Procurement Specialist at RTI International

Under the direct supervision of the Utility Support Fund (USF) Senior Procurement Specialist, the USF Procurement Specialist will manage procurements of goods and services under the Utility Support Fund (USF) including but not limited to the processes of procurement (local and international), transport of procured goods as well as have an oversight on asset management and inventory control of USF-funded goods.

•  Perform all phases of sourcing to ensure best value and within required lead times for a variety of technical requirements in Nigeria, including analysis of overall budgetary impact for all types of procurement transactions
• Take the lead in the preparation, implementation, and tracking against the annual procurement plan supported with budget and timetables.
• Prepare, issue, and negotiate RFQ(s) for assigned procurements of materials, equipment, commodities, and services
• Effectively negotiate with suppliers on a wide variety of commodities (information and communication technology (ICT), mechanical and specialized equipment) and technical services for the best overall value to the USF.
• Coordinate issuance of purchase orders in accordance with company policies and procedures
• Contribute to the supply chain management efforts up to and including logistical support from the ordering point through the follow-up, expediting, and delivery of the required goods and/or services
• Coordinate the freight forwarding efforts with the RTI Logistics Office and Home Office Support Team as required
• Understand and ensure compliance with legal guidelines, Federal Export Control (if applicable), contracting principles, sourcing and price/cost analysis requirements
• Assist the Home Office Support Team in the preparation of client contractual requests including waivers (source and nationality, restricted goods)
• Provide support and guidance to subgrantees of overall property management and inventory control, reports, custody control documents, reconciliations for both expendable and non-expendable property according to USAID rules and regulations.
• Ensure adherence to USF’s standard operating (SOP) procedures for USF related commodities/services ordering and distribution.
• Conduct logistics training workshops for states Logistics assistant, seasonal operational staff and district officials on storage and distribution, and inventory control.
• Develop and submit weekly and monthly reports to the USF Manager, Finance Manager and/or Deputy Chief of Party on logistics and procurement for submission to RTI/Washington
• Perform other duties as assigned by the USF Senior Procurement Specialist or USF Manager.

Minimum Required Education & Experience

• Master’s degree and 3 years of experience or Bachelor’s Degree and 6 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience (Degree in business administration, accounting or related fields)
• Additional professional training in procurement and logistics management is preferred
• Knowledge of USAID procurement policies and regulations will be an added advantage
• Experience in general business administration and financial management
• Experience in West Africa, preferably in Nigeria.

Skills & Abilities

•  An understanding of and commitment to RTI’s mission and values
• Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office applications (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Excel) and procurement software;
• Strong organizational, reporting and management skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work as part of a team
• Strong verbal and written English communication skills
• Strong presentation and facilitation skills
• Ability to build effective relationships with all clients, peers, and stakeholders
• Ability to work hands-on, independently, and within team.
• Strong oral and written communication skills and ability to coordinate activities with officials from host country government, US Government, NGO’s, and other agencies;
• Willingness to travel frequently to the field offices