Job title: Procurement and Logistics Assistant
Company: Self Help Africa
Location: Abuja
Contract type: Fixed term contract, full-time (local recruitment)
Period: 1 year (renewable)
Reports to: Senior Officer, Procurement and Logistics

About Self Help Africa

Self Help Africa (SHA) is an international development organisation headquartered in Dublin, Ireland and dedicated to the vision of ‘Sustainable livelihoods and healthy lives for all in a changing climate’. Founded in 1969 and working across 17 countries, 15 of these countries are in sub-Saharan Africa while subsidiary organisations, ‘Self Help Brazil’ and ‘Self Help Bangladesh’, have been created for our programmes in the two countries where we are working outside of Africa. SHA has been implementing in Nigeria for 25 years (as United Purpose and Concern Universal).

In early 2023, we launched a new five-year organisation strategy, which defines shared mission as the alleviation of hunger, poverty, social inequality and the impact of climate change through community-led, market-based and enterprise-focused approaches, so that people can have access to nutritious food, clean water, decent employment and incomes, while sustaining natural resources.

Our wider organisation also includes social enterprise subsidiaries: Partner Africa – which provides ethical auditing and consultancy services, TruTrade – an innovative trading platform in East Africa, and CUMO – Malawi’s largest micro-finance provider.

Our three core values are:
▪ Impact: We are accountable, ambitious and committed to systemic change.
▪ Innovation: We are agile, creative and enterprising in an ever-changing world.
▪ Community: We are inclusive, honest and have integrity in our relationships.

To achieve our organisational mission, we work across numerous sectors, such as Agriculture, Climate & Environment, Energy, Enterprise, Nutrition, and Water Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH). Our global WASH portfolio currently spans 10 countries, 25 active projects, and has to date reached over 10 million people with safe water and sanitation till date. In Nigeria, we have built a strong reputation in the WASH sector, particularly in rural sanitation. Notably, we achieved the country’s first Open Defecation Free Local Government Area (LGA) in 2016. Our systems-strengthening approach to sustainable WASH service delivery model supports government efforts to meet SDG6.

Programme description

SHA has been working in Nigeria since 1999, implementing community-based development interventions to promote improved sanitation and hygiene practices to reduce water-borne diseases, improved livelihood, food security and resilience to climate change. Our multi-sectorial expertise informs our integrated approach to sustainable food systems, land restoration and climate adaptation.

The organisation is duly registered with the Federal Government of Nigeria Corporate Affairs Commission and works closely in partnership with the Federal, State, Local governments and civil society organisations. SHA has offices in Benue, Cross River and Kano with a Country Office in Abuja, Nigeria. This role is based in the Abuja office.

Job purpose
SHA is looking for an efficient Procurement & Logistics Assistant to support the procurement and logistics procedures and processes of the country programme based in the country office in Abuja. The Procurement & Logistics Assistant will support the procurement processes and procedures from the initiation of a purchase request to the final receipt and approval of goods/services, contributing to the timely and cost-effective delivery / implementation of projects; provide logistics support to the programme teams and country office by facilitating events/training and workshops, organising travel and transport and vehicle and driver management, hotel booking etc in alignment to donor and SHA policies.

The ideal candidate will also manage supplier relationships to ensure compliance with contracts and resolution of issue, liaising with internal departments to forecast needs and specifications and managing procurement plans. S/he is responsible for all the projects procurement processes ensuring that all applicable SHA and donors’ policies and guidelines are adhered to and all required documentation are in place.

