Position: Procurement and Logistics Officer

Location: Kampala

Reporting to: Supply Chain and Logistics Associate

Tenure: Full-time

Client Brief

Our client’s vision is to build a world where people take control of their environment in rewarding and sustainable ways. Our client does this by developing and commercializing life changing technology that solves the biggest daily challenges for the world's 570 million smallholder farming households. We are the largest distributor of solar water pumps / solar irrigation for smallholder farmers in Africa and were selected by Fast Company as one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies in 2021. Here is a good explainer video recently made by CNBC. Over the last 5 years the company has grown significantly and now employs 400+ people around the world.

Job Brief

The Procurement and Logistics Officer will play a key part in strategic sourcing, collaborating with cross-functional teams to identify procurement needs, conduct market research, and develop sourcing strategies that align with organizational goals. Your negotiation skills will be crucial as you engage with suppliers, negotiate contracts, and establish favorable terms and conditions that maximize value for our organization.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Procurement and Logistics

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to understand their procurement needs, gather requirements and develop specifications for goods and services.
• Identify potential suppliers, evaluate their capabilities and assess market trends to support informed purchasing decisions.
• Evaluate supplier proposals, negotiate pricing and contractual terms and select suppliers based on their ability to meet quality, delivery, and cost requirements.
• Generate and process purchase orders, track delivery schedules, resolve discrepancies and ensure timely receipt of goods and services.
• Maintain contract files, monitor contract performance, and facilitate contract renewals and amendments.
• Assist in building and maintaining positive relationships with suppliers, address supplier inquiries and resolve any issues that may arise.
• Ensure procurement activities adhere to applicable laws, regulations and company policies. Identify and mitigate procurement risks, such as supply chain disruptions or vendor non-compliance.
• Collect and analyze procurement data to identify cost-saving opportunities, track key performance indicators (KPIs) and prepare regular reports for management.
• Analyze pricing proposals, conduct cost comparisons, and identify cost-saving opportunities through negotiations alternative sourcing.
• Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) for suppliers, monitor their performance against set metrics, and provide feedback to suppliers to drive continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with suppliers to ensure compliance with sustainability and ethical sourcing standards such as environmental regulations, labor practices, and diversity and inclusion requirements.
• Support the contract lifecycle including drafting and reviewing contracts, managing contract renewals and extensions and ensuring compliance with contract terms and conditions.
• Perform other duties as assigned by line manager

Fleet Management

• Purchase vehicles to expand and/or enhance the fleet
• Schedule regular maintenance on all vehicles
• Order urgent or emergency repairs as needed
• Establish efficient routes and transportation schedules
• Coordinate fleet member training and onboarding towards ensuring compliance to the Fleet Management Policy including ensuring proper licensure and vehicle registration
• Monitoring Drivers to ensure adherence to schedules and proper driving practices
• Providing reports to management on budgeting, schedules, maintenance and fleet progress
• Developing methods to decrease cost and improve efficiency

Experience, Skills and Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, supply chain management, or a related field. Advanced degrees or professional certifications are advantageous.
• Proven experience in procurement, fleet management, supplier management, and contract negotiation.
• Strong knowledge of procurement principles, practices, and regulations.
• Excellent negotiation, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to conduct cost analysis and utilize data-driven insights.
• Proficiency in procurement software and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.
• Familiarity with sustainability and ethical sourcing practices.
• Leadership abilities, including the capacity to manage a team and drive procurement excellence
  regulations, and ordinances.