Senior Procurement Associate

The Senior Procurement Associate will lead and manage the procurement function of the Food for Education Foundation. This role ensures that procurement activities are aligned with organizational goals, cost-effective, compliant with policies and regulations, and contribute to continuous process improvement. The position will also oversee supplier management, procurement operations, and support cross-functional initiatives such as warehouse efficiency and menu re-engineering.

Roles & Responsibilities

Strategic Procurement Leadership

• Develop and Implement Procurement Strategies: Formulate and execute procurement strategies that align with F4E organizational goals, ensuring both cost-effectiveness and value addition.
• Market Analysis and Forecasting: Analyze market trends to anticipate procurement needs and adjust strategies accordingly.
• Demand Planning: Contribute accurate termly consumption data, lead times, reorder levels, and supplier constraints to the Operations/Production demand and stock planning process, to prevent stock-outs and overstocking, as per the Procurement Policy.
• Seasonal & Strategic Sourcing: Time the procurement of key inventory items (e.g. grains, legumes, seasonal produce) to periods of peak market supply and lowest price — informed by the demand plan and within storage capacity, shelf-life, and food safety constraints — to capture cost savings ahead of price increases in off-season periods.
• Risk Management: Identify potential risks in the F4E supply chain and develop mitigation plans to address them.

Supplier Relationship and Contract Management

• Supplier Selection and Negotiation: Lead suppliers' prequalification process, engagement, negotiate contracts, and establish favorable terms and conditions for F4E.
• Performance Monitoring: Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess supplier performance and implement corrective actions when necessary.
• Vendor Base Diversification: Maintain a minimum of 3 active, qualified vendors per procurement category (e.g. per food ingredient line, service type) to preserve competitive tension, ensure supply continuity, and avoid over-reliance on a single source; escalate any category that falls below this threshold with a plan to onboard additional vendors.
• Contract Administration: Oversee the administration of contracts, ensuring compliance with agreed terms and conditions.
• Vendor Impact Storytelling: Collaborate with internal teams to identify, document, and share stories from vendors that illustrate the impact of F4E's school feeding program — on their businesses, livelihoods, and communities — supporting the organization's broader storytelling and reporting needs as an NGO.

Outsourced Services & Consultancy Management

• Vetting of Outsourced Providers: Support the prequalification and due diligence of all outsourced service providers, as per the Procurement Policy.
• Engagement & Contract Tracking: Maintain a live register of active outsourced engagements (contracts, Statements of Work, and consultancy agreements), including agreed deliverables, terms, and expiry/renewal dates, and flag upcoming renewals or expiries to the relevant Head of Department in good time.
• Performance Tracking: Support Heads of Department in monitoring and documenting the ongoing performance of outsourced service providers against agreed deliverables and the Supplier Performance Evaluation Matrix, escalating underperformance or non-compliance promptly for corrective action.

Operational Oversight and Compliance

• Procurement Operations Management: Supervise day-to-day, end-to-end procurement activities, ensuring timely and cost-effective acquisition of goods and services.
• Compliance Assurance: Ensure all procurement activities comply with internal policies, legal requirements, and industry standards.
• Audit and Reporting: Coordinate internal audits of procurement processes and prepare reports for senior management.

Team Leadership and Development

• Team Management: Lead and mentor the F4E procurement team, fostering a collaborative and high-performance culture.
• Training and Development: Identify training needs and provide opportunities for professional development to enhance team capabilities.
• Performance Evaluation: Conduct regular performance reviews against set KPIs and provide constructive feedback to team members.

Continuous Improvement and Innovation

• Process Optimization: Identify opportunities for process improvements and implement best practices to enhance F4E procurement efficiency.
• Technology Integration: Leverage technology and procurement software/ERPs to streamline operations and improve data accuracy.
• Sustainability Initiatives: Promote sustainable procurement practices that align with F4E's environmental and social responsibility goals.

Menu Re-Engineering

• Termly Menu Development: Lead the procurement-side input into F4E's termly menu re-engineering cycle, a core organizational deliverable — working closely with the Operations team on new product trials to develop innovative, nutritionally enhanced menu items or variations.
• Market & Seasonal Input: Guide menu options using market trends, seasonal ingredient availability, and regional taste preferences, so that new or revised menu items are both deliverable at scale and cost-effective to source.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Education: BA/BSc/HND degree in a relevant field (e.g., Procurement, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration).
• Experience: Senior-level experience in managing procurement operations, preferably in an NGO or food-related setup.