Global Procurement Associate

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 Global Procurement teams are responsible for over $10M in spending each year across over 15,000 transactions and are responsible for all operational goods and service purchasing on behalf of over 1M smallholder farmers.

We are seeking a strong individual to help improve process efficiency, drive 5% of purchasing cost out of the system, implement process/systems improvement projects, and help build team capacity across multiple countries of operation.

You will report to the Global Procurement Manager, directly oversee procurement operations in at least 3 countries of operation and contribute to delivering a world-class purchasing department at the feet of our 1M+ farmers across East and Southern Africa.

You will:

• Manage Burundi, Rwanda and Zambia Procurement teams: Drive execution excellence through best in class processes and capacity building.
  • Deliver goods on time, at the right specifications and at prices below market rates.
  • Mentor procurement staff to build leadership and role-specific skills.
  • Set clear expectations for all staff and hold them accountable.
  • Tap into local talent pools to hire top performers with strong potential for growth.
• Save costs for the organization. Your goal is to save over $600K every year across the value chain.
  • Create a culture of cost-saving across the Procurement team and its key stakeholders.
  • Use forecasting to increase timeliness and efficiency, reduce procurement cycle times, and drive down unit costs through better economies of scale.
  • Innovate cost-saving initiatives.
• Tighten controls environment. Drive efficiency by implementing loss prevention tactics and smooth processes.
  • Raise the bar on quality assurance and inventory management at global level
  • Oversee controls and fraud prevention activities.
  • Maintain accurate and timely data to inform business decisions.
• Performance Management
  • Build and maintain teams of procurement professionals who feel supported.
  • Identify operational challenges and define strategies to reach KPI targets.
  • Maintain performance tracking tools.
  • Manage key stakeholders across countries and share procurement performance data candidly.

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 looking for exceptional professionals with 5+ years of experience in a demanding professional environment, preferably in positions where frequent cross-department communication was required. Candidates who fit the following criteria are strongly encouraged to apply:

• 5+ years’ experience including 2 years of people and/or project management experience (experience managing remote teams is a plus)
• At a minimum, a Bachelor’s degree is required for this position
• Experience in procurement, supply chain, engineering, or consulting preferred, but not required
• We are looking for passionate professionals who combine leadership with good humor, patience and a humble approach to service.
• Strong sense of ethics, honesty, and integrity
• Passion for capacity building and investing in others
• Language: English and French are required

Preferred Start Date

As soon as possible

Job Location

Muramvya, Burundi with regular travel to Rwanda and Zambia

Compensation

Commensurate with experience

Duration

Full-time job.

Benefits 

Health insurance, housing, and comprehensive benefits

Sponsor International Candidates

Yes; African nationals are strongly encouraged to apply.

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.