Procurement and Logistics Officer/Coordinator at Smart Africa Secretariat: (Deadline 12 July 2024)

Procurement and Logistics Officer/Coordinator at Smart Africa Secretariat: (Deadline 12 July 2024)

Terms of reference for recruitment of Procurement and Logistics Officer/Coordinator, DTfA/ WARDIP SOP-1

• Position: Procurement and Logistics Officer/Coordinator, DTfA/ WARDIP SOP-1
• Duration: Fixed Term, renewable
• Location: Kigali, Rwanda
• Deadline: 12^th July 2024

Context and Background

Africa is reshaping its narrative from one of poverty to progress, showcasing impressive economic growth, technological innovation, and a young population. Nevertheless, digital transformation faces obstacles such as limited access, insufficient investments, and a digital divide, which also offer opportunities for growth through better accessibility, efficiency, and job creation

The Smart Africa Alliance, established through the Smart Africa Manifesto, is a collaborative effort among African nations, the African Union, the Economic Commission for Africa, the African Development Bank, the World Bank, the International Telecommunications Union, the private sector, and academic and research institutions. This initiative, driven by African Heads of State and Government, aims to propel sustainable socio-economic development across the continent by leveraging Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) to transition Africa into a knowledge-based economy. Originally endorsed by African leaders in 2014, the Smart Africa Manifesto has since garnered the support of 39 African countries, representing over one billion population, with the goal of placing ICT at the core of both national and continental socio-economic development efforts. This involves increasing ICT access, enhancing transparency, efficiency, and openness through ICT adoption, fostering advanced telecommunication technologies, empowering the private sector, and utilizing ICT for sustainable development.

The Alliance promotes digital transformation by building digital infrastructure, supporting entrepreneurship, fostering innovation, developing human capital, driving digitization, and advocating the development of policies and regulations that support the growth of the digital economy and digital technologies. Recognizing the need for strong capacity building efforts to achieve AU’s goals for digital transformation, the Alliance established the Smart Africa Digital Academy (SADA), adopted during the Smart Africa Alliance ninth Board Meeting Resolution 5, as a vehicle to implement its capacity building and skills development activities across member states, through the establishment of national digital academies.

SADA ensures that policymakers, business leaders, and the wider African population develop the digital skills and knowledge necessary to participate in the digital economy and take advantage of new opportunities. SADA recognized the importance of strong policies and regulations and the need to equip policymakers and regulators to design and implement effective digital policies and regulations. Through collaborative efforts with the World Bank and GIZ, SADA has, in its phase 1, trained over 7000 policymakers, regulators, and is implemented across 12 African countries.

Visit https://sada.smartafrica.org/ for more information about the Smart Africa Digital Academy

Digital Transformation for Africa/ Western Africa Regional Digital Integration Program (DTfA/ WARDIP) SOP-1

The DTfA/ WARDIP SOP-1 is a regional project with financing from the International Development Asociaton (IDA) covering two continental entities, AU and Smart Africa, one REC, ECOWAS and four countries, The Gambia, Guinea. Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania. The DTfA/ WARDIP SOP-1 aims to increase broadband access and usage in participating countries and to advance the integration of digital markets in Western Africa.

The project is designed around the three distinct but interconnected layers of the SDM framework. The three market layers are (i) a single connectivity market, removing barriers to regional telecom infrastructure and services deployment; (ii) a single data market, enabling the secure exchange and processing of data across borders; and (iii) a single online market, allowing the access and delivery of public and private services online and digital trade across borders.

At the continental level the project will support AU´s strategic vision of creating an SDM in Africa by 2030 through the development of appropriate policies and regulations for coordinated digital transformation in Africa. A key element will be a comprehensive training program open to policy and decision makers as well as regulators from all countries in Africa to be implemented by Smart Africa through its Smart Africa Digital Academy (SADA). The training will ensure that participants are updated on digitalization and address the new policies and regulations underpinning single digital markets, with focus on agile regulation, data economy and green digital. This will also foster common knowledge, competencies, and peer-learning to design and implement digital policies and regulations.

• The Smart Africa Digital Academy for Policy and Decision makers (SADA-CBDM) – A Subcomponent of the WARDIP-SOP 1

The subcomponent of the WARDIP-SOP1 project to be implemented by Smart Africa aims at a rapid-scaling of the Smart Africa Digital Academy (SADA) program at both regional and continental levels by leveraging on the existing SADA -CBDM implementation, AReg4DT program, and developing a replicable implementation model that caters for the specific needs and the regional context. The overall aim is to establish a new generation of policymakers and regulators across Africa, who are individually knowledgeable on how to harness the potential of green and inclusive digital transformation through new approaches to policy and regulation, and who collectively contribute to the establishment of a Single Digital Market in Africa. With this aim, the scale-up will reach 30,000 unique policymakers and decision makers from all countries in Africa, with a core group of 5,000 being trained in person towards creating a safe, inclusive and sustainable single digital market for Africa, with a participation level of females at 40%. The use of self-paced learning and train-the-trainer approaches are both aimed at further enhancing the reach of the program to propagate new knowledge and new practices across the entire ecosystem including the private sector, academia and in some cases the general public.