Key Responsibilities

Procurement planning and facilitate execution of procurement plans

• Support the development of procurement plan and facilitate its execution in collaboration with programme and other team members to ensure timely procurement for program delivery.
• Enlisting and enrolment of vendors and updating them on annual basis
• Work with relevant programme team members to ensure preparation of procurement requests and ensure approval by the budget holders, support in preparing specifications, terms and conditions etc.
• Prepare RFQs, RFPs, EoI and Tender Notice in line with the procurement policy and procedures and publish.
• Disseminate them to them as required; support in organising pre bid meetings and document proceedings.
• Coordinate and support the procurement committee in Tender opening for open bids in presence of vendors; support in preparation of CBAs by evaluating the vendor proposals, and present to the procurement committees to make appropriate decisions considering quality, quantity, cost time guarantee, warrantee etc; Selection of appropriate vendor after evaluating bids ensuring compliance with donor/ govt policies and procedures.
• Be the focal point for all uploading all procurement related documents on sales force and ensure they are approved by the appropriate budget holders/ authorities consistent with the delegation as per organisational policy as part of each procurement.
• Prepare Work Order maintaining registration for coding/ numbering; Receive quality goods/ services by proper inspection; process bills with adequate documentation in a timely manner.
• Select preferred vendors by appropriate processes to ensure regular car hire services, hotel accommodation, hall/venue hire for training/ workshops, vehicle repair & maintenance and facilitate contracts/ framework agreements with selected vendors.

Efficient Administration of Procurement Processes:

• Support the conduct of market assessment to identify availability and potential local and international sourcing of planned procurement activities.
• Identify risks and undertake mitigating actions in close cooperation with project team.
• Administration of procurement to ensure compliance with SHA policies.
• Conduct the year end closure activities relating to the procurement.
• Liaise with the project operations (HQ and field) to ensure that shared office support functions run smoothly, and resources are used efficiently and effectively.

Travel, Logistics & Events Coordination:

• Support the management for all travel, and accommodation for visitors, consultants, and staff on official SHA business.  Ensure that travel is on schedule, cost effective.
• Ensure that meetings and conferences are effectively managed in the project offices ensuring value for money and transparency in all the processes.
• Employ the highest standards of openness, transparency and accountability to ensure good financial management in line with SHA’s zero-tolerance approach to fraud, bribery and corruption.

Safeguarding and compliance:

• Demonstrate commitment to safeguarding, protection, gender mainstreaming and inclusion of vulnerable population including people with disabilities.
• Comply with and ensure compliance by all staff and vendors with safeguarding policy and practices and all other relevant policies/ procedures.
• Provide support to established feedback, complaints and response mechanism across communities of implementation to ensure operational decisions are informed by local perspectives and priorities, and contribute to the protection of program participants at the community level.

Key relationships

Internal:   Global Procurement & Logistics Manager, Programmes, Operations, Finance & Compliance and Security teams.
External: Suppliers/Vendors, Consultants, Service Providers and other external stakeholders.

Knowledge, Experience and Other Requirements

Education and other qualifications:

• University Degree in Business Administration, Operations, Supply chain management or equivalent in a relevant field.
• 2 – 3 years’ work of experience in an Operations or Procurement/Logistics role, preferably in an INGO.
• Knowledge of Procurement processes and software systems required.

Experience and skills:

• Experience maintaining and tracking procurement plans.
• Good negotiations skills, suppliers’ management and proven ability to provide high level operational support to programmes teams.
• Ability to plan and organise a substantial workload that including complex, diverse tasks and responsibilities.
• Deep understanding of supply chain and inventory management systems.
• Excellent organisational skills and a track record of consistently prioritising delivering on time.
• Capability to work under pressure and adapt to dynamic environments.
• Attention to detail and a commitment to achieving operational efficiency and ensuring value for money.
• Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity.
• Commitment to SHA’s mission and values.

Language Requirements: Written and oral proficiency in English and relevant local will be an advantage.

Application Procedure:  

Fill and send the attached Self Help Africa application form and also send your cover letter and CV in a single document (of not more than 6 pages) to the link provided on the website.

Email title must be same as the position you are applying for and the location of the position.
Job description is available for download here.

In the cover letter, please ensure to explain the following:

1. Why you are applying for the position
2. How do your skills and experiences meet the job’s specification
3. When will you be able to take up the position if successful.

The deadline for this application is 6^th January, 2025. You are advised to apply early, as applications will be treated on rolling basis. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

All candidates offered a job with Self Help Africa will be expected to sign our Safeguarding Policies and Code of Conduct as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents.  Specific roles may require Police/DBS/ [relevant police authority] vetting.

Self Help Africa strives to be an equal opportunity employer.