Procurement Specialist at East African Community (EAC)

Procurement Specialist at East African Community (EAC)

Arusha 

Job Description

Following a request from EAC Secretariat to the African Development Fund (ADF) for support to the areas of Payment and Settlement Systems Integration of the EAC Financial Sector Development and Regionalization Project (FSDRP1), the ADF committed to provide a grant in support of the establishment of EAC Payment and Settlement Systems Integration Project (EAC-PSSIP) in the EAC region. The Protocol Agreement amounting to Fifteen Million Units of Account (UA 15,000,000) signed between EAC and ADF to fund the project in January 2013 and Four Million Eight Hundred thousand (UA4,800,000) Tripartite Agreement signed between ADF, Republic of South Sudan and EAC in August 2019.

The EAC-PSSIP is aimed at complementing the integration of the regional Financial Market Infrastructure to facilitate the undertaking of cross border funds transfers in support of the economies of the region as a whole, together with providing outreach to rural areas in order to encourage greater participation in the formal financial sector.

The objective of the EAC PSSIP is to develop a robust environment for both wholesale and retail payment and settlement systems and to facilitate market integration, support effective application of monetary policy and financial markets aimed at enhancing safety and efficiency in the overall payment and settlement systems. This will ultimately contribute to the pursuit of sound macroeconomic policies and improve the functioning of regional integrated financial markets.

The project includes the following key components:

Integration of financial market infrastructure;
Harmonization of financial laws and regulations; and
Capacity building.
The East African Community Secretariat seeks to recruit a highly motivated, result-driven, and qualified professional from citizens of the Republics of Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania to fill the following position tenable at the EAC Secretariat in Arusha, Tanzania.

PROCUREMENT SPECIALIST (1 post) (REF: EAC/HR/2022-23/24)

Organ: EAC Secretariat

Grade: Equivalent to P2

Directorate: Planning

Reports to: Project Manager

Duty Station: Arusha, Tanzania

Main purpose of the Assignment:

The main objective of this assignment is to provide technical advice and manage all stages of the procurement process for Goods, and Consultancy Services undertaken by the EAC Secretariat with regard to the project implementation of the EAC-PSSIP. The Procurement specialist will report to the Payment Systems Specialist/ Project Manager.

Duties and responsibilities of the Procurement Specialist:

• The Procurement Specialist will develop and implement a cost effective procurement management system for the EAC-PSSIP, including procurement plans in accordance with the AfDB Rules and Procedures.
• The duties and functions of the Procurement Specialist will include, but not limited to:
• Set up systems for procurement planning, implementation, monitoring and documentation for the EAC-PSSIP as per required standards;
• Carrying out tendering processes for procurement of goods and services in accordance with the AfDB Rules and Procedures;
• Initiation, preparation and update procurement plans in consultation with the EAC-PSSIP National Core Project Team;
• Advice the project team at all stages of procurement process to ensure that the EAC-PSSIP procurement activities are carried out in accordance with the provision of the grant agreement and the Project Appraisal Report;
• Guidance and coordination of the collection of inputs for preparing terms of reference (TORs), technical specifications, requests for proposals (RFP) and bidding documents;
• Advising the evaluation committee members in the evaluation of the bidding documents and proposals in accordance with the AfDB Rules and Procedures;
• Preparing evaluation reports and recommendations for contract awards, technical evaluation reports and combined evaluation reports, including obtaining the necessary EAC internal clearances and AfDB’s no-objection;
• Coordination and administration of preparation and issuance of General Procurement Notice (GPN), requests for Expressions of Interest, advertisements of bid opportunities, issuing bid documents to the prospective bidders;
• Provide guidance on public bid opening sessions as well as providing clarifications where necessary;
• Ensure publication of award of contract;
• Handle any complaints relating to the procurement process;
• Drafting minutes of contract and preparing contracts for signature;
• Advise on contract administration;
• Development, compilation and maintaining information on material and service costs, suppliers and products;
• Raising of Local Purchase Orders;
• Maintaining and ensuring safe custody of procurement records;
• Attend to procurement queries, disputes and complaints and report on contract awards and progress in accordance with the EAC- PSSIP; and
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned by the Project Manager.

