Practical Action
Position Title: Re-Advertisement- Senior Procurement, Logistics and Security Officer – Nairobi, Kenya
Practical Action
ABOUT US
We are an international development organisation putting ingenious ideas to work so people in poverty can change their world.
We help people find solutions to some of the world’s toughest problems. Challenges made worse by catastrophic climate change and persistent gender inequality. We work with communities to develop ingenious, lasting and locally owned solutions for agriculture, water and waste management, climate resilience and clean energy. And we share what works with others, so answers that start small can grow big.
We are committed to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment through all our work. At a minimum, we ensure that all our work is gender sensitive, seeking gender transformative approaches as our overall ambition and in accordance with context.
We are a global change-making group. The group consists of a UK registered charity with community projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America, an independent development publishing company and a technical consulting service. We combine these specialisms to multiply our impact and help shape a world that works better for everyone.
OUR AIMS
We help people find solutions to some of the world’s toughest problems, made worse by catastrophic climate change and persistent gender inequality. Our aims are to:
- Make agriculture work better for smallholder farmers, many of them women, so they can adapt to climate change and achieve a good standard of living
- Help more people harness the transformational effects of clean affordable energy and reduce avoidable deaths caused by smoke from indoor stoves and fires.
- Make cities in poorer countries cleaner, healthier places to live and work.
- Build disaster resilience into the lives of people threatened by hazards – reducing the risk of hazards and minimizing their impact on lives and livelihoods.
PRACTICAL ACTION IN KENYA
In Kenya, Practical Action has a long history of addressing systemic barriers that prevent people from accessing energy that transforms their lives, helping communities and government make cities healthier and safer, making agriculture and markets work better for small holder farmers and supporting communities and government to become more resilient.
We use a mix of programming with communities and consultancy services with shapers of policy and practice to achieve our aims.
ABOUT THE ROLE
The Senior Procurement, Logistics and Security Officer will be responsible for planning and monitoring all the activities around these three areas of Practical Action in Kenya.
The post holder will meet the procurement, administrative & logistics requirements across the Country Office within the policies and procedures, strategy, organizational values, and guidelines of Practical Action, while adhering to the standards of conduct outlined in the Practical Action Code of Conduct and associated policies.
In addition, the post holder will ensure that due attention is paid to matters of security relating to staff, visitors, partners, and service providers to whom Practical Action has a duty of care.
The post holder will ensure that Practical Action maintains transparency, integrity and compliance with established policies and procedures of the organization and relevant donor regulations.
The post holder will both monitor the implementation of existing systems and propose improvements and developments to those systems where appropriate.
SCOPE
Title: Senior Procurement, Logistics and Security Officer
Reporting to: Head of People, Culture and Administration
Direct reports : Drivers (Nairobi office)
Matrix Management: Admin Assistant/Receptionist (Nairobi), Procurement and logistics teams in field offices
Relationships Internally: Country Director; country and field office staff; global procurement and security teams (in the UK)
Externally: Government entities; Security firms; service providers and suppliers
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Grade: 6
Travel requirements: Field office trips on a regular basis
ACCOUNTABILITIES
The Senior Procurement, Logistics & Security Officer under the supervision of the Head of People, Culture and Administration will primarily be responsible for the following:
Delivering Quality
Planning, coordinating, supervising and monitoring on a day-to-day basis the implementation of the supply activities in the organization, while ensuring compliance to Practical Action standards, procedures and code of conduct.
Procurement
- Oversee and coordinate procurement functions across Practical Action Kenya, ensuring Procurement Polices and Guidelines are adhered to.
- Continuously recommend to their line Manager suitable methods of maximizing value for money within the supply chain.
- Maintain a procurement schedule/tracking tool aligned to the work plans of the various projects and the needs of the office.
- Facilitate and coordinate all procurement and supply process
including preparing documents for tender committees, receiving bids and
quotes, preparing purchase requisitions, pre-qualification processes,
service level agreements, legally binding contracts between Practical
Action and various contractors. This will include
- Source quotations/bids from suppliers and negotiate for best prices and value for money.
- Prepare comparative bid analysis with recommendations & justification and facilitate approval.
- Raise LPOs for approval and issue the same to vendors /suppliers and follow-up for timely delivery.
- Receive and verify requisition of goods and services and ensure that goods and services supplied to Practical Action meet stipulated specifications as to quantity and quality.
- Ensure that all procurement documentation is properly processed and filed according to procurement guidelines and donor regulations.
