:

• Monitor market prices for agricultural commodities.
• Analyze supply-demand trends and seasonal changes.
• Track competitor sourcing activities and procurement benchmarks.
• Prepare procurement research reports and recommendations.

Procurement Support:

• Assist procurement teams in vendor selection and sourcing decisions.
• Support negotiation preparation with data and pricing analysis.
• Coordinate supplier documentation and onboarding processes.
• Ensure suppliers meet quality and compliance standards.

Field and Stakeholder Engagement:

• Communicate with farmers, cooperatives, and rural suppliers.
• Conduct field visits when necessary to verify production capability.
• Build strong relationships with agricultural stakeholders.

Data and Reporting:

• Maintain procurement records and sourcing databases.
• Generate weekly/monthly sourcing and market reports.
• Use Excel or procurement software for analysis and tracking.  

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of a Second Class (upper division) Bachelor’s Degree in Agricultural Extension, Agricultural Economics, Crop management science, Supply Chain Management, Economics or related fields.

Required Skills:

• Strong research and analytical skills
• Knowledge of agricultural supply chains
• Vendor sourcing and procurement understanding
• Good communication and negotiation skills
• Microsoft Excel and reporting skills
• Attention to detail
• Ability to travel for field research when required

 Familiarity with:

• Agricultural procurement
• Farm sourcing
• Commodity trading
• Supply chain research.

Remuneration
Our remuneration is very attractive and includes our profit-sharing scheme.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online