The posting
Job Description
Key Responsibilities
Procurement Strategy & Leadership
• Develop and implement the procurement strategy and annual procurement plan aligned with business objectives and operational requirements in The Gambia.
• Lead the procurement function, establishing clear processes, controls, approval thresholds, and service standards.
• Advise management on sourcing strategies, market conditions, cost drivers, and procurement risks.
• Ensure procurement activities are conducted ethically, transparently, and in accordance with company policies and applicable laws.
• Develop procurement budgets and monitor expenditure against approved plans.
Sourcing & Tender Management
• Manage end-to-end sourcing activities, including requisition review, specifications, supplier identification, RFQs/RFPs, bid evaluation, negotiations, and purchase orders.
• Obtain competitive quotations and ensure appropriate supplier comparison and evaluation.
• Coordinate tender and bid processes for major goods, services, equipment, and contractor requirements.
• Ensure procurement specifications are clear, commercially sound, and aligned with operational needs.
• Maintain complete and accurate procurement documentation and audit trails.
Supplier & Vendor Management
• Develop, evaluate, onboard, and maintain an approved supplier and vendor database.
• Conduct supplier due diligence, performance reviews, and periodic market assessments.
• Negotiate pricing, payment terms, warranties, service levels, and other commercial conditions.
• Monitor supplier performance, delivery timelines, quality, and compliance with contractual requirements.
• Manage supplier disputes and escalate material commercial or performance risks to management.
Cost Control & Value for Money
• Drive cost optimisation through competitive sourcing, negotiation, framework agreements, and supplier consolidation where appropriate.
• Track procurement savings, cost avoidance, and spend against budget.
• Work with Finance to ensure timely invoice matching, payment processing, and resolution of procurement-related discrepancies.
• Monitor market prices and identify opportunities to reduce total cost of ownership.
Inventory, Logistics & Operational Support
• Coordinate with Operations and Administration to ensure timely availability of critical materials, equipment, PPE, consumables, and services.
• Support inventory planning and stock-level monitoring for procurement-related items.
• Coordinate with logistics and customs stakeholders where imported goods or equipment are involved.
• Anticipate supply risks and develop alternative sourcing and contingency plans.
• Ensure urgent procurement requirements are handled efficiently without compromising controls.
Compliance, Risk & Reporting
• Ensure procurement activities comply with company policies, delegated authorities, contractual requirements, and applicable Gambian regulations.
• Maintain procurement records to support internal and external audits.
• Identify and mitigate procurement risks, including fraud, conflicts of interest, supplier concentration, price volatility, and supply disruption.
• Prepare regular procurement reports covering spend, savings, supplier performance, open purchase orders, and key risks.
• Support investigations and corrective actions relating to procurement irregularities.
Systems & Process Improvement
• Ensure accurate use of procurement, ERP, and inventory systems where applicable.
• Improve procurement workflows, controls, reporting, and automation.
• Develop standard procurement templates, supplier evaluation tools, and performance dashboards.
• Promote best practices and procurement capability development across relevant teams.
• Perform any other duties as assigned by the Country Director / Managing Director.
Person Specification
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Procurement, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Logistics, Finance, or a related field. A Master's degree is an advantage.
- Professional procurement/supply chain certification such as CIPS, CPSM, or equivalent is required or strongly preferred.
- Fluency in French is required; strong English communication skills are an advantage.
Experience
- Minimum of 7-10 years' experience in procurement, purchasing, or supply chain management.
- At least 3-5 years in a procurement management or senior procurement role, preferably within a large, multinational, infrastructure, services, construction, waste management, or operational environment.
- Demonstrated experience in strategic sourcing, tender management, supplier negotiations, contract administration, and cost optimisation.
- Experience managing procurement operations in The Gambian or a comparable West African market, with knowledge of local supplier and regulatory environments.
- Experience with ERP/procurement systems (Oracle HCM, etc) and strong Microsoft Office capability.
- Experience managing multiple categories, sites, suppliers, and competing operational priorities.
Skills & Competencies
- Strong procurement, negotiation, commercial analysis, and supplier management skills.
- Excellent French communication skills, both written and spoken.
- Strong analytical, organisational, and problem-solving abilities.
- High level of integrity, confidentiality, attention to detail, and commitment to ethical procurement.
- Strong stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration skills.
- Ability to work under pressure, manage deadlines, and make sound commercial decisions.
- Proactive mindset with strong risk-management and continuous-improvement orientation.