- Ensure that due diligence is carried out on all suppliers prior to contracts being issued
- Ensure timely processing of utility bills, goods and services payments within Practical Action offices both in Nairobi and the field.
- Maintain a current list of preferred suppliers as defined in the Procurement Policy
Logistics
- Provide support to travel coordination and any logistical requirements for Nairobi office staff and international office co-workers.
- Maintain annual renewal of vehicle tax and insurance.
- Arrange annual inspection of all office vehicles in preparation for insurance renewal.
- Collate and verify annual mileage returns for all Practical Action vehicles
- Reports accidents to both Practical Action and the Insurance Company and take timely action in reporting on repairs and claims and follow-up. (See also Security)
Asset Management
- Maintain an up-to-date asset register in liaison with the finance department that includes as a minimum: details of assets, costs of assets, date of purchase, source of funding.
- Ensure all PA assets are tagged and updated in the assets register.
- Ensure timely and cost-effective insurance of Practical Action Kenya assets in line with the asset management policy.
- Liaise with the insurer on cancellation and/or addition of any cover upon disposal or acquisition of any assets.
- Recommend disposal of used/obsolete assets to Line Manager to facilitate disposal process in accordance with Practical Action Policy and any relevant donor regulations
Security
- Ensure that all staff, visitors, consultants and suppliers are properly briefed on security concerns in the country or areas of work.
- Maintain an overall security plan for the country, a briefing pack for visitors and a communications system to alert staff to incidents that may affect them.
- Be the first contact person for security matters pertaining to PA staff.
- Ensure that all hotels and meeting locations are adequately screened for security issues.
- Provide security advice to staff travelling outside Kenya, in liaison with PA’s global security team.
- Take leadership in security briefings and report outcomes of briefings and any security related information to the Country Director.
- Take accountability for the general safety and security of Practical Action office premises
Leadership and Strategic Alignment
- Demonstrate very high standards of honesty and integrity that contribute to sound procurement processes.
- Create an enabling environment for project managers/budget holders to improve their sourcing skills by developing trainings and being a mentor to others.
- Support and promote the standards outlined in the code of conduct and associated policies to the team, partner organizations and beneficiaries, and be committed to providing a safe working environment.
- Undertake performance management reviews for direct reports.
- Contribute to the office’s Strategic Business Plan and reporting against it.
PERSON PROFILE
To be successful in the role, the ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate:
Experience & Knowledge
- Minimum of 5 years of work experience in a similar role
- A background in security management
- Procurement training and certification; Bachelor’s Degree in Procurement, Supply Chain, Business Administration or related field.
- A post graduate Diploma in Procurement, Logistics, Purchasing and supplies or related field with relevant work experience may be considered in lieu of a degree
- Possess a professional qualification in Purchasing and Supply Chain Management and a registered member of the CIPS/KISM will be an added advantage
- Experience in operations, consulting, manufacturing, or supply chain.
Essential
- Good analytical and critical thinking skills, organized and results driven. Good planning and coordination skills
- Strong data analytics and quantitative reasoning skills. Strong Computer skills in Microsoft Office Packages including advanced Excel (can maintain complex spreadsheets).
- A problem-solving approach to work
- High level of attention to detail. Comfortable quality checking documentation without support.
- Excellent report writing, communication, interpersonal, organisational and negotiation skills
- Experience with Health and Safety in Transport
- A team player, flexible and with an ability to work calmly and effectively under pressure and to make quick rational decisions
- Strong written and verbal communication skills in both English and Kiswahili
Desirable
- Experience working with Government of Kenya, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Immigration, NGO Board and KRA.
- Working experience in a multi-location/matrix organization
- Willing to travel, flexible, adaptable and with an ability to work under pressure
- Self-starter and networking skills
- Good self-management skills
- Strong and highly effective communication skills
This Role profile is not an exhaustive list of the skills, effort, duties and responsibilities associated with the position
How to apply
Interested applicants should submit their applications, including an updated CV with a cover letter via email to: recruitment@practicalaction.or.ke not later than 6th December 2022 indicating ‘Senior Procurement, Logistics & Security Officer – Nairobi’ on the email subject line.
At Practical Action, we treat all applications for employment on their merits and do not take into consideration any factors that are not relevant to the job such as disability, race, age, religion, gender, gender reassignment or sexual orientation.
We are committed to safeguarding and protecting children and vulnerable adults and as such candidates will be subject to pre-employment checks.
The successful applicant must have the pre-existing right to both live and work in Kenya.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted