Procurement Associate at Helen Keller International

Job Responsibilities:

The Procurement Associate will work under the direct supervision of the Senior Procurement and Logistics Officer to carry out the following key responsibilities:

• Procurement Compliance: Procure goods and services in strict adherence to Helen Keller's procurement policies and procedures, as well as donor compliance standards. Maintain comprehensive procurement records, including a supplier database, and uphold the efficiency of procurement processes, ensuring timely and cost-effective outcomes.
• Project Procurement Oversight: Support to oversee and monitor the execution of project procurement plans, employing Strategic Sourcing and Supplier Management strategies. Engage and follow up with relevant staff to ensure seamless project procurement.
• Contractual Management: Support the management of the end-to-end procurement process, encompassing the development and execution of contractual agreements with suppliers. Foster positive relationships within the supplier network, conduct effective negotiations, and oversee contract management. 

Specific Responsibilities:

Procurement Management

• Support to develop and oversee timely procurement plans for the project, ensuring its effective execution. This includes managing processes such as receiving requisitions, organizing RFQs, and handling quotations, bids, and proposals while fully adhering to procurement policies and procedures.
• Manage and supervise sourcing processes, encompassing evaluation, contracting, contract management, legal considerations, payment conditions, performance assessment, and risk analysis.
• Secure the requisite approvals in accordance with established procurement policies and procedures.
• Efficiently procure goods and services, consistently striving to surpass compliance standards while seeking optimal value for resources.
• Ensure strict compliance with organizational and donor policies.
• Coordinate the preparation, evaluation, analysis, and approval of bids and tenders in conjunction with the supervisor, program, and finance teams.
• Record minutes and coordinate the agenda and meetings of the Procurement Evaluation Committee.
• Maintain contact with vendors to ensure punctual deliveries.
• Liaise with requestors to guarantee proper delivery, including conducting technical pre-delivery inspections as needed.
• Issue purchase orders promptly, liaising with vendors and internal stakeholders to confirm orders.
• Maintain copies of procurement-related documents and ensure proper filing procedures are adhered to.
• Keep procurement and contract trackers for the project updated, retaining and filing records as required.
• Generate monthly procurement and contract reports for the project.
• Act as the point of contact for the filing and retrieval of procurement documents.
• Continuously monitor requisitions to ensure adherence to proper procedures and policy enforcement.
• Undertake any other duties as assigned.

Asset Management

• Maintain up-to-date inventory of the project assets and ensure assets are managed according to Helen Keller and donor standard Policies and procedures.
• Ensure all items purchased and received from donors are captured in Asset Panda and tagged before handing over to the end users.
• Ensure asset issue forms are prepared and signed by the end users and file maintained.
• Ensure tags are removed from assets prior to disposal.
• Ensure assets that are approved for disposal are disposed in a timely manner.  Maintain a disposition file.
• Ensure transfer of assets from holding location to assigned location has the relevant approval and the process is documented through the use of Asset Transfer Forms.
• Conduct regular physical verification of asset items on quarterly and semi-annual basis before the general annual verification to confirm availability. 
• Support the Supply operations unit in compiling a list of assets for disposal.
• Draft incident reports for stolen items for review by Supervisor and Ops Manager
• Any other duties as assigned by the supervisor in line with Helen Keller line of duty. 

Success Factor:

The successful Procurement Associate possesses the ability to learn quickly, exercise sound judgment, take initiative, maintain excellent organizational skills, adhere to procedures and deadlines, and pay meticulous attention to detail. She/he upholds high professional work ethics, collaborates effectively with diverse individuals, and ensures compliance with Helen Keller and donor policies. She/he also demonstrates proactivity, creative problem-solving, and a strong commitment to teamwork.

Qualifications Required:

• University Degree in purchasing or related field.
• 2 years’ experience in procurement.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Planning and scheduling skills.
• Experience in a USG or donor funded project or NGO preferred.
• Excellent interpersonal skills; demonstrated ability to interact professionally with a culturally diverse staff, clients and consultants.
• Ability to work independently, take initiative and ability to meet deadlines with attention to detail and quality.
• English fluency including business terminology required.
• Demonstrated intermediate computer skills in Microsoft Office Suite application