Job title: Senior Officer, Procurement & Logistics – WASH Systems for Health Programme
Company: Self Help Africa
Location: Abuja
Contract type: Fixed term contract, full-time (local recruitment)
Period: 3 years (renewable)
Reports to: Operations Manager
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 awarded a £5m programme focused on WASH systems strengthening, covering Nigeria and Sierra Leone by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). We would lead the overall consortia, and the work in Nigeria, whilst GOAL would lead the work in Sierra Leone, under SHA’s overall consortia leadership.
The aim of the programme is to strengthen the systems needed to establish and sustain reliable, resilient and inclusive WASH services. The programme will be for a duration of 4 years in Kano and Cross River States with a national coordination base in Abuja. This role is based in the Abuja.
The three broad focus areas of the programme are:
Priority 1: Strategic planning and budgeting for sustainable service delivery using defined Service Delivery Models and strengthening capacities and processes for accountable and inclusive planning and budgeting for WASH.
Priority 2: Support decentralised implementation of the Clean Nigeria Campaign in pursuit of the elimination of open defecation nationwide, demonstrating effective approaches to ODF, Market-Based Sanitation and ODF sustainability, in target LGAs, for scaling.
Priority 3: Facilitate systems leadership and support the mobilisation of a network of WASH champions by strengthening nationwide non-governmental sector organisations and networks, and their respective capacities and mentoring processes.
Job purpose
SHA is looking for a Senior Officer, Procurement & Logistics to lead the procurement and logistics procedures and processes of the FCDO WS4H programme based in the country office in Abuja. The Senior Officer, Procurement & Logistics will coordinate 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 the programme; 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 programme 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:
- Work with country programme team to prepare the annual Procurement Plan to maximize efficiency and coordination in the procurement of goods and services across projects.
- Lead the drafting and negotiating of Purchase Orders, Purchase Order Agreements, Consultancy Agreements, Service Agreements, and subcontracts.
- Conduct market research for each type of procurement and maintain a data base of vendors and items commonly needed by the country office.
- Determine the most reasonable and expeditious process for procurement in compliance with SHA policies and procedures and donor regulations.
- Provide clarifications to all vendors when is required and ensuring confidentiality throughout procurement and vendor selection process.
- Facilitate the evaluation process in accordance to SHA procurement policy and procedures and ensure proper documentation of the selection of vendors.
- Manage procurement and supply chain activities such as tracking the shipment, reviewing completeness and accuracy of shipping/cargo, documentation, and confirming of the right quantity and quality of delivered consignments and notifying the concerned party for any delays or concerns.
- Ensure that the items procured through local and international procurement are quality assured.
- Liaise with relevant internal departments and programmes to ensure that order fulfilment is on time and in line with expectation.
- Deal with operational challenges around deliveries and payment and escalate to relevant departments.
- Verify quality and quantity of products according to the agreement and/or needs of the beneficiary, community, and/or Project ensuring proper documentation of the delivery.
- Process requisitions for procurement, review invoices and payment requests ensuring that all the required forms are appropriately filled before submission to finance.
- Ensure proper documentation, archiving of procurement files and upload to box drive and prepare procurement reports on monthly basis.
- Maintain auditable records for procurement, approved plan, and supporting documents.
Efficient Administration of Procurement Processes:
- Coordinate 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 donor and 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:
- Oversee 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.
- Master’s degree is a plus.
- 5 – 7 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 in developing, maintaining and tracking procurement plans.
- Strong 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 language (Hausa preferred) 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:
- Why you are applying for the position
- How do your skills and experiences meet the job’s specification
- When will you be able to take up the position if successful.
The deadline for this application is 6th 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.