In line with the vision of Smart Africa, the program aims to provide foundational knowledge and competencies for the current and future digital policy makers to design, draft and implement digital policies and regulations required to promote a vibrant (i.e, competitive), safe, inclusive and sustainable (i.e., affordable and green) digital transformation that will, in turn, foster the creation of a secured Single Digital Market in Africa with focus on Agile regulation, the data economy and green digital.

SADA invites suitably qualified consultants to indicate their interest in managing and maintaining financial records and statements for SADA component of the WARDIP-SOP1.

Duties and Responsibilities

Procurement and Logistics Officer/ Cordinator is part of the Project Implementation Unit (PIU). She/He reports to the Procurement Manager. The main responsibility of the Procurement Officer/ Cordinator is to ensure the timeliness, effectiveness, efficiency, economy, and transparency of procurement processes. More specifically, the duties of the Procurement and Logistics Officer includes the following:

• Ensure that all procurement requests are timely processed in compliance with applicable Smart Africa, Government of Rwanda and Donors’ procedures.
• Prepare the procurement plans in collaboration with the Project Manager.
• Provide guidance with the program team in preparation of purchase requisitions, specifications, terms of reference, requests for proposals, requests for quotations, etc.
• Advise the requestors on applicable procurement methods and procedures in line with procurement plan.
• Ensure all required approvals are timely obtained at relevant steps in the procurement process.

• Support the entire procurement process, including solicitation of quotations/ development of technical specifications, Terms of Reference, Expressions of Interest, bid advertisements, bidding documents, request for proposals, assemble committees for opening of bids, procurement evaluations, contract terms negotiation, contract management, etc. Prepare evaluation reports, contract negotiation minutes, draft contracts, etc; Monitor and supervise the contract implementation, including issues of claims and disputes, compensation events, etc.

• Support the technical evaluation and the financial evaluation processes; prepare procurement evaluation reports including observations and recommendations for the selection of best bidders.
• Ensure that budget confirmations are obtained before commitments to vendors.
• Prepare contracts and purchase orders and follow up on the timely delivery of the goods or services.
• Identify internal and external issues, and indicators of fraud, collusion and other unethical practices in the procurement process and contract management and assist to resolve or as needed escalate to the Supervisor or Management for swift resolution.
• Review invoices from vendors and service providers and work with the requestors to ensure the conformity of the delivery goods and services in accordance with specifications, terms of reference, contract/ purchase order, etc.
• Provide logistics and administrative support for office, staff, guests, events, office rental, office maintenance, office security, cleaning, vehicle fueling and maintenance, parking, office supplies, office assets, property insurance, and other logistics.
• Maintain an organized filing of supporting documents for procurement processes.
• Keep track and report on the weekly status of purchase requisitions, open tenders, contracts/ purchase orders.

Participate in procurement training courses, if necessary, and ensure that the PIU adopts and adheres to any relevant changes in procurement procedures and guidelines, introduced by the GoR and/or the World Bank/Donors.

Other

• Perform any other duties assigned by the Supervisor and the leadership of SAS.

Position requirements

Experience

• At least 5 years of proven experience in procurement.
• Prior experience in procurement with international organizations, international development partners, bilateral/multilateral donor funded projects, etc. in the field of procurement is an asset.

Education and Training

• Bachelor’s Degree is required in Procurement, Supply Chain Management, Management, Business Administration, Economics, Law, or related field.
• Professional Training Certification in Procurement (g. CIPS or equivalent) will be an asset.

Key Attributes and Skills

• Ability to collaborate with the team and deliver as part of a team.
• Ability to maintain positive and constructive working relationships with the colleagues
• Effective and constructive working relations with the team.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work well in a multicultural environment.
• Willingness to improve and learn new skills related to the job.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Well organized with attention to detail.
• Uphold procurement values of integrity, fairness, and transparency
• Ability to maintain positive and constructive working relationships with vendors
• Good planning and organizational skills
• Proficiency in MS Excel and Word.

 Duration of the Assignment

The employment contract is expected to have a duration of three (3) years renewable subject to funds availability and performance.

• Reporting

The Procurement and Logistics Officer/ Cordinator will report to the Procurement Manager.

• Location

Kigali, Rwanda.

• Application Instructions

Candidates should send the following documents to the following email address: [email protected], with mention of “Procurement and Logistics Officer – DTfA/ WARDIP SOP-1” in the subject line:

• A detailed CV
• Copies of academic degree certificates, professional procuremen/ supply chain certificates, and other relevant certificates
• A one-page cover letter with a motivation statement in relation to the responsibilities and requirements for this position.

The deadline for submitting applications is 12th July 2024

Only selected candidates for interview will be contacted.

Any late application will be automatically rejected.