Job Description

Introduction and Role

Since 1998, Marie Stopes International Yemen (MSIY) has provided high quality healthcare services to women and families across Yemen. MSIY uses a combination of local knowledge and innovation to adapt our services to the situation on the ground and expand our activities to meet the changing needs of people living through the conflict.

The procurement team consists of one Procurement Officer, one Procurement Supervisor, a Store Manager and a Chief Pharmacist, and is headed by a dedicated Procurement Manager. The team is responsible for:

• all procurement and supply chain management for the support office and field activities; 
• ensuring fair, transparent and ethical procurement processes throughout 
• ensuring accurate documentation and contracting of all suppliers and goods provided is completed and filed appropriately
• ensuring best value for money is achieved across all projects
• supporting accurate forecasting of drugs and medical supplies to reduce stock outs 
• maintaining and implementing procurement manuals, ensuring these align with global policies and best practises

The role of the Strategic Procurement Expert is to review the current practises within the procurement approach, identify ways to enhance efficiency, implement these in partnership with the Procurement Officer. The consultancy will also serve to offer strategic insight and mentorship for the Procurement Officer, as well as ensuring the smooth implementation of the procurement module of a new ERP system. 

Key responsibilities and Deliverables

Implementation of procurement module in the new ERP system

• Lead the implementation of the procurement module of the new ERP system, supporting the set up and ensuring the system architecture is fully fit for purpose to support the needs of the organisation
• Ensuring smooth capture of all documentation from initial order request through to payments in the system, aligning with donor and organisational regulations
• Train key stakeholders on using the new system, phasing out paper documentation in certain processes
• Troubleshoot system errors or teething problems as they arise

Deliverable: Complete implementation of a fully functioning procurement model in the ERP system which is fit for purpose, increases efficiencies and is well understood and utilised by key stakeholders 

Strategic review of procurement processes and practises

• Review the Procurement and Supply Chain manuals and identify areas for increased efficiencies
• Review the workflow processes to identify any bottlenecks or duplication and provide strategic guidance on enhancements to the workflow 
• Arrange in collaboration with IT the link for all sub stores with central store to ensure clarity in total inventory and consumptions for better quantification for the needs

Deliverables: 

1) Clearly documented, revised workflow processes submitted for approval including inventory and consumption monitoring for better quantification of needs by week 8 of the consultancy
2)  Updated manuals after approvals of the revised workflow processes by week 11 of the consultancy

Mentorship for Procurement Team on Strategy Development 

• Work with Procurement Manager and Senior Management Team to formulate a clear strategy for the procurement department in making efficiency gains, reducing the time burden of administrative requirements without compromising on strong auditability and cost savings. 
• Design measurable objectives and a detailed implementation plan for the strategy in partnership with the Procurement Manager
• Mentor Procurement team to enhance technical knowledge and strategic approach
• Attend the procurement committee meetings and propose any practical suggestions to enhance fair decisions and efficiency  
• Review the responsibilities and KPIs for each team member within the procurement team and provide strategic recommendations to these to even the workload across the team in partnership with the Procurement Officer

Deliverable: 

1) Strategy outline and implementation plan by week 5 of the consultancy. 
2)  Revised individual KPI and responsibilities for each team member in line with revisions by week 10 of the consultancy
3)  Enhanced capacity of procurement team to have stronger proactive, strategic overview, technical know-how to deliver their KPI’s effectively and deliver leadership in all procurement related activities by end of consultancy. 

Key Skills

To perform this role, it is essential that you have the following skills:

• Ability to work in a diverse and inclusive environment: respecting and collaborating with all individuals equally, and with a commitment to overcome bias and prejudice 
• Good Communication: communicates clearly, verbally and in writing across the organisation & across all levels of the business. Can adapt communication to increase impact in different contexts
• Good Team working: ability to quickly and effectively build relationships and establish high degree of trust & respect and highly sensitive cross-cultural skills recognising the wide variation in supply chain skills in emerging countries. Empowers team to take action
• High planning & organising skills: High level of ability to initiate and lead supply chain tools development to completion and sensitive to change management requirements to ensure successful embedding of new systems within low resource countries. Good at follow-through on projects and initiatives.
• Strong analytical skills: can easily translate supply chain KPIs into something an organisation understands and responds to. Strong attention to detail 
• Good problem resolution skills: recognises the challenges of low resource settings and can respond well with solutions that meet needs of global standards whilst meeting needs of country programmes. Good at testing alternatives to identify an optimum solution
• Good business / financial acumen. Commercially astute - can use financial analyses (eg. supply chain P&L, cost & revenue drivers) to understand the financial impact of supply chain decision making   

Key Experience

To perform this role, it is essential that you have the following experience:

• 8+ years operational experience with at least 6+ years in supply chain (procurement, demand and supply planning, inventory management), in a regulated industry, preferably healthcare
• A minimum of 5+ years experience working in procurement and supply chain in the NGO sector
• Deep understanding and significant experience in Yemen’s specific procurement and supply regulations, requirement, challenges, and context in both the north and south
• Led and implemented proven supply chain systems improvements with very good understanding of process engineering resulting in cost savings and increased efficiencies 
• Good knowledge of sourcing and supplier management, managing forecasting, integrated planning, inventory management, order fulfilment, distribution, and procurement processes and commodity management
• Solid experience driving efficiency and cost reduction, whilst delivering the quality and service standards
• Significant experience in integrating digitalised procurement systems into programmes, particularly ERP systems
• Highly knowledgeable in the development and reporting of supply chain KPIs
• Demonstrable skill and experience in driving long-lasting change and capability enhancements within procurement departments
• Well developed “coaching style” with well-practiced facilitation skills that engender confidence and transfer technical ability 

Formal Education/qualification

• Educated to degree level, or equivalent experience (desirable)
• CIPS or other relevant Supply Chain qualification (highly desirable)
• Proficient in English (essential) & Arabic (essential)
• IT literate (Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, etc) (essential)

Timings and final report

The assignment should be undertaken between late June and early October 2024, and final report detailing achievements of deliverables and objectives, completed by 14th October 2024.