Procurement & Logistics Manager (Herat, Afghanistan)

Job purpose:

The Procurement and Logistics Manager will report directly to Program Manager & Deputy Country Director with the Country Director and will work closely with senior management and technical teams in supporting and overseeing procurement and logistics services from a management perspective to ensure required supplies and service are mobilized efficiently and in a timely manner. Also, s/he will work with the Program team of Help in Herat and is mandated to travel to target provinces whenever needed.

Main Responsibilities:

40%      Strategic Sourcing and Planning

• Prepare procurement plans for planned or new interventions.
• Establishing risk management plans relating to procurement, logistics, and staffing.
• Develop and implement methodologies and tools to enable effective execution of procurement plans;
• Negotiate better contracts with existing suppliers as well as sourcing new suppliers.
• In compliance with Help and relevant donors, plan, organize and lead the bid solicitation process including drafting and issuing RFQ, RFP, RFI, Tenders, developing bid evaluation criteria and guiding clients on processes involved; call for and oversee selection committees to review applications and select vendors.
• Ensure the integrity of the competitive process, facilitate bidder debriefings where necessary, and exercise appropriate judgment and tact while ensuring to protect confidential information.
• Ensure transparent and competitive procurements are conducted and properly documented as required.
• Establish and implement a monitoring system that ensures that the prices paid for commodities are in line with local market prices.
• Ensure procurement is conducted in compliance with Help’s and relevant donors’ policies.
• Ensuring compliance on import, export, and shipment regulations.
• Strategically plan and manage logistics, warehouse, transportation and customer services
• Locate and identify potential vendors and suppliers both domestically and internationally.
• Ensure that grant and financial rules and regulations are strictly adhered to.

30%      Procurement Management       

• Establish effective communication channels with customers, vendors, suppliers, and shipping companies.
• Ensure effective lines of communication to ensure timely delivery of commodities using the most appropriate procurement procedures.
• Analyze and improve supply chain operations.
• Ensure contractors and creditors are paid in a timely manner in alignment with Help policies and procedures.
• Manage the entire process in the planning of commodities procurement and supply chain activities, inventory control, logistics and distribution, customs clearance, ensuring effectively functioning processes to avoid costly delays and lost opportunities.
• Prepare service delivery contracts, leases and purchase orders for all acquisition needs.
• Maintain procurement files including all relevant documentation and vendor tracking system s/he will maintain all the relevant information concerning the organization’s suppliers.
• Manage vendor contracts and maintain relationships with suppliers to ensure completeness of deliverables outlined in the contract this includes ensuring that all vendor complaints and concerns are addressed promptly to ensure that the project continues to always receive uninterrupted services
• Monitor, track and expedite Help’s procurement activities;
• Ensure that all procurement files are accurately maintained; both hard and soft copies.
• Review Requests for procurement; ensure requests are properly recorded, coordinate purchasing either locally or internationally with the consideration of Help and relevant donor(s) procurement policies.
• Track the process of purchasing requests from Help staff to ensure timely and accurate completion; provide regular updates to requestors.
• Conduct cost/price, quality and past performance/timeliness review of bids received.
• Procure high volume commodities and small purchases;
• Coach the project and program staff on procurement policies and procedures;
• Check & control log books, inventories and the quality of the goods.
• Resolve day-to-day supply chain issues and promoting operational consistency.

10%      Personnel Management

• Ensure the Procurement staff are well orientated and understand the procurement unit scope of work and is supported to deliver high quality results.
• Conduct personnel appraisal and support on regular basis (staff agreement, reviews, timesheet, etc.)
• Provide support and on the job training for all the procurement staff.
• Conduct needs assessment for recruitment of staff and complete recruitment process with HR unit. 

10%      Reporting

• Provide inputs related to project procurement with the Finance and Program Units
• Work with the Procurement Officers to prepare property disposition requests and annual inventory reports
• Report competitive intelligence, as well as market and consumer trends.
• Prepare required monthly, quarterly and semi-annual reports of the Procurement Unit activities.

5%        Security    

• Ensure that the Procurement team provide weekly plan to the Security Department.
• Coordinate with Security Department and regularly monitor the security environment in project locations where any supply or services is needed.
• Ensure that all transportation issues including (movement of cost, safety and security of the cars, orientation of driver who drives to field) is well coordinated with security unit.

5%        Other

• Adhere to Help’s Procurement Policy, Code of Conducts and other relevant polices.
• Other tasks assigned by the supervisor

“Help – help for self-help” is a German non-governmental charity-organization duly registered with the courts of law in Germany and in several host countries, such as Afghanistan. Help was founded in 1981 by concerned Members of Parliament of all parties represented in the German Parliament. We started providing humanitarian assistance for Afghan refugees in Pakistan, and soon extended to development-oriented activities. We provide aid and development-support regardless of race, creed or nationality. Priorities are set on the basis of need and upon the request from partners and vulnerable communities to cooperate fairly and transparently. Over the past 38 years, Help has extended to worldwide operations. We are engaged both in emergency- and in development-programs. Whenever possible, we link emergency-aid with assistance for self-help. It is our aim to encourage the efforts of communities affected by disasters and political upheaval, while strengthening their capability to improve their living conditions and long-term perspectives. In Afghanistan, one of the major programs of Help is TVET & Employment Facilitation. Typically, we offer high-standard and long term (6 months) vocational training in marketable skills; provide employment services through the Employment and Entrepreneurship Services Centre / EESC and build up the capacity of communities and relevant staff in sectorial government departments and local NGO/Association partners.

Minimum education, training and experience requirements to qualify for the position:

B.A. in Economics, Management of any other related field is required.
 Strong leadership, analytical and organizational skills; demonstrated ability to work both independently and within a team, assess priorities, and manage multiple activities with attention to detail, meeting tight deadlines under pressure.
Excellent problem-solving capacity, with demonstrated ability for considerable analysis and sound judgment to find solutions in a complex environment with shifting and competing priorities.
Excellent cross-cultural communication (both oral and written) and interpersonal skills demonstrated by ability to interact professionally with culturally and linguistically diverse staff, stakeholders, clients and consultants
Strong understanding of procurement concepts.
Highly skilled in MS Office – Excel in particular.
Strong oral and written skills in English, Dari / Pashto

Minimum work experience required for this position:

At least 5 years of work experience as a Procurement Manager, Procurement Officer, or Head of Procurement with national or international NGOs
Interpersonal, management and conflict resolution skills.
Knowledge of sourcing and procurement techniques as well as a dexterity in “reading” the market
Strong negotiations and networking skills
Good knowledge of supplier or third-party management software
Strong in decision-making and working with numbers
Experienced in collecting and analysing data

Educational degrees / certificates and skills preferred for this position:

Master’s degree in Procurement, Economics and Marketing or relevant field.
Professional certification and membership to a reputable procurement and supplies body is highly desirable.
Understanding of gender programming
Communication skills and knowledge of local communities.

Please send your CVs and applications electronically through recruitments@help-org.af;  and write title

of the job and vacancy number on subject line of your emails.

Submission Email
recruitments@help-org.af