Procurement & Logistics Assistant

Vacancy Number: A/019/14
Department: Corporate Services / Supply Chain
Duration: 2 years

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) seeks to recruit a Procurement & Logistics Assistant who will be a member of the Supply Chain team under Corporate Services Division in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

ILRI works to enhance the roles livestock play in pathways out of poverty in developing countries. ILRI is a member of the CGIAR Consortium, a global research partnership of 15 centres working with many partners for a food-secure future. ILRI has two main campuses in East Africa and other hubs in East, West and southern Africa and South, Southeast and East Asia. http://www.ilri.org.

CGIAR is a global agricultural research partnership for a food-secure future. Its science is carried out by 15 research centres that are members of the CGIAR Consortium in collaboration with hundreds of partner organizations. http://www.cgiar.org.

Responsibilities:

The Procurement & Logistics Assistant sources whatever the business requires and searches for better deals. Engage with suppliers, government offices i.e. Inland Revenue and custom authority and transit agents for the smooth clearance of shipment from abroad. It needs to be cost effective while also dealing with other factors such as sustainability, risk management and ethical issues.

• Assists the Procurement Officer in the purchases of goods and services required by the Institute, locally or overseas, following the Institute’s established Procurement policies, procedures and guideline;
• Registers all incoming requisitions and updates status report on procurement for inclusion and circulation in the status report;
• Prepares transport documentation accompanying dispatches such as packing lists, waybills and loading details to accompany shipment;
• Prepares periodic procurement/shipping updates and circulates to the supply chain unit;
• Plans and organizes the day-to-day local purchase activities ahead of time including review and assignments of work to the Local Purchase. Local purchases include, but are not limited to, animal feed, stationery, cafeteria supplies, sanitary supplies, fuel supplies, pharmaceutical products, lab./field supplies, construction materials, uniforms & protective wear, tools and spare parts and pest control services;
• Handles purchase requisitions from ILRI cost centers; and obtains ‘competitive’ quotations from suppliers in order to determine the most favorable prices, product quality, timely delivery, payment terms and other conditions of supply;
• Prepares quotation analysis charts for local and oversea purchase to be reviewed by the Procurement Officer and approved by requesting cost centers;
• Raises purchase orders for approval by the supervisor; and checks purchase order for accuracy and completeness including allocation of account/cost center/project codes;
• Ensures that all government and other documentation required for purchase is processed promptly and accurately and followed up to ensure that unnecessary delays are not experienced;
• Follows-up and keep supervisor as well as concerned requestors informed of the status of outstanding purchase orders periodically as appropriate;
• Arranges transportation of purchased goods to ILRI premises in Addis Ababa as per purchase requisitions;
• Maintains appropriate purchase records, documentation and relevant information about suitable local suppliers, price list and catalogues in the data base for reference by interested persons/units;
• Collects documents for items received at the Airport from Airport cargo or the shipping agents and obtain duty-free authorization;
• Ensures that all required government documentation is processed promptly and accurately and followed up properly so that unnecessary delays can be avoided;
• Follows-up with the clearing agents and expedite delivery of imports by air/sea freight;
• Expedites prompt clearance of delicate and perishable goods or arrange for temporary cold-storage if necessary;
• Maintains proper record to show the current status of all goods awaiting clearance and report to the Supervisor on daily basis;
• Compiles up-to-date information on rules and regulations relating to clearing, forwarding and associated tariffs including inland transportation (e.g Djibouti-Addis);
• Exercises good judgment about driving safety; and reviews, on weekly basis, the reasonableness of daily mileage covered by vehicles assigned to Procurement on the bases of properly maintained vehicle-logbooks;
• Performs any other duties related to Procurement including clearance of imported goods as assigned by the supervisor; and also deputizes for the Procurement Officer when on leave or mission.

Skills and Competencies

• Good knowledge of supply sources
• Good organization skills
• Ability to plan and co-ordinate routine operations
• Ability to negotiate prices to the advantages of the Institute
• Rigorous approach to duties
• Ability to use PCs
• Ability to maintain accurate records and other documentation
• Licensed to drive light vehicles
• Sound judgment and initiative

Personal qualities required

• Sound interpersonal communication and good personal organization
• Ability to pay close attention to small ability to exercise good judgment and initiative in dealing with issues arising in the duties being performed
• Integrity, honesty and confidentiality
• Ability to cope with pressure

Education and Experience:

• At least a higher education/professional diploma in Procurement and Supplies Management from a recognized college
• Five years’ relevant work experience

Duty Station: Addis Ababa

Grade: 2A

Minimum Base:    Birr 7,461 (Negotiable, depending on experience, skill and salary history of the candidate)

Terms of appointment:  This is a Nationally Recruited Staff (NRS) position, initial appointment is fixed term for two years with the possibility of renewal, contingent upon individual performance and the availability of funding. The ILRI remuneration package for nationally recruited staff in Ethiopia includes very competitive salary and benefits such as life and medical insurance, offshore pension plan, etc.

Applications: Applicants should provide a cover letter and curriculum vitae; names and addresses (including telephone and email) of three referees who are knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience to be included in the curriculum vitae. The position and reference number: REF: A/019/14 should be clearly indicated in the subject line of the cover letter. All applications to be submitted online on our recruitment portal: http://ilri.simplicant.com  on or before 11 April 2014.  We do not encourage CVs and credentials to be mailed to our postal address.

Suitably qualified women are particularly encouraged to apply.