Senior Procurement Officer - (Field Only) at Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

Job Summary:  

You will coordinate local procurement activities and processes to acquire goods and services in support of the delivery of high-quality programming to the poor and vulnerable. Your knowledge and experience will allow you to successfully coordinate the quality and efficiency of procurement and purchasing activities and ensure stewardship, integrity, transparency, and accountability

Roles and Key Responsibilities: 

• Coordinate fully compliant procurement systems and operating procedures. Assess effectiveness and efficiency and recommend improvements. Contribute to ensuring compliance with CRS procurement principles, standards, and policies, donor regulations, and local statutory requirements.
• Coordinate with various departments to develop and maintain an up-to-date procurement plan with all quantities, quality and delivery requirements for goods and services. Provide pricing information to assist budget holders with budget preparation.
• Ensure that all procurement is done efficiently per CRS Policy, the CRS Procurement to Pay Manual – specifically the Global Fund annex and consistent with the Guide to Global Fund Policies on Procurement and Supply Management of Health Products.
• Coordinate the sourcing process and perform various activities to assist with ensuring the best value for money: market research, cost estimates, solicitation documents, bidding process facilitation, supplier identification and research, quality and availability of goods assessment, negotiation, contract/purchase order and other documents preparation.
• Accountable for transparency within the procurement department through ensuring a complete, accurate and up-to-date document trail of all procurement processes, vendor files, procurement and inventory database to assist with control and accountability. Prepare reports and facilitate document retrieval.
• Once all required steps have been completed depending on the value of the procurement, then: make the selection of the best supplier with regards to price, quality and delivery; determine payment and delivery terms; prepare the Purchase Orders (PO); and draw up contracts as needed.
• Ensure that all procurement is processed for all applicable exonerations as established in the Host Country Agreement or through Donor Agreements, and draft any exemption letters for VAT, duty and tax whenever necessary.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities  

• Good planning and coordination skills and ability to prioritize competing priorities effectively
• Good analytical skills with ability to make independent judgment and decisions
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented with focus on meeting customer needs
• Ethical conduct in accordance with recognized professional and organizational codes of ethics
• Good negotiation, communication, and relationship management skills

Preferred Qualifications 

• Proficient in MS Office package (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio).
• Experience using any Enterprise resource systems or similar packages

Basic Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s Degree in Supply Chain or other relevant degree preferred. Professional certifications(s) in supply chain or equivalent field strongly preferred.
• Minimum of 4 years work experience in supply chain, logistics, procurement management, preferably with an international organization.
• Knowledge of political dynamics along the chain, infrastructure, market knowledge, as well as related laws and regulations.