Procurement Officer

Role Purpose:

To own the end-to-end local purchasing cycle from receipt of a requisition through to issue of a local purchase order and follow-through on supplier payment. The role exists to make local procurement fast, competitive and fully documented, in a continuous-production environment where a delayed spare part stops a mill.

Budget: KES 85K Gross

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Requisition intake and control

• Act as the single point of receipt for all local purchase requisitions (LPRs) from every division.
• Validate each requisition within four working hours of receipt — confirming specification, quantity, budget and authorisation — and reject incomplete requests the same day with a clear reason.
• Maintain the requisition register in SAP Business One and keep originating departments informed of status.

2. Sourcing and quotation

• Issue requests for quotation to at least three approved suppliers for all standard purchases.
• Chase, receive and record quotations within the cycle time; escalate non-responsive suppliers.
• Prepare a written comparison sheet for every purchase, setting out price, lead time, payment terms, warranty and specification compliance, with a documented recommendation.
• Benchmark prices on repeat-purchase items and challenge price increases with evidence.

3. Purchase order issue

• Issue local purchase orders in SAP Business One only after the applicable approval has been obtained under company's delegation of authority.
• Dispatch approved orders to suppliers, confirm acceptance, and track order status to delivery.
• Maintain the LPO tracker and close out open orders.

4. Supplier administration

• Administer onboarding of new suppliers: collect and verify company registration, KRA PIN and tax compliance certificates, trade references and completed supplier forms.
• Load new suppliers into SAP Business One as pending records for independent activation by Finance. Bank details are verified and vendor master records are activated by Finance, not by this role.
• Maintain the approved vendor list, supplier contracts and price files, and flag contracts approaching renewal.

5. Payment follow-through

• Ensure every invoice is supported by a matching LPO, GRN and, where relevant, weighbridge ticket before submission to Finance.
• Resolve invoice and delivery discrepancies with suppliers.
• Act as the point of contact for supplier payment queries and keep suppliers informed of payment status. Payment scheduling and release remain with Finance.

6. Emergency and breakdown purchasing

• Execute emergency purchases required to restore production, working to company's emergency purchase procedure.
• Obtain authorisation from the Production Manager or Chief Operating Officer before committing spend, and complete full documentation within 24 hours of the purchase.
• Report every emergency purchase in the weekly procurement pack.

7. Reporting

• Own, measure and report the 72-hour procurement cycle, including reasons for every breach.
• Produce a weekly procurement pack covering open requisitions, cycle-time performance, emergency purchases, savings achieved and supplier issues.
• Support month-end and audit requirements with complete procurement documentation.

Scope boundary: this role does not receive, issue, transfer or count physical stock, and does not hold stores keys. All goods handling sits with the Inventory & Stores Officer.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

• Percentage of standard local procurement rounds closed within 72 hours — target 90% from month four.
• Percentage of purchases supported by three valid quotations.
• Percentage of invoices passing three-way match at first submission.
• Cost savings achieved against benchmark prices on repeat items.
• Number and value of emergency purchases, with trend.
• Zero purchase orders issued outside the delegation of authority.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential

• Diploma or degree in Procurement, Supply Chain Management, Purchasing or a related field.
• Minimum four years of hands-on procurement experience, of which at least two are in manufacturing, engineering, construction or another plant-based environment.
• Demonstrable experience buying engineering spares, consumables, electricals and industrial services — not only office or FMCG categories.
• Working knowledge of an ERP system; SAP Business One experience is a strong advantage.
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills, including comparison and analysis of supplier pricing.
• Evidence of having negotiated measurable savings from suppliers.
• High standard of documentation discipline and a clean record on procurement governance.
• Membership of, or eligibility for membership of, the Kenya Institute of Supplies Management (KISM).

Desirable

• CIPS qualification at any level, or studying towards it.
• Experience in a steel, foundry, rolling mill or heavy-fabrication environment.
• Exposure to imports, clearing and forwarding, or letters of credit.
• Experience introducing or operating min/max replenishment against standing contracts.