Procurement Manager – DR Congo

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible.
In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions
into action, helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.
Now, and for the future.

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps has been operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) since August 2007, with a staff of around 450 people working in North and South Kivu and Ituri, with the overall country goal to support vulnerable communities through crises, while fostering programs that build resilience and promote long-term change. Mercy Corps’ national office is in Goma with sub-field offices in North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri.

Mercy Corps’ key programming areas include a combination of longer-term development and immediate humanitarian response programs in order to: 1) Improve water service delivery and ensuring equitable access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene services, in urban and rural areas; 2) Improve food security and nutrition; 3) Promote diversified livelihoods, economic recovery and development.

Mercy Corps DRC’s humanitarian programs aim specifically to assist populations affected by the conflict and crisis in Eastern Congo. With funding from humanitarian donors including ECHO, OFDA and UN-donors, the humanitarian portfolio continues to expand in order to provide multi-purpose cash assistance and emergency WASH to displaced and host populations. An Ebola virus outbreak was recently been confirmed in Beni area of North-Kivu province. Mercy Corps is worked in close coordination with other actors and is getting ready to prepare a WASH response should the Health Division requests more support from partners. All Mercy Corps interventions in DRC are implemented in a conflict and gender sensitive manner.

General Position Summary

The Procurement Manager is responsible for supervising all purchases of goods and services of Mercy Corps’ Country program. S/he will train and oversee a team, while ensuring that a support strategy for healthy, robust and integrated systems is in place.

Essential Job Responsibilities

STRATEGY & VISION

● Analyze the procurement team set up in every office. Propose adjustment; recruit and train staff accordingly to guarantee a high performing and professional team is in place.

● Develop the management tools necessary to make optimal decisions

● Provide senior leadership with the data and analysis necessary to make optimal decisions

● Analyze and propose change to procedures base on needs and risk management

PROCUREMENT MANAGEMENT

● Provide direct support to and ensuring that all MC DRC offices high standards in procurement

● Ensure that procurement Team and all relevant employees have correctly assimilated and applied the new field Procurement Policies and procedure FP3

● Provide training to staff on this news policies

● Assist Program and operational personnel in regular procurement planning meeting

● Work closely with program managers; ops director and log Manager to develop policies, procedures and set up better adapted to procurement for emergency programs.

● Lead the implementation of market surveys

● Maintain file on market prices for commonly-bought items.

● Organize proper filing of the procedure related documentation according with mercy corps standards

● Maintain a comprehensive dashboard for procurement to ensure follow-up and analysis is updated on a weekly and monthly basis.

● Engage with program managers for the development and regular updating of procurement plans for each project

● Regularly produce purchase status and completed purchases reports using the Ongoing PR Master List and PR Master List

● Maintain a comprehensive dashboard for procurement; to ensure good planning of all update on weekly and monthly basis.

● Ensure ongoing communication with the different departments to ensure a good planning of all purchases

● Ensure maximum use of Master Agreement and yearly renewal of these agreements

● Ensure that Mercy Corps’ procurement activities are legal and moral.

● Establish preferred supplier agreements for commonly used items

● Ensure all contracts and contractual terms are respected by supplier and mercy corps and respect local legislation

● Ensure all tenders are done in accordance with procedure and archived according to mercy corps procedures

TEAM MANAGEMENT

● Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives

● Provide direct support to ensure that all MC DRC offices meet minimum standards in procurement management.

● Guide and supervise the team according to the performance revealed in the dashboard

● Create and sustain a working environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.

● Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews.

● Supervise, hire and orient new team members as necessary.

● Review job description as necessary and include performances indicators. Conduct annual performance evaluation.

● Develop and implement KPIs for the procurement team

● Ensure training and capacity building for procurement team members in order to increase the level of technical ability and skills within the department

● Contribute to country team-building efforts, help team members identify problem-solving options and ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.

● Implement a management dashboard to provide accurate date on the department’s performance and proposes as well as implement changes

FINANCE & COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT

● Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy corps regulations

● Uphold Mercy zero tolerance policy to corruption

● Provide training to program team members on procurement compliance procurement tools use

INFLUENCE & REPRESENTATION

● Represent Mercy Corps to the relevant external meeting

● Consult with other NGOs to identify the best potential suppliers and providers

● Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donors obligations are met

Supervisory Responsibility

Directly supervises all Procurement team members/staff in DRC

Accountability

Accountable for following Mercy Corps Field Procurement Manual, the MC Code of conduct regarding procurement activities and MC Conflict of Interest policy.

Reports Directly to: Director of Operations

Works Directly with: Head of Offices, Program Managers, Finance Manager, HR Manager, Logistics Manager, all MC Logistics and Operations team a required

Knowledge and Experience

● BA/BS Degree in supply chain management and/ or international business in a relevant business field.

● 5+ years of experience sitting up managing procurement systems with INGOs with supervisory responsibilities.

● Demonstrated understanding of a complex environment. Related security concerns and appropriate response with experience in secure context

● Strong organizational skills; ability to interact effectively with international and national personnel in a sensitive environment.

● Excellent oral and written English skills.

● High level of computer skills on MS Office programs.

● A demonstrated ability to multi-task and process information into action as to not delay program activities.

● A clear understanding of procurement ethics and donor (USAID, DIFID, UC, UN) compliance is essential.

Success Factors

The successful Procurement Manager will be good at problem solving and have the ability to work out methods to deliver successful programs while demonstrating excellent stewardship of donor funds and compliance with MC and donor regulations. S/he will maintain strong cooperative relationships with other departments and interact effectively with international and national personnel both in a managerial as well as training capacity, while demonstrating the ability to multi-task, meet deadlines and process information in support of changing program activities. S/he will be able to live and work closely with a diverse team of individuals in a highly intense and fluid work and security environment and be willing to travel regularly to Mercy Corps field offices and project sites. The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

This is an unaccompanied post based in Goma. The position is entitled to shared staff housing in Goma and is not eligible for hardship.

While conditions in the country are improving, and security is quite stable in Goma, there are still pockets of violence and insecurity and petty crime is on the increase. Mercy Corps’ sub-offices experience variable levels of insecurity, with the situation closely monitored by UN peacekeepers. Years of conflict and corruption have badly damaged the country’s infrastructure. Air travel is necessary to get from one end of the country to the other. There are virtually no telephone land lines in the DRC, though mobile phones and cellular service are widely available. Internet is limited, but available in all Mercy Corps offices. Travel to field sites will be required (up to 30%) where living conditions are clean and secure, but basic. There are a number of health services available with several evacuation options for serious illnesses. There’s reasonable access to most consumer goods, although they can be expensive.

Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues. Fostering a diverse and open workplace is an important part of Mercy Corps’ vision. Mercy Corps is an Equal Opportunity Employer regardless of background. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.