The Unit is an internationally recognised centre of excellence with dominant research themes in the areas of HIV and emerging infections, vaccines and immunity, and chronic diseases and cancer. Through a multidisciplinary approach, intersecting basic science, epidemiologic al research, social-behavioural research and the conduct of new intervention evaluation studies, the Unit contributes knowledge on changing epidemics and diseases, the evaluation of innovative health care options, treatment and prevention and the development of health policy and practice in Africa and worldwide. Following the signing of strategic transfer agreements between the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and the Medical Research Council (MRC UK), the Unit formally joined LSHTM on 1st February 2018. The exciting new partnership will boost research capacity into current and emerging health issues in Africa and throughout the world. The Unit is based at the UVRI Entebbe campus with established outposts in Kalungu, Masaka, Wakiso and Kampala Districts. The Unit is now seeking an enthusiastic and experienced individual to fill the following position:
Procurement Officer (01 Position)
Position Code: PO -820
Reports to: Head of Procurement
Duty Station: Entebbe
Duration: 2 years, renewable subject to performance and availability of funds
Job Purpose:
To provide efficient procurement service for the Unit, employ global best procurement practice; procuring both locally and internationally, ensuring best value for money at all times, upholding the highest standards of ethical conduct, complying with all appropriate Unit policies and processes on procurement and financial governance. .

Roles & Responsibilities
Prepare and execute annual procurement plans
• Liaise with requesters, Grants office and Programme administrators to determine all major project requirements for the financial year and prepare a procurement plan;
• Generate initiatives to deliver value, save costs and maximize resources for the financial year; include these initiatives on the procurement plan;

• Deliver all requirements, initiatives and projects on the plan in timely fashion whilst achieving the objectives of each sourcing project;
Manage Procurement Categories
• Own selected procurement categories and routinely analyse the supply market and internal context and design category strategies for said categories;
• Conduct sourcing and procurement for all purchase requirements falling in your categories including Requests for Quotation (RFQ), Requests for Information (RFI), Requests for Proposals (RFP), Tendering (ITB) and supplier negotiations;
• Ensure appropriate planning is done before execution of high value sourcing projects or tenders;
• Support requesters in preparation of specifications and prepare solicitation documents for all different sourcing methods (RFQ, RFP, ITB;
• Provide guidance to tender evaluation teams during the tender evaluation process and prepare award recommendations/ cases for approval;
Conduct Contracting and Vendor Management
• Draft both local and international contracts, MOUs, Purchase Agreements of varying value and complexity ensuring adequate contractual protection for the Unit, as well assuring supplier performance;
• Advise Unit authorized signatories of risks/ benefits at contract sign-off stage and obtain contract sign off for contracts in your categories;

• Manage delivery of contracts and performance of vendors; conduct vendor performance review meetings and manage supplier performance improvement plans and where necessary, terminate contracts;
• Manage supplier disputes with a view to amicable resolution/ win-win outcome for both Unit and Supplier;
Support provision of procurement updates
• Add all new purchase requisitions to the tracking/ update tool. In addition, add any new inquiries arising outside of the ERP tool to the tracking/ update tool;
• Provide daily and accurate updates to the Procurement Associate, of your pending purchase requests;
• Check weekly shipping plan and shipping pre-alerts from the shipping agents and provide updates to the Procurement Associate, for entry into the tracking/ update tool, to show import orders that are planned for shipping, in transit, under customs clearance or delivered to stores, rejected/ returned, pending payment, paid;
• Contact Shipping agents and clearing agents for updates on import orders that are in the pipeline and provide updates to the Procurement Associate accordingly;
Champion compliance with Unit Procurement and Financial Policies and Standards
• Observe highest standards of ethical conduct and comply with all Unit policies and SOPs;
• Provide guidance to requesters and other staff on applicable Procurement policies in different situations and the correct procurement channels to use in acquiring their requirements;
• Support both internal and external audits, provide responses to audit queries relevant to your categories, and implement gap-closing actions for any audit gaps identified;
• Compile a monthly report of procurement non-compliance incidences and submit to management for review and action;
• Scrutinize and interrogate procurement exception requests in your category before submitting for approval;
Drive Continuous Improvement
• Seek out and implement best practices as well as generating and implement ing innovations that add value to the Unit’s Procurement processes or deliver significant value for money benefits to the Unit;
• Contribute to procurement policy and process improvements by documenting and motivating for the adoption of improved workflows, templates, processes and so on;
• Contribute significantly and positively to the achievement of the Procurement team objectives and the overall organizational goals;
• Provide expert advice and recommendations when required by the Unit
• Utilise available training and development opportunities to improve skills and gain relevant knowledge that is useful in your role
• Train newly inducted staff and existing staff on Procurement policy, systems and SOPs as required;
Support the Logistics process for imports
• Regularly contact and liaise with the Procurement Associate on orders requiring collection by the shipping agent;
• Chase supplier on orders that are due for collection or delivery or delayed and push for fulfilment or new delivery dates;
• Obtain safety any other shipping documents required for successful shipping and customs clearance of imported consignments;
• Liaise with the Unit pharmacist to lodge applications for National Drug Authority Import Verification Certificates (NDA VCs) and with the clearing agent to apply for UNBS destination inspection for all import shipments that require them.
• Request Cash or Bank Transfer payments (per Unit Accounts Payables Policy) and coordinate with drivers and/ or accountants and regulatory agencies to ensure payments for permits/ inspections are made in timely fashion, and permits are provided/ inspections are conducted accordingly;
• Respond to inquiries on orders to be consolidated or separated from weekly shipping consignments;
• Advise Procurement Associate, when required, on treatment of different orders, pickups, deliveries and shipments;
Support Procurement performance reporting
• Keep track of the annual tender and initiatives plans and provide updates for the monthly performance dashboard/report;
• Keep track of the annual Procurement team targets and provide a monthly update on progress towards achieving your assigned objectives;
Provide Support to the Head of Procurement and Procurement Associate
• Relieve the Head of Procurement or the Procurement Associate and perform their functions when either is on leave, out of office or when assigned to do so by Head of procurement;
• Performing any other reasonable duties as may be assigned by the Head of Procurement from time to time.

Person Specification
• Bachelor’s degree in Procurement, Logistics, Supply Chain management, Commerce , Business Administration, Economics, Statistics, Commerce, Accounting, or related field required;
• CIPS qualification, minimum Level 6 as an alternative to Bachelor’s degree may be considered;
• At least 3 years of experience in procurement or experience in a supply chain role with significant purchasing exposure; preferably in a donor funded setting;
• At least 2 years’ experience in an analytical role, working with spreadsheets, analyzing data and producing reports;
• At least 2 years’ experience working with an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system;
• Intermediate level user of Microsoft Excel (Knowledge of use of MS Excel FORMULA tab and the function library therein, DATA Tab tools and functions, consolidating data, using PivotTables and Subtotals beyond the introductory level, Charting data and formatting Charts, able to create compound and complex formulas, such as array formulas, able to build spreadsheet models, dashboards and automated templates for use by lower level users of Excel)
• Good knowledge of standard workplace IT-tools such as use of computers, printers, scanners and the Windows Office suite.
• Good understanding of international trade, logistics, laws, practices and Uganda customs requirements

Submit your CV and Application on Company Website : Click Here

Closing Date : 11 Sept, 2020