Procurement Assistant - Field Office at Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA)

About the Role: The Procurement Assistant under the general supervision of the Procurement Associate and within the limits of Innovations for Poverty Action-Kenya policies and procedures, helps coordinate and facilitate the procurement activities, functions and processes.

Below is a list of some of the general duties and responsibilities of the Procurement Assistant, to be carried out as needed according to the determination of the Procurement Associate.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Liaises with IPAK employees to determine their product and service needs
• Propose possible service/product vendors for categories not listed on the IPAK Prequalified Supplier List with the aim of sharing RFQ’s in line with the IPA-K procurement policy guidelines
• Monitor business trends and product availability to pay the best price for goods and services without sacrificing quality or delivery times
• Develops and implements strategies for procuring, storing, and distributing goods or services and maintaining stock levels
• Nurture relationships with suppliers to negotiate the best prices for IPAK
• Carry out periodic market surveys to ensure services and goods procured for IPA are competitively priced.
• Review, Prepare and share approved Purchases Orders with suppliers
• Ensure the accurate and timely delivery of requisitioned goods
• Perform general clerical duties such as maintaining procurement files, typing & data entry
• Provide support with internal procurement inquiries from projects
• Correspond with vendors regarding price, product availability, delivery terms & requisite documents required for payment process.
• Respond to inquiries regarding requisitions, purchase orders, contracts & pricing information
• Attend to any other duties as assigned by supervisor

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Diploma in procurement or supplies chain management or its equivalent – (though degree preferred)
• Knowledge of supply chain, procurement procedures and familiarity with the Public Procurement & Disposal Act.
• Proven experience in a similar position an added advantage.
• Previous experience in providing remote support is highly desirable
• Flexible, motivated and ability to persistently drive issues to closure
• Ability to operate in a dynamic environment and communicate with various levels of staff
• Strong work ethic, team player and ability to maintain a high degree of integrity & professionalism in performing assigned responsibilities
• Good spoken and written English is essential
• Well organized and keen to detail
• Strong computer skills in Microsoft packages, including Word, Excel, and Outlook