Procurement Officer

Company Overview

The Pharo Foundation (the ‘’Foundation”) is a privately funded entrepreneurial organisation that runs philanthropic programmes as well as a for-profit arm, Pharo Ventures. The Vision of the Foundation is an economically vibrant and inclusive Africa. The Mission is to achieve the Vision by investing in the human and physical capital of Africa, with a strong focus on job creation.

Established in 2011 as a UK based non-profit, the Foundation has since made a strategic shift to directly design and implement its own programmes to ensure greater engagement with communities, better results, and increased accountability. The Foundation has carried out numerous projects in East Africa, with a focus on Ethiopia and Somaliland, and is now expanding operations in Rwanda and Kenya. The key strategic pillars for the philanthropic side of the Foundation are education, health, water, and agriculture. At the end of 2019, the Foundation also started its Pharo Ventures franchise to prioritise sectors where the Foundation believes a real impact can be made by establishing self-sustaining businesses, which focus on job and economic value creation.

The Foundation has a programme office in Assosa, the regional capital of Ethiopia’s Benishangul Gumuz Regional State (BGRS), with plans to expand operations in the country. Since its establishment in 2016, the Foundation’s programme office has been working on an integrated livelihood development programme that covers agriculture, water, health, and education. The Foundation is in the process of establishing an internal ”In-House Construction Unit (I-HCU)” whose scope is limited to managing constructions of the Foundation’s own projects. This approach would provide efficient, effective and timely managed  construction projects that meet the expected quality requirements by having greater and closer control over resources and execution. Cost savings, quality of materials and craftsmanship, avoidance of contract management setbacks, timely completion of projects, creation of job opportunities and skill and knowledge transfer are some of the immediate benefits believed to be generated through handling construction works in-house.

Headquartered in London, the Foundation has an operational head office in Nairobi, Kenya with country offices in Ethiopia (Addis Ababa and Assosa), Somaliland (Hargeisa), and Rwanda (Kigali) with further expansion plans in Africa.

Position Summary 

The position holder is in charge of planning and executing all forms of procurement for the Foundation’s “In-House Construction Unit (I-HCU).” They will assist the Country and Field Offices in obtaining high-quality goods and services on time and at reasonable pricing. The Foundation is seeking a capable and dedicated Procurement Officer who is enthusiastic about their work and eager to make a difference.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Ensure smooth, transparent, and timely procurement of products and services.
• Prepare procurement plan in collaboration with In-House Construction Unit team.
• Before processing any purchase requests, ensures the purchase request template is fully completed with a high level of attention to detail.
• Collect quotations, conduct price analysis, and compare supplier quotations in respect of terms of reference andprice enquiry.
• Create a supplier database in coordination with In-House Construction Unit and Finance and Administration teams in both the Country and Assosa offices.
• Review quotations and verify the supplier’s eligibility, legal document authenticity, and other critical details, and immediately notify the line manager if there are any uncertainties or conflicts of interest.
• Place orders, collect goods, and make payments to supplier(s) in an efficient manner.
• Prepare a procurement tracker, update the weekly procurement report, and share it with the In-House Construction Unit team via SharePoint.
• Maintain procurement files in organised and traceable manner.
• Prepare contract agreements.
• Any other related duties assigned.

Role:  Procurement Officer, In-House Construction Unit                     

Location:  Addis Ababa, with frequent travel to the Foundation project locations

Employment Duration:  2 years with the possibility of an extension

Reporting to:  In-House Construction Unit, General Manager

Functional Relationships: Finance and Administration Manager, Country Office and BGRS Program Office Manager, Assosa

Qualification Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in purchasing management, supply chain management, management or a similar discipline.
• Minimum of five years relevant experience in a similar organisation(s).
• Successful and proven experience in managing multiple tasks in a modern busy office environment.
• Competent in relevant computer skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in Amharic and English. Knowledge of the local language is a plus.

Personal Attributes

• Great attention to detail and a flexible approach to work.
• High professional and ethical standards.
• Structured and process-oriented.
• Excellent time and project management skills with the ability to balance multiple priorities.
• Motivated to learn and perform and not afraid to ask questions.
• Willing to challenge the status quo and add value by introducing positive change.

• Excellent communicator and comfortable to work in a team environment.
• Positive outlook and outgoing personality with solid leadership, interpersonal and diplomatic skills.