Vendor Procurement Specialist at Xcene Research

Job Purpose

• We are seeking an experienced Vendor Procurement Specialist to join our team. The successful individual will manage the overall procurement process for goods, services, and equipment.

Key Accountabilities

• Identification of potential vendors, preparing and issuing requests for quotations, establishing evaluation committees, documenting the evaluation process, and evaluating quotations.
• The role holder will also perform prepare price analysis, conduct due diligence (reference checks and site visits), seek approval for the award of a procurement, preparing and issuing the purchase order, ensuring goods/services are received, ensuring VAT tax exemption is utilized, coordinating customs clearance as required and ensuring all steps of the procurement process is documented and filed.

Other responsibilities include:

• Lead efforts to competitively procure all goods and services necessary, in a timely manner.
• Successfully set up the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to enhance effective operational efficiency.
• Successfully develop a reliable and strong vendor database for all categories of goods and services; develop and maintain supplier relationships.
• Negotiating and drafting and managing and maintaining contract terms and conditions with vendors.
• Achieve operational cost reduction through contract and agreement reviews, price and market reviews, specification reviews, in-sourcing, outsourcing, and strategic benchmarking.
• Ensure reliability of supply, cost-effectiveness, and quality assurance.
• Analyzing and evaluating supplier performance and resolving issues and concerns.
• Liaise with the accounts payable team to ensure accurate and timely payment of invoices.
• Ensuring compliance with all related laws and regulations.
• Managing daily, monthly, and quarterly reports.
• Provide procurement guidance and assistance to activity trainings, events and meetings that will require the rental of venues or hotels, catering services, transportation services and procurement of stationery and supplies.
• Manage the assets tracking and inventory system and ensure it is updated quarterly/annually.
• Maintain a purchase order database whereby each purchase order is tracked and monitored to ensure that the goods and services purchased were delivered on time and meet the specifications.
• Perform any other duties assigned.

Logistics:

• Manage logistics operations and inventory system.
• Facilitate import/export and logistics matters, e.g., customs clearance of Investigational Products (IPs).
• Work with the Finance and Administration team on the receiving of goods and inspection process.
• Manage relationships with courier services employed to coordinate the transport of goods to final destinations.
• Implement material shipment controls and inventory control.
• Ensure timely response to inquiries regarding shipment or inventory status.
• Ensure the most economical methods of transport are used for importation.

Quality documents (QDs):

• Own and support the development of QDs for the procurement and logistics function.
• Support gap analyses of processes.
• Support process improvement and QD optimization activities.

Clinical trial support & optimization:

• Assist with identifying non-conformances with procurement and logistics of IPs and provide suitable recommendations.
• Assist in conducting vendor audits and work with vendors and production support personnel in eliminating problems via root cause analysis techniques, to ensure that product quality continuously improves.

Audits/quality control:

• Serve as a point of contact for logistics-related questions during audits.

Skills

• Must have a thorough knowledge of clinical research concepts, practices, FDA regulations, country-local regulations, NAFDAC regulations, EU regulations, and ICH.
• Guidelines regarding drug development phases, clinical trials, clinical study design, and data management methods. 
• Proactive problem-solving abilities and follow-through.
• Ability to work in a very dynamic environment of scientifically driven biotech, with limited resources and ability to plan and execute simultaneously, as well as the ability to evaluate and resolve complex problems.
• Extensive experience organizing, executing, and documenting a large volume of competitive procurement actions for both goods and services.
• No prior legal convictions for fraud or theft and no prior terminations for same from a prior employer.
• Demonstrated honesty, trustworthiness, initiative, and self-motivation in handling all assigned tasks.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, negotiation, and diplomatic skills.
• Willingness to work with multiple supervisors in a matrix environment and to value the importance of teamwork.
• Ability to work professionally with highly confidential information.
• Ability to lead and manage multiple responsibilities.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet challenging deadlines.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Self-motivated and proactive with a high level of integrity.
• Computer and application skills especially MS Word and MS Excel.
• Ability to do physically demanding work including lifting and climbing.
• Be willing to travel when necessary.

Education and Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Social Sciences, or another related field required. An advanced degree is an added advantage.
• Five years' experience in healthcare or related industry.