Rwanda Deputy Procurement Specialist

ABOUT ONE ACRE FUND

Founded in 2006, One Acre Fund supplies 1 million smallholder farmers with the agricultural services they need to make their farms vastly more productive. We provide quality farm supplies on credit, delivered within walking distance of farmers’ homes, and agricultural trainings to improve harvests. We measure our success by our ability to make farmers more prosperous: On average, farmers harvest 50 percent more food after working with One Acre Fund.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Rwanda Procurement team is responsible for over $1.5 million in spend each year across over 2,000 transactions and is responsible for all operational goods and service purchasing on behalf of over 300,000 smallholder farmers. This team purchases all items needed to keep our program running.

Working with the Procurement team requires frequent written and verbal communication with our suppliers as well as the various teams within One Acre Fund that we are procuring operational goods and services for. You will be responsible for a variety of tasks that focus on team management and driving execution excellence.

You will coordinate across teams at One Acre Fund to maintain the consistent flow of purchasing information and ultimately deliver a world-class purchasing department at the feet of our 300,000+ farmers across rural Rwanda. 

Responsibilities of the Deputy Procurement Specialist will include:

Execution excellence  

• Deliver requested items to clients 100% on time, at the right specifications and at prices that are consistently below market rates
• Coordinate across teams to evaluate quality assurance measures and implement best practices
• Triage requests as they come in to assess lead times and project possible delays and challenges
• Run quarterly forecasting activities across teams to come up with procurement plan
• Maintain accurate procurement data in the web portal and SAP system
• Work closely with internal teams to reduce overall spend 
• Maintain and improve procurement process transparency 

Team Management

• Manage a 5+ person team in Rwanda while providing support on team daily operations and professional development     
• Coach purchasers to identify high quality, high-level suppliers and how to negotiate for best pricing and terms 
• Set clear and well-documented expectations for all staff members on the Procurement team and hold staff accountable to these rigorous expectations
• Identify opportunities to grow the team and work with the manager on the recruitment of strong local talent

Process Improvement

• Map out current procurement practices to identify and implement cost- and time-saving improvements. 
• Implement standardized practices to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and customer service
• Support strategic sourcing initiatives 

Stakeholder Management  

• Represent the Procurement team with internal clients and OAF suppliers  
• Ensure professional and timely internal client communication   

In addition to the above, the Deputy Procurement Specialist will also perform other duties as assigned by the manager. The overarching goals of this role are to:

• Drive execution excellence in our operational goods/services procurement and delivery operations across Rwanda.
• Support team professional development 
• Build strong relationships with key suppliers to receive high service levels and below-market pricing.
• Enable the Procurement team to achieve near 100% on time in full deliveries across Rwanda.
• Prevent low-quality goods from being delivered to OAF internal clients through state of the art quality control mechanisms.

CAREER GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

We have a strong culture of constant learning and we invest in developing our people. You’ll have weekly check-ins with your manager, access to mentorship and training programs, and regular feedback on your performance. We hold career reviews every six months and set aside time to discuss your aspirations and career goals. You’ll have the opportunity to shape a growing organization and build a rewarding long-term career.

QUALIFICATIONS

We are seeking exceptional professionals with experience in and a passion for procurement and supply chain. Experience in an entrepreneurial environment is a plus. Candidates that meet the following criteria are strongly encouraged to apply:

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Work experience in a demanding professional environment, preferably in positions where frequent cross-department communication was required.
• Experience in construction-related works strongly preferred
• At least 3 years of people or project management experience at work or outside of work
• Background in procurement, inventory management, supply chain, engineering, or consulting strongly preferred
• Creativity and strong problem-solving skills. You don’t take no for an answer and constantly look for alternative solutions to problems. 
• A passion for world-class customer service.
• Able to independently structure analyses related to procurement subject matter
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work and make decisions independently.
• Strong computer skills (experience using SAP preferred).
• Language: Fluent in English and Kinyarwanda (required), French (preferred).

PREFERRED START DATE

Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, start dates can vary significantly by role. We are adapting rapidly to Covid-19 and most of our team is now working remotely. Given the changing environment, we will appreciate your flexibility in confirming a start date.

JOB LOCATION

Kigali, Rwanda

COMPENSATION

Commensurate with experience

DURATION

Full-time job.

BENEFITS 

Health insurance, paid time off

SPONSOR INTERNATIONAL CANDIDATES

No; Must have existing rights to work in Rwanda.

One Acre Fund never asks candidates to pay any money or pay for tests at any stage of the interview process. Official One Acre Fund emails will always arrive from an @oneacrefund.org address. Please report any suspicious communication here (globalhotline@oneacrefund.org), but do not send applications or application materials to this email address.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.