Procurement Coordinator

ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILE:

For more than 43 million people, blindness is a daily reality; another 295 million suffer from moderate to severe vision impairment. 90% of these people live in low-and middle-income communities where access to eye care is limited and the challenges for those who can’t see are severe. But, there is hope: 80% of this burden is treatable or preventable. For example, 17 million blind people could be cured with a 10-minute cataract surgery. Millions more suffer from corneal blindness, which is often preventable or treatable. At the Cure Blindness Project, we believe avoidable blindness can – and must – be overcome. For more than 25 years, we have worked alongside a capable network of collaborators to help people around the world retain and regain their sight by developing high-quality, cost-effective eye care systems in underserved areas of the world. With the help of partners in more than 25 countries, Cure Blindness Project has provided more than 1.4 million sight-restoring surgeries and screened more than 14.5 million people to provide care and basic treatments. We’ve trained more than 19,500 eye health professionals, and have established 5 eye hospitals. There is more work left to do, but we can overcome the mountain of global blindness, together.

Cure Blindness Project is expanding its team to meet new challenges, scale its work, and broaden its reach. We are seeking individuals who are passionate about changing lives and want to be a part of a team that works together to reach new heights. We want leaders who can aim high, make things happen, and are invested in building a positive team dynamic to bring the work to life.

VISION: We will be the catalyst to create a world in which no one is needlessly blind.

MISSION: We enable countries to end avoidable blindness by developing high quality, cost-effective eye care systems in underserved areas of the world so everyone everywhere can regain or retain their sight.

SCOPE OF WORK

The Coordinator, Procurement is responsible for supporting the full range of activities required for the Cure Blindness Project’s procurement and logistics work, including obtaining quotes; preparing purchase requisitions, purchase orders and payment requests; maintaining electronic records; preparing monthly analysis and reporting; assisting with shipping logistics; and inventory planning and management.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Support the Technology & Procurement department in the purchase and delivery of approximately $3m -$10m in equipment and consumables annually
• Assist in preparing payment requests and monitoring bill payments
• Assist with obtaining quotes from vendors and preparing comparisons
• Assist in preparation of purchase requisitions and purchase orders using SAGE accounting system
• Support the Senior Procurement Manager in managing the purchasing life cycle – including recording and tagging of purchases and expenses in the accounting system
• Build and maintain vendor and customer relationships
• Facilitate and coordinate with the Program team to ensure requests from partners are reviewed and purchased
• Monitor, track, and analyze equipment inventory data from partner locations
• Support Logistics Coordinator with inventory management and accuracy of customs documentation
• Maintain accurate records and track procurement activities
• Ensure compliance with policies and procedures for procurement
• Assist in tracking and analyzing data related to procurement and logistics
• Provide administrative support to the team, including preparing reports, tracking credit card transactions and reporting, and performing other tasks as needed
• Prepare a regular work plan with the approval of direct report that optimizes skills and abilities to ensure efficiency
• Aid the Senior Procurement Manager and Director of Procurement with creating and upkeep of departmental SOPs
• Generate monthly purchasing and inventory reports

QUALIFICATIONS

To be successful in this role, the individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Required Skills/Knowledge/Abilities:

• Experience and/or working knowledge of policies and requirements for managing purchasing funded by federal and private grantors
• Ability to work and communicate cross culturally with stakeholders – local and international colleagues, Cure Blindness Project’s partners, customers, medical personnel, and vendors from different regions of the world
• Support the Senior Procurement Manager in managing the purchasing life cycle – including recording and tagging of purchases and expenses to the correct funding sources in the accounting system
• Demonstrate a keen eye for detail and analysis when researching new or existing vendors, evaluating competing bids based on cost and specification technical requirements etc.
• Ability to take initiative and follow up on the status of multiple projects, effectively prioritize tasks and problem solve to ensure the best outcomes for all stakeholders
• Proficiency in organizing and managing electronic filing systems
• Eagerness to learn about the medical & non-medical equipment and other emerging technology required in an eye care setting
• Willingness to continuously grow, adapt, improve skills and new systems in a dynamic organization to promote its mission/strategic goals
• Flexibility to work off hours to meet project deadlines as needed

Experience:

• 2 years’ experience in procurement with an NGO or non NGO
• Bachelor’s degree / Associates degree in Business Administration or procurement related field of study
• Working knowledge of accounting / ERP software, SAGE Intacct a plus

Additional qualifications include:

• Excitement to join a nonprofit institution poised to expand global operations
• Knowledge of logistics and transportation regulations
• Outgoing personality that can collaborate with a variety of personalities at all levels of the organization, building relationships and shared goals across departments and partner organizations
• A sense of discretion and a high degree of professionalism is required, ability to maintain confidentiality of highly sensitive information
• Demonstrates a highly professional and cooperative demeanor with supervisors, coworkers and partners
• Strong interpersonal, communication, facilitation, and presentation skills
• Detail oriented and able to efficiently prioritize tasks
• Flexibility to adjust and contribute to continually evolving work situations and changing priorities
• Excellent computer skills and technical aptitude, proficient with Google Workspace, Microsoft Office 365, and Smartsheets (and other cloud-based software)
• Committed to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion

Physical requirements:

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
• Must be able to lift up to 40 pounds at a time