Procurement Officer

Job Posting Organization:
The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, established to save lives in emergencies and to use food assistance as a means to build pathways to peace, stability, and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters, and the impacts of climate change. WFP operates globally, with a mission centered around ensuring that people are at the heart of everything it does. The organization is committed to diversity and equal employment opportunities, encouraging qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply. WFP has a vision for a diverse, committed, skilled, and high-performing workforce that operates in a healthy and inclusive work environment, embodying its core values of Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion. WFP has been recognized for its efforts, being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020, and it invests significantly in the personal and professional development of its employees through various training and mentorship programs. The organization operates in numerous countries worldwide, providing humanitarian assistance to millions of people in need.

Job Overview:
The Procurement Officer will play a crucial role in the WFP's operations in Zambia, reporting directly to the Head of Supply Chain in the Country Office. This position is integral to the successful execution of procurement plans and processes, ensuring compliance with WFP's procurement policies and standards. The officer will be responsible for managing procurement programs and operational activities, which include issuing tenders, evaluating offers, negotiating, and awarding contracts for food and non-food commodities or services. The role requires tracking and analyzing procurement data to provide recommendations for process improvements and preparing accurate reports on procurement activities to support informed decision-making. The Procurement Officer will also collaborate closely with internal counterparts and external partners to align procurement activities with broader programs, ensuring a coherent approach to meeting food assistance needs. Additionally, the officer will support the training of WFP staff in strategic procurement practices and act as a mentor for junior staff, guiding them through complex analyses and queries. The role may also involve emergency response duties, ensuring that WFP can quickly deploy food and necessary goods to affected areas during crises.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Procurement Officer's duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Contributing to the development of procurement plans and processes, ensuring compliance with WFP's procurement policies and standards.
• Managing procurement programs and operational activities, including issuing tenders, evaluating offers, and negotiating contracts for food and non-food commodities or services.
• Tracking and analyzing procurement data to provide recommendations for process improvements.
• Preparing accurate and timely reports on procurement activities to support decision-making and ensure consistency of information presented to stakeholders.
• Drafting responses to recommendations to support auditing of procurement activities and ensure compliance with rules.
• Collaborating with internal counterparts and external partners, including suppliers and companies, to align procurement activities with broader programs.
• Supporting the training of WFP staff in strategic procurement practices and mentoring junior staff.
• Following standard emergency preparedness practices to ensure WFP can respond quickly to crises.
• Acting in an assigned emergency response capacity as required. 1
• Supporting the development and implementation of logistics plans and conducting financial and budget analysis. 1
• Collecting and analyzing logistics data and preparing timely reports and KPIs to improve operational performance. 1
• Providing technical guidance across units, especially during emergencies, and participating in logistics capacity assessments.

Required Qualifications:
The position requires the following qualifications:

• At least 5 years of post-graduate professional experience in supply chain operations, including coordination with internal and external stakeholders.
• Proven experience in procurement processes, including vendor research, purchasing, cost analysis, and supplier evaluation.
• Demonstrated ability to implement supply chain strategies and manage logistics functions such as transportation, warehousing, and customs clearance.
• Experience in building and managing partnerships with UN agencies, NGOs, government bodies, and private sector actors, including capacity-building initiatives.
• Skilled in risk identification, emergency preparedness planning, and implementing corrective actions to improve operational performance.
• Experience in staff mentoring and capacity strengthening.

Educational Background:
Candidates should possess an advanced university degree in Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Economics, Business Administration, Logistics, Procurement, Purchasing and Supply, or a related field. Alternatively, a first university degree with two additional years of related work experience and/or training/courses may be acceptable.

Experience:
The role requires a minimum of 5 years of post-graduate professional experience in supply chain operations, with a strong emphasis on procurement processes and logistics management.

Languages:
Fluency in English (level C) is mandatory for this position. Additional language skills may be beneficial but are not specified as mandatory.

Additional Notes:
This position is full-time and is based in Lusaka, Zambia. The role may involve international recruitment, and WFP offers an attractive compensation package, which will be detailed in the Terms and Conditions section of the vacancy announcement. WFP is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. Candidates are advised to ensure their application profiles are complete and accurate, including employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified, and all employment decisions are made based on organizational needs and individual qualifications.