Procurement Director

John Snow, Inc. (JSI) seeks highly qualified and accomplished public health leaders and providers for the recently awarded United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/PEPFAR-funded Supporting an AIDS-Free Era (SAFE) Project in Zambia. The five-year project which will be led by JSI in partnership with Abt Associates, mothers2mothers, and the Catholic Medical Mission Board, will work to reduce HIV mortality, morbidity and transmission, while improving nutrition outcomes and family planning integration in three provinces: Central, Copperbelt, and North-Western. USAID/PEPFAR SAFE will work with the GRZ, private sector and civil society institutions at the national, provincial, and district level to increase access to ART for HIV positive adults and children, reduce the incidence of new infections, improve Nutritional Assessment, Counselling and Services (NACS) and family planning services, and increase the capacity of local health institutions to better serve affected populations.

Position Title: Procurement Director

Position Type: Full Time

Location: Lusaka

Reports to: Deputy Director of Finance and Operations

Job Summary

The Procurement Director is a full-time position based in the Lusaka office. S/he will Support the DDFO and DFO in managing procurement of goods and services through subcontracts, blanket purchase agreements and purchase orders. The Procurement Director will ensure that all Procurement under the USAID SAFE project in conducted in a free, open and competitive manner in line with USAID regulation and JSI Guidelines.

Primary Responsibilities and Duties:

• Working closely with the DDFO and DFO, ensure that SAFE has a pre-qualified vendors list and all new additions to be made in line with JSI guidelines
• Have a good understanding of the existing procurement policies and procedures and then implement continuous reviews/improvements where necessary to ensure that the project team receives uninterrupted supplies and services
• Assist the DFO to oversee all project procurement; and ensuring procurement is transparent and carried out in accordance with USAID regulations, JSI policies and procedures;
• Reviewing and proposing revisions to the project procurement SOPs as required to ensure compliance.
• Establish and implement a monitoring system that will ensure value for money; that prices paid for goods and services are in line with local market prices.
• Work closely with the Finance Director to ensure the execution of payments terms outlined in the purchase orders and contracts
• In coordination with technical directors, prepare the annual program procurement plan for all medical and non-medical equipment for all districts and facilities.
• Review and track the procurement plan; communicating and sharing updates with the various departments on a regular basis
• Supervise and review purchase orders, PRs and contracts, for the central and regional offices and supervise the maintenance of a PO tracker to ensure that all program commitments are tracked.
• Manage the purchase process of a wide-range of goods, commodities, and services including supervision of preparations of specifications, solicitation documents, managing evaluations, drafting requests for consent for the USAID contracting officer, and overseeing vendor selection process;
• Develops and implements strategies for procuring, storing, and distributing goods or services and maintaining stock levels
• Manage all procurement documents, ensuring compliance with relevant regulations.
• Provide management of the relevant procurement function including managing vendor relationships, contacts, and pre-qualifications lists;
• Ensure that current and past procurement files are maintained in accordance with applicable policies and procedures, and work to complete the files as necessary.
• Assist the DFO to provide procurement procedures and policy guidance and interpretation for program staff;
• Maintain responsibility for the Commodity Waiver Tracker with reports to the DDFO including ensuring that prior to all procurement actions, required approvals are obtained from the Chief of Party or delegate, JSI Home Office or USAID
• Work with the technical/programs teams and SI team, to ensure proper documentation of the beneficiary distribution documentation.
• Supervise and monitor Lusaka office procurement staff and indirectly supervise regional offices procurement staff, and their assignments including Regional procurement processes. Coach, mentor, and train Central and Regional program and Operations staff on USAID procurement and JSI policies and procedures
• Provide recommendations on process improvement, for better streamlined processes and procedures and improved efficiency.
• Any other duties as assigned by the COP, DFO and DDFO

Minimum Qualifications:

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree/Bachelor of Arts in Procurement, Purchasing and Supply, Business Administration, or equivalent
• Masters’ Degree in Purchasing and Supply, Business Administration, or a relevant post graduate Master’s degree from a recognized university or equivalent is required
• Membership of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) is required.
• A minimum fifteen (15) years’ experience including a minimum of eight (8) years’ experience in procurement management of U.S. assistance programs of similar size, complexity and setting
• Demonstrated experience in managing and supervising a team
• Outstanding interpersonal skills and eager to work in a fast-paced multicultural organization programs of similar size, complexity and setting
• Experience in U.S. government cost principles, rules and regulations and applying these in program decision-making
• Demonstrated experience supporting and working with program technical staff to ensure resources are used efficiently and to accurately account for expenditures
• Ability to communicate effectively in English, both verbally and in writing.
• Exceptional computer skills, particularly in Microsoft Excel, and substantial experience using commercially available accounting software programs
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with senior-level colleagues, particularly interacting productively, proactively, and comfortably.

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