Job Title: Procurement Officer
Department: Operations
Band: 6
Reports To: Supply Chain Manager
Country/Location: Rwanda (Kigali)
About CRS
Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, nutrition, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding.
Catholic Relief Services has been present in Rwanda since 1960, and currently implements projects in nutrition, WASH, agriculture, youth entrepreneurship and peacebuilding. The Country Program has over 40 staff and implements its projects through local and international partners, with strong coordination/collaboration with Government of Rwanda structures.
Job Summary:
You will coordinate local procurement processes to acquire goods and services in support to 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, cash, and voucher assistance (CVA), and services. Provide pricing information to assist budget holders with budget preparation.
- Coordinate sourcing process to ensure the best value for money. Key activities include: market assessments and price monitoring, defining supplier evaluation criteria, facilitating transparent and consistent bidding and vendor selection processes, quality and availability of goods assessment, negotiation, and contract/purchase order preparation.
- Communicate with other procurement staff and various program and operations units to coordinate and track goods/services delivery and receipt and keep everyone informed of the status. Collect information to confirm that goods/services and CVA assets delivered are what have been ordered in the correct quantities and quality, they arrive on schedule and at the right cost.
- Monitor payment terms and schedules through maintenance of open order report and oversee coordination with the finance team to ensure timely payments to vendors.
- Maintain correspondence and constant contact with suppliers and voucher vendors to follow up on the execution of contractual terms and conditions, and handle issues if needed. Monitor and report on supplier performance, noting current and/or potential issues and/or inefficiencies, and assist with contract/purchase order modifications.
- 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.
Basic Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree in Procurement, Business Administration or equivalent.
- Minimum of 3 years work experience in procurement/supply chain management, logistics, administration, preferably with an international organization.
- Good knowledge of various donor procurement regulations (e.g. USAID, EU, UN)
- Knowledge of international and national procurement regulations and local market conditions.
- .Strong negotiation skills – interpersonal communication skills – good writing skills in both English and French are required.
- Knowledge of contract terms, as well as a proven ability to successfully complete purchase orders against specifications.
Required Languages – English, French, and Kinyarwanda
Travel – Must be willing and able to travel up to 25 %.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Good planning and coordination skills and ability to prioritize competing priorities effectively
- Good analytical skills with the ability to make independent judgments and decisions
- Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented with a 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
- Specific CVA programming experience preferred.
- Knowledge of market assessments. Professional certification a plus.
- Proficient in MS Office package (Excel, Word, PowerPoint). Experience with database management systems (e.g. MS Access) is highly desirable.
Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)
These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.
- Integrity
- Continuous Improvement & Innovation
- Builds Relationships
- Develops Talent
- Strategic Mindset
- Accountability & Stewardship
Supervisory Responsibilities: Procurement Assistant
Key Working Relationships:
Internal: All staff
External: Suppliers, Partners, RRA, Customs, RURA
***Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need. CRS’ processes and policies reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.
Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.
CRS’ talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.
CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer
How to apply
Interested and qualified candidates should complete the attached application form, Self -Declaration Clause and submit them together with one page Cover letter plus updated CV (maximum three pages) all in/as one document – via email only to: RW_HR@crs.org not later than Friday, September 17, 2021, at 5:00 pm.
Please, include the below statement in your motivation letter:
“By applying to this job, I understand and acknowledge that CRS requires its staff to treat all people with dignity and respect and to actively prevent harassment, abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking. Further, I understand that if I am a successful candidate, I will be subject to a comprehensive background check, and my personal/professional references will be asked to evaluate my behaviors related to the above safeguarding-related topics”
Also, include your full names and title “Procurement Officer” in the subject line. Due to the anticipated high interest in this post and the expected number of applicants, only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
Kigali. September 6, 2021
Jude-Marie Banatte
Country Representative
CRS/Rwanda Program
