Procurement Officer at Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA)

The Procurement Officer will oversee and conduct the Activity’s procurement operations in Nigeria. She/he will play a pivotal role in leading the procurement process, ensuring integrity, fairness, openness, and adherence to CNFA policies, procedures, and controls. The position requires relevant work experience in the field of procurement and contracting across a variety of industry sectors, contract management, dispute resolution, managing interpersonal relationships and communication, and investigating/following up on vendor issues. The Procurement Officer will be responsible for overseeing and ensuring that complete procurement related backup documentation is provided prior to submission to the Finance Team. She/he will oversee solicitations, and price/cost/reasonability analyses.

This position works with all project components and stakeholders to meet the procurement needs of the Activity. The Procurement Officer will report directly to the Deputy Chief of Party and is based in Abuja.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Ensure the smooth implementation of procurement activities of the Activity per USAID and CNFA policies and regulations.
• Lead and/or oversee procurement processes including, drafting/reviewing Request for Proposals (RFPs) and Request for Quotes (RFQs), managing the RFP/RFQ process, conducting bid reviews, analysis, and evaluations, drafting procurement contracts, and reviewing contract deliverables.
• Prepare Sole-source, Selection Memos, Purchase Orders, Subcontracts and Blanket Purchase Agreements.
• Prepare modifications to documentation based on adjustments made during the procurement process.
• Prepare complete backup documentation for procurement purchases and submit to the Activity’s Finance Team.
• Support the management of the Activity’s inventory and asset register.
• Ensure all project assets are tagged and recorded in the asset register.
• Conduct regular reviews of procurement related backup documentation to ensure completeness, accuracy, and compliance.
• Confer with vendors and suppliers (local, regional, and international sources) to obtain product or service information such as price, availability, and delivery schedule.
• Obtain estimate value of goods and services through multiple quotations from reliable and competitive suppliers.
• Verify detailed tender specifications and performance standards with the technical and operations teams to facilitate procurement of equipment, goods, and services in strict compliance with the approved policy.
• Perform regular spot checks of procurement files using audit tools.
• Ensure that appropriate measures are in place to prevent and/or detect incidence of fraud.
• Organize procurement selection meetings (“Technical Evaluation Committees”) to consider tender applications against approved technical specifications and with due regard to market price, cost, quality, and speed of delivery as well as economy of operations.
• Help other project staff become more familiar with, and understand, project policies and procedures related to procurement.
• Ensure procurements are approved by the required CNFA/Project authorities, and/or client approvals are received before awards and payments are made.
• Manage the distribution of office supplies and other items.
• Through market research efforts, identify and qualify potential suppliers and service providers. Ensure that ethical, transparent, and appropriate supplier relationships are created and maintained according to procurement policies.
• Ensure that all office equipment is maintained and is in good working condition.
• Ensure procurement files are maintained physically and electronically, in an orderly and up-to-date system, as per USAID regulations and internal standards.
• Perform other duties as requested by the COP or DCOP

QUALIFICATIONS

• Must be legally allowed to work in Nigeria.
• University graduate with a degree in Business Administration or related field.
• Minimum four years of experience in procurement administration.
• Prior experience leading and managing the procurement aspects of USAID or other donor- funded projects preferred, including a demonstrated understanding of donor regulations (US Government & Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) regulations).
• Demonstrated ability to unpack and communicate complex concepts simply with a range of stakeholders and sectors.
• Ability to respond effectively to time sensitive demands & inquiries.
• Proficiency in using Microsoft office suite, and other relevant software.
• Excellent organizational skills with a willingness to take initiative and be proactive in the procurement process.
• Ability to manage and prioritize multiple concurrent bids.
• Excellent communications and personnel management skills and ability to relate to people at all levels of an organization and of different multi-ethnic backgrounds.
• Well organized and self-directed individual with sound technical skills, and analytical ability
• Ability to travel to support project work; and
• Excellent written and oral communications skills in English.
• Knowledge of local languages is an advantage.