Qualification and experience

To be qualified for the position, the candidate must meet the minimum required qualifications and experience:

• Must have a Master’s degree, from a recognized University, in either Procurement, Management, Economics,
• Business Administration, Engineering or any other related field;
• Must have professional of Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply certification (MCIPS) or other equivalent certification;
• Must have at least 10 years’ experience in executing procurement activities at national, regional or international bodies
• Must have served at Senior Procurement/ Management level
• Demonstrable understanding of the public procurement laws;
• Must be computer literate in the use of word processor, spreadsheets and any other applications used in the procurement function;
• At least 5 years proven working experience with Multilateral Development Bank (MDB) funded projects
• Working experience with AfDB funded projects is added advantage.

Other required skills and competences

• Technology Awareness: Good computer skills, including proficiency in procurement computer systems, spreadsheet, database management and Internet applications.
• Communications: Very good communication skills (spoken and written), including the ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences on procurement-related matters, good negotiation skills and to prepare a variety of written documents, contracts, reports, etc. in a clear, concise style.
• Languages: Fluency in spoken and written English is required. Knowledge of other languages spoken in East Africa will be an asset.
• Technical proficiency: Good understanding of and experience in procurement management, especially in
• Multilateral Development Banks’ projects. Proven ability in managing processes, people and coordination across implementing teams.
• Substantive understanding and preferably, experience in all phases of international procurement operations and in contracting.
• Good working knowledge of procurement regulations/contract law and expertise in handling complex contract issues.
• Good negotiating skills to shape and influence agreements with vendors.
• Sound judgment in applying technical expertise to resolve a range of issues/problems; ability to train, transfer knowledge and develop the capacity.
• Ethics and Integrity: Must be a person of proven honesty and integrity with no criminal record, and no situation of conflict of interest, result oriented and proactive.
• Teamwork: Very good interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with people in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.

Eligibility for applications:

Applicants from all Partner States are eligible to apply for the above position.

Terms and conditions of service

This is an EAC-PSSIP project position supported by African Development Fund (ADF), and is a non-established position for which contract terms are limited to the period of the project, and may be renewed subject to performance and extension of the funding. The Procurement Specialist will be recruited by the EAC Secretariat for an initial period of one (1) year including a probation period of six months. The contract may be renewed contingent upon project budgeting and a satisfactory performance evaluation. Attractive consolidated remuneration packages will be paid in accordance with the EAC-PSSIP budget.

Education Qualifications:

All candidates applying must have qualifications that are recognized by the relevant national accreditation body in their respective Partner State. This condition is applicable for locally and internationally attained qualifications.

Relevant Working Experience:

Internship, training and apprenticeship will not be considered as relevant work experience.

Equal Opportunity:

The EAC is an equal opportunity employer; therefore, female candidates are particularly encouraged to apply. EAC will only respond to those candidates who strictly meet the set requirements.

How to Apply:

Interested candidates who meet the qualification and experience requirements for the above mentioned position are advised to:

• Fill in the application form attached (download from here);
• Attach their application letter, a detailed CV, Copies of certified academic certificates, and a copy of National
• Identity Card or Passport in PDF format scanned in one (1) file.
• Please quote the respective reference number on both the application letter and envelope.
• For electronic submission, please quote the respective reference number on the subject of the email and send to the address given below.

Applications should be submitted to the address below not later than Friday, 18th November 2022.

Please note:

1. You may submit your application either electronically or in hard copy but not both.

2. All Applications MUST STRICTLY:

have EAC application form, CV, application letter, ID ;
indicate nationality and age;
have the job reference number;
have certified copies of their academic degrees and other professional Certificates;
provide referees.
3. Only qualified candidates will be contacted

4. EAC Staff Rules and Regulations preclude considerations of applicants above 55 years of age.

Please note that EAC does not require candidates to pay money for the recruitment process. All invitations for interviews will be done in writing.

A due diligence will be conducted for all successful candidates in respect of their academic certificates (certification by a recognized higher education body in respective Partner States) and employment records .

The Secretary General
East African Community
P. o Box 1096
Arusha – Tanzania.
Tel: +255 27 2162100
Fax: +255 27 2162190
E-mail: [email protected]
Website : www.eac.int

Also read: Job Opportunities  at  East African Community (EAC) – 20 Positions