Job Description

Procurement Assistant –Hargeisa, Somaliland

Organization Overview

The Pharo Foundation (the “Foundation”) is a privately funded entrepreneurial organisation that runs philanthropic programmes as well as for-profit Pharo Ventures. The vision of the Foundation is an economically vibrant and inclusive Africa. The mission is to achieve our vision by investing in Africa’s human and physical capital with a strong focus on job creation.

Established in 2011 as a UK based non-profit, the Foundation has since made a strategic shift to directly design and implement its own programmes to ensure greater engagement with communities, better results and increased accountability. The Foundation has carried out numerous projects in East Africa, with a focus on Ethiopia, Somaliland and Rwanda. The key themes for the philanthropic side of the Foundation are education, health, water and agriculture. At the end of 2019, the Foundation started its Pharo Ventures franchise to prioritise sectors where the Foundation believes a real impact can be made by establishing self- sustaining businesses that focus on job creation.

Headquartered in London, the Foundation has an operational Head Office in Nairobi, Kenya with country offices in Ethiopia (Addis Ababa and Assosa), Somaliland (Hargeisa) and Rwanda (Kigali) with further expansion plans in East Africa.

Position Summary

We are looking for a dedicated and professional Procurement Assistant to join our team. This Procurement Assistant will be responsible for maintaining and providing professional support in the procurement of goods, services, works and information management. The incumbent will be working closely in a collaborative relationship with Procurement officer and all other departments within the organization.

The Ideal candidate should have great organizational skills and one whom thrives under pressure. This candidate will be the primary contact for sourcing inventory with external suppliers and will be liaising with all functions and departments in ensuring all items are recorded and disseminated appropriately.

The candidate must be fluent in English and must be able to produce well-written pieces in both languages. He or she must be able to write professionally in Somali.

Job Title:               Procurement Assistant

Reports to:           Admin and Logistics Manager

Job Location:        Hargeisa, Somaliland

Contract Type:     Fixed Term

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Assist in reviews, records and prioritizes all purchasing requests and obtains additional information/documentation as required; provides assistance to requisitions in preparing scope of work and specifications of goods and services; proposes product substitutions consistent with requirements to achieve cost savings.

Assist in the identification and review of sources of procurement; interview potential suppliers; assists production tender documents (e.g. Invitations to Bids, Requests for Proposals and Requests for Quotation) based on the nature of requirements and cost of procurement involved and ensure inclusion of all the pertinent factors as submitted by requisitions and as per the procurement manual.

Assist in Preparation of abstracts of offers and compiles data contained in quotations, proposals and bids to determine which supplier can deliver the required goods/services at the best terms and lowest costs possible with due consideration to quality, delivery time, prompt payment and other discounts, transportation costs, etc.

Assist in entering into negotiation of terms and conditions of orders under the guidance of Procurement Officer; obtains credit and other information on proposed suppliers.

Assist in analyzing the potential of suppliers vis-à-vis pre-evaluation criteria set by the organization and advice the Procurement Officer accordingly.

Assist in Prepares draft contracts/agreements in consultations with requisitions, contract officer and procurement officer if required submission to the Admin and Logistics Manager for further review and submission to the authorized signatories.

Assists in raising online Purchase Orders.

Submission of full procurement dossiers to the finance for payment processes.

Assist in Researching, retrieval and presentation of information from a variety of internal and external sources on sources of supply, vendors by commodity, etc., as well as obtain specifications for new products and equipment on the market.

Drafts a variety of correspondences.

Resolves issues/problems related to delivered goods, including discrepancies between purchase orders, return to Vendor forms for unacceptable and/or damaged goods received.

Performs other duties as assigned by Admin and Logistics Manager.

Procurement Information Management:

Create, maintain and update all procurement files in a manner acceptable for audits;

Regularly review the contract files and assist in monitoring contract performance and expiry dates; Assist in developing and maintaining consultant/supplier database.

Facilitating data and information exchange between Pharo Foundation and Service Providers. Perform other duties as assigned

Job Dimensions:

Problem Solving:

The job holder will be required to solve the following type of problems:

The job solves supplier and client related problems affecting the supply chain

Assist the procurement officer in sourcing,soliciting and negotiation of different market items required by the foundation

Communication

The job holder will need to understand the following information to discharge their mandate:

Detailed verbal and written instructions or requests to and from line departments.

Written internal policy documents, procedures, laws, and regulations in the organization New market trends, technologies, and reports affecting foundation.

Detailed verbal or written instructions or requests to employees of the institution or contractors.

Decision Making/ Job Influence:

Provide advice to the on emerging warehousing trends, platforms, and systems. Initiate linkages, collaborations, and interactions with various suppliers

Skills and Qualifications

Bachelors’ Degree in Procurement, Supply chain Management, Logistics and Business Administration, Finance, and Commerce, Accounting or any closely related field.

Minimum of 4 years of relevant experience of which 3 are international organizations/foundations, big companies.

Knowledge and demonstrated experience in the use of Microsoft 365

Full and up‐to‐date computer literacy and knowledge of procurement information management Proven negotiation and communication skills.

Demonstrated writing, presentation, and report writing skills.

Salary and Benefits

The salary and benefits package is competitive and will be commensurate with qualifications and experience Medical insurance is provided in accordance with The Pharo Foundation Health policy

How to apply

This position is open to both female and male nationals from Somaliland.

The Application Deadline is November 14, 2022.

Review of applications will begin as soon as they are received, and only complete applications will be considered. In the event that an outstanding applicant is identified early in the search process, we reserve the right to appoint before the deadline. For this reason, we encourage interested candidates to apply at the earliest possible time. Due to the high volume of applications, we regret that we will only be able to contact short-listed candidates.

How to Apply:

Interested candidates, who meet the above requirements, should submit their application through email to recruiting.sl@pharofoundation.org with subject line “Procurement Assistant”

Requirement:

1. A recent updated CV.

2. Cover letter to explain the experience you have gained that indicates you are the most qualified candidate for the role (maximum 1,000 words).

3. Your current or last benefit package and expected benefit package for this position.

4. A list of minimum five (5) references with current email address and phone number.

5. Copies of your qualification.