Procurement Specialist

Our Business

Crown Agents is an international development company employing over 600 personnel worldwide with a presence in more than 40 countries, subsidiaries in 12 countries, and permanent staff working on the ground in 22 corporate offices in Africa, Asia Latin America, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Crown Agents provides direct assistance, management consulting, and human and institutional development for public and private sector clients in customs and trade facilitation, public financial management, procurement, logistics, and health systems strengthening.

Crown Agents USA (CA-USA), the U.S. incorporated subsidiary of Crown Agents, provides direct technical assistance, capacity development, and procurement services to stimulate economic growth, establish good governance, and improve health outcomes across the developing world. Since its incorporation in the United States in 1998, CA-USA has provided technical assistance services and support to U.S. Government agencies and international organizations such as the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), Department of State (DOS), and the Gates Foundation.

The Partnership for Supply Chain Management (PFSCM) brings together multiple private sector, non-government and faith-based organizations that are among the most trusted names in supply chain management and international public health and development in the world. PFSCM has been recognized internationally for its work to save lives through stronger public health supply chains; the partnership won two supply chain distinction awards from the European Supply Chain and Logistics Summit in 2010 and was a finalist in the 2012 Supply Chain Innovation Award Competition sponsored by the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) and SupplyChainBrain.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is a major financing institution in the fight against these diseases in 140 countries. The Global Fund selected PFSCM to be its primary Procurement Agent for Global Fund principal recipients, under its Pooled Procurement Mechanism aimed at ensuring a cost-effective and efficient procurement process that meets all the Global Fund standards for a Procurement Agent.

This service provides support to countries to resolve procurement bottlenecks and supply chain management challenges and to facilitate timely access to pharmaceuticals and other health products.

In addition, PFSCM implements other supply chain management projects with other client/donors as appropriate.

Role & Responsibilities

The Procurement Specialist is responsible for the management of procurement requisitions for health-related under the VPP, ensuring that procurement policies and operating procedures are followed in the purchasing of quality assured commodities to target timescales at a competitive price. Responsibilities include market research, preparation and issuance of RFP’s, tenders, purchase orders, negotiations, and administration of awards.

Specific Responsibilities

• Manage the procurement process for a portfolio of developing countries under the VPP project including international procurement and tendering.
• Facilitate the management of relationships with major suppliers for timely performance of the procurement process in the acquisition of quality assured commodities.
• Work under the direction of the VPP Procurement Specialist Lead in the preparation and execution of contract mechanisms, including purchase order and major framework agreements with vendors (IQC/BPA).
• Work closely with the Quality Assurance Manager on product specifications and other product quality issues, and to ensure that all commodities procured under this contract meet the appropriate USG or Global Fund standards for quality, efficacy and safety or other such appropriate standards.
• Works closely with Supply & Delivery Coordinators to ensure products get delivered in accordance with PO terms and conditions.
• Adhere to established procurement policies and standard operating procedures.
• Perform procurement duties in a transparent and ethical manner.
• Work in a multi-cultural and multi-language environment to conduct international procurement activities.
• Identify issues with day-to-day procurement processes and proactively resolve and/or communicate the issues to management in a timely manner, as needed.

Procurement:

• Procure health goods and equipment in compliance with donor regulations, end user requirements and appropriate procedures and standards of ethical procurement as well as applicable donor regulations.
• Responsible for executing orders and maintaining data accuracy from point order inquiry is assigned to procurement specialist to point of delivery per respective INCO terms.

Sourcing:

• Clarify specifications with client/technical specialists to fully understand requirements.
• Identify sources to meet specifications using international sources.
• Ensure all commodities meet quality standards and pass GF/USG/FDA tests of Quality, Efficacy and Safety.
• Coordinate procurement activities of VPP in liaison with the recipient country teams and internally with other units SDC, F&L, Accounts Payable, Finance etc, as necessary.
• Adhere to the ‘request for waiver’ process as necessary.
• Contribute to PFSCM products registration status database, appraise supplier performance and manage the relationship with suppliers.
• Ensure compliance with Global Fund QA policy / WHO guidelines for commodity procurement.

Bidding:

• Prepare and issue tender documents.
• Evaluate tenders taking into consideration relevant criteria and ability to comply with terms and conditions.
• Make recommendation and confirm order with the client as appropriate.
• Negotiate price reductions with suppliers where appropriate.
• Resolve bid challenges in accordance with the PFSCM Standard Operating Procedures.
• Ensure the entire procurement processes are documented and filed appropriately per PFSC.
• Standard Operating Procedures.

Contract Management:

• Prepare contract/purchase order.
• Review supplier invoices for completeness and accuracy to ensure expeditious payment.
• Resolve post contract complaints and issues and file incident reports where applicable in a timely manner for review and resolution.

Client Relationship Management:

• Maintain a positive on-going relationship with the client and all stakeholders, keeping them   informed, responding to needs and developing solutions.

Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree logistics, management, public health, business or other related area.
• Post Graduate business/professional procurement qualification desired.
• Knowledge of procuring Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) and/or Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) a   must.
• 3 or more years of procurement experience.
• Experience in international procurements.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to perform multiple tasks simultaneously, set priorities and work in a team with diverse cultural backgrounds.
• Excellent written/verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent client management skills.
• Experience in the Health/Pharmaceuticals procurement sector a plus.
• Team player who is also able to work independently and handle conflicting priorities while   maintaining consistent, quality performance standards.
• Exposure to ERP systems would be beneficial.
• Experience in public health commodity procurement a plus.
• Spanish, French, or Portuguese language skills a plus.
• Must be eligible to work in the Netherlands.****

How to apply:

To apply to this position, please email your CV to careers@crownagents.com. Include your name, along with “13-100 Procurement Specialist”, in the subject line. Visit our website at www.crownagents.com for more information about our company. No phone calls, faxes or walk-ins please. Crown Agents USA, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V.

Crown Agents USA will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with qualified disabilities in accordance with the ADA and local labor law as applicable. If you require a reasonable accommodation for our application process, please contact our Recruiting department directly. Requests will be kept confidential and shared strictly on a need-to-know basis only.