Senior Associate, Africa Procurement and Business Development (GAIN Premix Facility)

 

Job Description

About the Role

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is seeking a Senior Associate, Africa Procurement and Business Development (GAIN Premix Facility) to act as the GAIN Premix Facility (GPF) Representative in our Africa countries. This role will be on a fixed-term contract basis up to 2 years and 6 months’, subject to availability of funding. This position is open to GAIN’s country offices in Nairobi, Cotonou, Addis Ababa and Kampala.

Reporting to the Project Manager, you will manage and develop business relationships with key accounts of the GPF and follow up on new leads and referrals resulting from field activity to increase overall impact of the GPF.

The Senior Associate will manage client relationships and communications during the premix procurement and fulfilment process including coordinating shipping schedules and the delivery of merchandise and services. In addition to this, the postholder will support the development of local premix supply models for fortification programs and will be expected to travel across Africa.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Preparing high-quality, rigorous reports and other materials (presentations, briefs and articles) documenting experiences to communicate the performance of GPF for wider dissemination and publication
• Managing the Africa demand forecast, capturing premix needs and quality related inputs for GAIN’s projects (Food Fortification, SMEs, Workforce Nutrition etc.) and other external partners
• Liaising with clients and certification agents on the day-to-day operations of the GPF such as conducting tenders, sample collection and testing, and ensuring a smooth procurement process from order placement through to delivery
• Supporting the Project Manager in risk management assessments of the Credit Facility’ liaising with bankers, GAIN’s finance team and clients and performing client due diligence checks
• Supporting the development of local premix supply systems and models for GAIN’s Large Scale Food Fortification (LSFF) programs and the expansion of new services such as supply of fortification dosifiers and analytical devices
• Expanding the customer base by contributing to business development activities and liaising with prospective clients to develop tailored procurement solutions
• Maintaining relationships with key customer accounts, visiting clients, and consignment stocks warehouses to develop relationships and to monitor progress
• Maintaining constant liaison with the relevant NGO/UN partners, government ministries, fortified foods producers, premix blenders and micronutrient manufacturers, GPF certification agents and other stakeholders to ensure the smooth operations of the GPF
• Ensuring GAIN’s regular interaction with partners in Africa and increasing the profile of the GPF, among stakeholders
• Ensuring monthly reporting for the Africa GFP program (in line with GAINs Project Management Standards) to update management on program progress achieved, program plans, changes in direction and challenges encountered

About You

The ideal candidate will have professional experience within end-to-end procurement management (specifically with demonstrable experience managing procurement inputs on behalf of clients, food producers and partners within the food ingredients / food fortification industry, working with premix and food fortified food products within the Africa region). You will have a strong background in supply chain and order management; managing suppliers as well as import and export processes, preferably within an international setting / organisation.

The ideal candidate will also have proven experience and a track record in business development and client management (with a demonstrable background in proposal development, developing a customer base and managing key stakeholders such as NGO/UN partners, government ministries, fortified foods producers, premix blenders and certification agents, and micronutrient manufacturers. You will also have proven credit management experience, managing risk assessments, collections, and performing due diligence checks.

Candidates’ with work experience in food fortification and/or global food assistance within the developing world or in low-to-middle income countries is desirable.

You will posess excellent communication and strong stakeholder management skills, with a proven ability to work in an environment requiring collaboration with government, industries and international organisations. Also, you will be highly flexible and be willing and able to travel in-country and overseas as and when required.

In addition to this, you will be fluent in written and spoken English, candidates’ with French language skills will be an additional advantage.

A Bachelor’s degree or above in Business, Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Marketing or related field will be required. You will have excellent administrative management skills and project management expertise, preferably in design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of nutrition programs or food fortification related projects. You will be computer literate and must be familiar with procurement processes and ERP/order management systems including Incoterms® 2020.

Candidates’ with professional qualifications such as professional Diplomas from Charted Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) or Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) would be an added advantage.

About our Offer

The starting salary for each office is as follows, depending on experience:

1. Kenya: From KES 3,019,680 – KES 3,454,680 (gross) per annum
2. Ethiopia: From ETB 735,900 – ETB 841,620 (gross) per annum
3. Benin: From XOF 10,351,440 – XOF 11,811,504 (gross) per annum
4. Uganda: From UGX 59,553,288 – UGX 68,118,768 (gross) per annum

GAIN has a fair and competitive salary structure that allows for annual progression subject to good performance. In addition, GAIN offers a total of 37 days holiday per year (including annual leave, public holidays and additional office closure days), an attractive pension scheme and competitive insurance cover including health, travel and life assurance.

We are committed to the health of our staff, especially in these challenging times, and have developed a programme of wellbeing that includes flexible working, additional leave allowances, wellbeing days, mindfulness coaching and access to independent and confidential counselling.

GAIN also has a strong commitment to professional development. We will support you to grow in your career through both formal and informal training, and are committed to providing opportunities through internal recruitment, secondments and promotion. All of this is delivered in a supportive and collaborative environment.

About GAIN

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is a Swiss-based foundation launched at the United Nations in 2002 to tackle the human suffering caused by malnutrition. Due to COVID19, conflict in Ukraine and climate change, malnutrition and hunger have worsened significantly since 2019, reversing a decade of progress. There is growing recognition that our food systems need to change if we are to reverse these trends.

GAIN’s Strategy aims to transform food systems to make healthier diets from sustainable food systems accessible to all people and especially those whose are most vulnerable to shocks. By 2027, we aim to improve the access of 1.5 billion people to nutritionally enhanced staple foods, improve the access of 25 million people to healthier diets, and support positive food system change in 10 countries. This is bold and complex, and the only way to achieve this is to work together with partners including governments, businesses, and civil society at the country and global level. These goals, and the ways of achieving them, build on our twenty-year legacy of transforming people’s lives with improved nutrition through concerted action and effective policy change.

Our Working Culture and Environment

We provide a flexible working environment that includes a combination of home and office working opportunities through our global hybrid working policy. This encourages our staff to have a healthy work-life balance and increases staff motivation, enriches employee wellbeing, and improves performance and productivity.

All of our positions are based in one or more of GAIN’s designated offices as stated on our job advertisements. Successful candidates will be based in one of GAIN’s country offices and must have the existing right to live and work within a reasonably commutable distance of the relevant city / cities in which the role is advertised. Please note, that GAIN does not sponsor working visas and relocations.

GAIN reserves the right to withdraw an offer of employment for candidates who are considered to ineligible under the above conditions during or after the recruitment process.

This advert closes on 24th October 2023. Early applications are encouraged. GAIN reserves the right to close this advert early should we receive suitable candidates ahead of the closing date.

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition is committed to equality of opportunity and creating an inclusive environment where diversity is valued. We are keen to reflect the diversity of our society at every level within our organisation and therefore welcome applications from talented and committed people from all backgrounds, representing the diverse societies we operate in.

 

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