Procurement Specialist at RTI International

RTI International in collaboration with Plan International and other partners are implementing a 4-year USAID funded Effective Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (E-WASH) program. E-WASH will provide technical assistance to and will work in collaboration with state governments to improve urban water service delivery by strengthening the governance, financial, and technical viability of six (6) state water boards (SWBs) in Nigeria. The overall goal is improvement of urban water and sanitation service delivery.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Procurement Specialist

Location: Abuja

Job Description

Under the direct supervision of the Utility Support Fund Manager, the Procurement Specialist is to provide overall management of procurements under Utility Support Fund (USF)including but not limited to the processes of Procurement (Local and International), Transport of Procured Goods, and oversight of Asset Management and Inventory control of USF.
Perform all phases of sourcing activity to ensure best value and within required lead times for a variety of requirements in Nigeria, including analysis of overall budgetary impact for all types of procurement transactions
Take the lead in the preparation and implementation of the annual procurement plan supported with budget and timetables.
Effectively negotiate with suppliers on a wide variety of commodities (ICT, mechanical and specialized equipment) and technical services for the best overall value to the USF.
Coordinate issuance of purchase orders in accordance with company policies and procedures
Contribute to the supply chain management efforts up to and including logistical support from the ordering point through the follow-up, expediting, and delivery of the required goods and/or services
Coordinate the freight forwarding efforts with the RTI Logistics Office and Home Office Support Team as required
Prepare, issue, and negotiate RFQ(s) for assigned procurements such as materials, equipment, commodities, and services
Understand and ensure compliance with legal guidelines, Federal Export Control (if applicable), contracting principles, sourcing and price/cost analysis requirements
Assist the Home Office Support Team in the preparation of requirements of federally funded assistance including waivers (source and nationality, restricted goods)
Provide Support and guidance to subgrantees of overall property management and inventory control, reports, custody control documents, reconciliations for both expendables and non-expendables according to USAID rules and regulations.
Ensure adherence to USF’s standard operating (SOP) procedures for USF related commodities/services ordering and distribution.
Conduct logistics training workshops for states Logistics assistant, seasonal operational staff and district officials on storage and distribution, and inventory control.
Develop and submit weekly and monthly reports to the USF Manager, Finance Manager and/or Deputy Chief of Party on logistics and procurement for submission to RTI/Washington
Perform other duties as assigned by the Utility Support Fund Manager or Deputy Chief of Party.

Minimum Required Education & Experience

Master’s Degree and 3 years of experience or Bachelor’s Degree and 6 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience

Skills & Abilities:

An understanding of and commitment to RTI’s mission and values
Additional professional training in procurement and logistics management preferred
Knowledge of USAID procurement policies and regulations a plus.
Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office and procurement software;
Strong organizational, reporting and management skills
Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work as part of a team
Strong verbal and written English communication skills
Strong presentation and facilitation skills
Ability to build effective relationships with all clients, peers, and stakeholders
Ability to work hands-on, independently, and within team.
Demonstrated success managing and leading technical and administrative teams;
Strong organizational and interpersonal skills and ability to work in a team-oriented setting;
Strong oral and written communication skills and ability to coordinate activities with officials from host country government, US Government, NGO’s, and other agencies;
Strong computer skills: Microsoft Office Applications
Experience in general business administration and financial management;
Willingness to travel frequently to the field offices.
Experience in West Africa Region Africa, preferably in Nigeria.