Procurement Intern - Bujumbura

Description of the organization :

One Acre Fund - TUBURA is an agricultural ENGO working in different East African countries to support farmers with small acreage. We offer each of our members a set of services such as the local delivery of agricultural inputs on credit and training with the aim of increasing harvests and incomes. Established in Burundi in 2012, we are a rapidly growing organization, now with over 910 employees across the country. As of 2022, we serve over 197,000 homes in 6 provinces; Muramvya, Gitega, Kayanza, Mwaro, Ngozi and Muyinga.

About the Young Professionals Program :

The One Acre Fund Young Professionals Program offers high-performing African graduates meaningful internships and training opportunities in a high-performing, mission-driven organization. Our internships are paid, and all interns can expect to receive substantial work assignments working on high-impact projects that support One Acre Fund's operations.

Upon joining, interns will participate in an onboarding program and receive training on how to design and execute projects. During your internship, you will have the opportunity to work with like-minded people and benefit from learning opportunities to build a solid foundation for your future career.

Job Description :

The procurement team in Burundi is responsible for more than $500,000 of expenditures each year on more than 350 transactions and is also responsible for all purchases of operational goods and services on behalf of more than 190,000 small farmers.

This team is looking for 2 interns for vocational training who will be tasked with performing local procurement functions by sourcing operational goods and services from vendors for farmers and One Acre Fund internal departments.

Roles and responsibilities :

Marketing studies :

• Conduct adequate market research to source operational goods and services at the best value for money to generate cost savings for the organization
• Strengthen the organization's vendor database through ongoing market research
• Assess prevailing market prices to estimate financial savings achieved through the procurement team
• Maintain long-term business relationships with the organization's suppliers, as well as identify and establish new supplier relationships for new or existing products

Purchases :

• Manage RFPs and quote gathering, for competitive vendor selection for high value orders (managed directly by you) and medium to low value orders (managed by your team)
• Negotiate the best prices and payment terms for all goods and services purchased to ensure cost savings for the organization
• Follow up with finance team to ensure vendors are paid on time
• Build strong relationships with requesting departments
• Support the purchasing team on supplier and category management activities

Deliveries and communication with customers :

• Ensure that goods are received or services are delivered in time to meet established delivery deadlines
• Collect all supporting documentation for purchases from vendors and share with SAP Data Administrator in a timely manner
• Improve customer satisfaction through the use of proactive communications - keep customers constantly informed of the status of their requests

Systems and processes :

• Provide support on the execution of various procurement projects
• Work with internal departments to develop sourcing plans for their various projects
• Identify opportunities for cost savings through upstream supplier relationships.

Career growth and development :

We have a strong culture of constant learning and we invest deeply in our people. You'll get weekly check-ins with your manager, access to mentorship and training, and regular feedback on your performance. We will hold career reviews every one to three months and set aside time to discuss your career aspirations and goals. You will have the opportunity to shape a growing organization and gain valuable technical experience.

Requirements :

• Hold a bachelor's degree in economics, and other related fields
• Attention to detail and strong problem-solving skills
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Language : French and Kirundi required, English or Swahili is an asset
• Able to adequately coordinate/manage stakeholders to achieve set goals and objectives. The main stakeholders are: internal customer services, suppliers, the purchasing committee, the finance team and the purchasing team
• Able to make discretionary decisions with defined processes and freedom of choice limited to operations.

Preferred start date :

• As soon as possible.

Benefits :

• Interns will receive a reasonable stipend for the duration of their contract. 

Eligibility :

• This role is only open to citizens or permanent residents of Burundi.

Application Deadline : June 20, 2023

We hire on a rolling basis, which means applications are reviewed and processed continuously until a hire is made.