Job Title: Assistant Procurement Manager
Hiring Organization: LIPTON
Teas and Infusions
Location – Locality: Nairobi
Location – Region: Kenya
Industry: Private
Job Type: Full
Time
Salary: KES
Date Posted: 05/01/2024
LIPTON Teas and Infusions is the world’s largest tea business with a remarkable portfolio of over 30 world-class brands, including iconic names like Lipton, PG Tips, TAZO, Brooke Bond, and B-Corp certified Pukka and T2. Based in the Netherlands and operating in more than 100 countries, we pioneer innovative, premium and sustainable teas and infusions to delight our consumers daily. Our commitment is to drive the entire tea industry upwards and create value for all and the planet, from farmers to consumers, retailers, team members, partners, and shareholders. We take a long-term approach, investing in innovative and sustainable practices that deliver responsible growth, with a keen focus on meeting the needs of our customers and consumers, protecting the environment, and making a positive impact on people’s lives.
LIPTON Teas and Infusions Kenya PLC is LIPTON Teas and Infusions’ largest Tea entity in Africa. We create wealth both directly through our operations and indirectly through our broader value chains where we support development and growth in partnership with businesses and communities.
Lipton has been growing tea in Kenya since 1924. The estate in Kericho covers over 8,700 hectares and is Rainforest Alliance certified. The Company employs more than 5,500 permanent workers with several thousand temporary workers joining them in peak season. LIPTON Teas and Infusions Kenya PLC is thus at the heart of LIPTON Teas and Infusions’ Operations.
At LIPTON Teas & Infusions, we put consumer love at the heart of every decision. We celebrate diverse thinkers who take personal ownership to connect ideas and make impactful things happen; people who share our values around humanity and courage and give their commitment to nurturing the wellbeing of all. In return, we offer a working culture that gives our people freedom and flexibility, and where they can grow both personally and professionally to master their field.
Be part of our amazing blend. Come and grow yourself and, in turn, help us to grow a world of wellbeing.
Purpose
Of Role
The
Assistant Procurement Manager seeks to develop a protocol that outlines how the
Company purchases goods and services, custodian of all company policies
relating to procurement to ensure that purchasing is managed consistently
throughout the organization, making it easier to stay on budget and receive
budget approval. The Assistant Procurement Manager owns the strategy to find
cost-effective deals and suppliers to ensure sustainability.
Accountabilities
- Integrating
global / regional sourcing strategies with business and plant demands,
balancing timing, and conflicting interests.
- Required
breadth of knowledge of a large portfolio of raw and packaging materials,
suppliers, and ERP system
- Working
in their country of responsibility and East Africa with multiple strategic
Procurement teams each with a different culture and processes.
- Implement
the Buying Procedure and Ways of Working.
- Maintains
supplier relationships by resolving supplier issues such as supplier
payment overdues, responds to queries and requisitions for samples and
information
- Evaluates,
monitors, and communicates to suppliers performance on deliveries,
material, or service rejection
- Completes
information request sheets such as volumes forecasts for buying contracts,
buying form for material forecasts through the buying form to the finance
team, provides explanations to price variances.
- Arranges
/ facilitates supplier review meetings, quality audits and safety
evaluations and visits
- Generates
and provides reports on supplier spends quarterly, risks on CCFOT
(Customer Case Fill on Time) arise from supplier risks to the regional
compatibilities team monthly.
- Supports
early Procurement involvement in category innovation and supply chain
projects (facing & integrating with the Category/Geography, acting as
the point of contact in brand / category / Supply Chain teams) within
Business Unit of responsibility.
- Understands
and collects category program and needs (from category development, brand
development and supply chain), subsequently discusses and agrees with
Procurement Manager on the procurement activities.
- Acts
as a Custodian of the business relationship with Supply Material Managers
in particular on innovation project management and customer service
- Ensures
alignment between business needs and Supply Markets capabilities
- Enable
communication (Project review – Information flow – Target/goals &
strategies)
Supplier
Collaboration & Innovation
- Represents
Procurement in the category innovation projects meetings (material cost,
speed to market, complexity, and coherence with strategy)
- Supports
Zero Based Budgeting & Cost optimization programs
- Support
the business in working capital management
- Lead
transformational digitization projects – smart sourcing, cataloguing,
reporting
- Ensure
supplier responsible sourcing & quality compliance
- Ensure
100% contract compliance
- Support
suppliers selection to be involved in projects.
- Influence
Suppliers strategy to fulfil Category business goals
- Support
material procurement in leveraging effectively external relationships to
support the innovation process
- Supports
the Competitor Analysis and Benchmarking to the material network teams
- Provide
input to Supply Chain analysis on materials and suppliers drawing on
expertise of the Procurement teams facing various supply markets
- Supports
implementation and operational execution of Procurement Portfolio sourcing
strategies and selected supply base into the category / brand / Research
and Development teams and prevents use of non-selected suppliers.
- Supports
supplier capacity planning and run strategy development, communication of
Company requirements to suppliers and expediting of orders [placed by
material managers] as needed.
- Participation
in the category / brand / Research and Development innovation projects,
cost savings teams as supply project manager and is the communication
conduit for e.g., ideas, new technology, material cost, availability,
risk, opportunity, supplier capital requirements etc. between the internal
procurement groups, business operating teams and supply base.
- Communicates
output of Supplier Evaluation Program and develops and follows up
corrective action and review process with internal customers, supplier
relationship managers and suppliers
- Ensure
the satisfaction of the company’s internal customers with the services
provided by the procurement organization
- Support
the periodic executive summary for the Team by consolidating and reporting
various KPIs (e.g., ZBB, Payment Terms Tracker, Supplier Performance)
- Handle
diverse customer, supplier, or operational issues when they arise.
- Responsible
for people management in the unit.
Qualifications
- BSc
Degree in Procurement, Supply Chain Management, Logistics (or equivalent)
- Extensive
experience in Procurement or Supply Chain Management
- CIPS
certification will be an added advantage
Experience
- A
strong background in an operations environment.
- Knowledge
of sourcing and procurement techniques and proven skills in “reading the
market”.
- Proven
track record in negotiations, networking & good knowledge of supplier
management.
- Aptitude
in decision-making and working with numbers, collecting and analysis of
data.
- In-depth
knowledge of contracts, invoicing, and negotiation terms.
- Superb
communication, interpersonal and leadership skills
- Problem
solver with a strong analytical mindset.
- Outstanding
organizational and time management skills.
- Excellent
customer service skills.
- Negotiation
aptitude.
