Save the Children is leading the LEARN program under USDA for the McGovern Dole Food for Education and Children Nutrition Program in Liberia. The senior leadership position of Director- Commodity Management will report directly to the Chief of Party and will be responsible for the direct oversight of commodity management of this program.
The project must be designed to align closely with the current objectives of the Government of Liberia. Specifically, the government has initiated a new school-feeding policy where partners must adhere to the planning, implementation and management of this National School Feeding Program. There should also be strong linkages to Feed the Future and Let Girls Learn initiatives so that activities are complementary and create sustainability.
Areas of Responsibility:
In-Country Commodity Management Responsibilities (30%)
- Provide oversight of the vessel discharge including ensuring that all parties (stevedores, stacking group, Independent surveyor team, clearing agent and other GOL agencies) are executing their functions as required during the clearing and vessel discharge.
- Lead and provide recommendations for the Ministry of Education School Feeding Joint Implementation activities within the LEARN program
- Prepare and analyze the commodity pipeline, monitor the burn rate, forecast commodity requirements and keep track of BUBD.
- Ensure there is adequate space in the main warehouse to receive scheduled call forwards
- Manage the procurement of a clearing agent, duty free clearing and independent surveyor for USDA commodity shipment expected to arrive at the port of Monrovia in March 2019.
- Oversee commodity logistics; implement logistics policies and procedures for the management of the supply chain, including one or more of the following areas; procurement, transport, distribution, warehousing and commodity management. .
- Ensure that Save the Children’s minimum standards of Commodity Management procedures and country policies are implemented and adhered to in the area of responsibility, supporting staff as required
- Oversee management of primary and secondary warehouse, including the provision and maintenance of handling, storage, and safety equipment and monitor safety and security procedures for the warehouse and Commodity Management
- Ensure smooth receipt, storage, and dispatch of commodities. Conduct spot checks of food quality and ensure adherence to warehousing best practices, including good housekeeping, ventilation, and use of pallets, proper stacking, fumigation, and rodent
- Determine and regularly assess transport needs for delivery of commodities to secondary warehouses and/or final distribution points, including modes of transport and identification of primary and secondary transporter, where applicable.
- Lead teams in identifying, verifying, and registering recipient beneficiaries and institute a beneficiary tracking mechanism. In doing so, the post-holder will establish criteria for selection of final distribution points and set up memorandum of understanding with community
- Review and submit accurate and timely reporting to the donor and headquarters.
- Review and analyze, with the DCOP, the tracking of weekly progress of the ramping up and the implementation of a catch up action plan in case of delay
- Collaborate with the Senior MEAL Coordinator to finalize the inclusion of commodity tracking in the monitoring system of LEARN
Pipeline and Resource Estimates Responsibilities (20%)
- Responsible for the commodity resource strategic plan ensuring the provision of both rations (wet and take home) requirements throughout the school calendar period.
- Ensure that all sales order/call forward details are accurate and timely
- Develops common processes to track annual consumption to ensuring that all donor, host country and global requirements, regulations and standards are met.
- Understand import procedures and regulations governing humanitarian aid relief in the form of food commodities and know port operations and procedures; work effectively with shipping agents, port authorities, clearing and forwarding agents, surveyors, and
- Adequately prepare for receipts of all imported commodities through the sales order which includes; duty free importation processes, commodities inspection exemptions for all food aid shipments, clearing and forwarding.
- Analyze, summarize and communicate any conditions that could jeopardize any untimely receipt of food aid that would eventually cause pipeline breaks or issues with commodities’ BUBD.
ITSH Budgets and Cost Management Responsibilities (20%)
This position will provide strong leadership and strategy development for supply chain activities. The incumbent works within a team environment of conflicting opinions, ideas and solutions to provide clear direction with alignment of stakeholders. The position will be responsible for supporting all budgeting and cost structure for all ITSH activities:
- Process improvement (innovation) by ensuring cost efficiency throughout the life of the project
- Quality requirements for all services and materials to ensure value for money for all commodity operations services and material requirements
- Render support to others units and the COP to ensure technical assistance under all ITSH activities is provided in timely manner.
- Oversee all costs under ITSH.
- While remaining in full compliance with procurement norms and policies, support all commodity related vendor negotiations to ensure valid prices and coordinate quality checks to ensure all prices fall within the market prices of the respective goods and services for the project.
Project Reporting and Coordination (10%)
- Liaise with other units to ensure that all the inputs needed for commodity reports are compiled in a timely manner.
- Review and approve final Recipient status reports (Monthly, quarterly and annual.
- Review and approve final Commodity Status Report (CRS)
- Review, analyze, account, and report all loses or discrepancies in accordance with SC internal and donor requirements
- Take the lead in the school feeding partnership with other INGOs who have the same target schools as LEARN
Supervisory Functions (20%)
- Manage all positions related to Commodity Management operations as detailed in the LEARN staffing plan for both operations and technical staff to ensure that commodity operations deliverables are timely conveyed.
- Lead high level project coordination as regards all commodity operations with all stake holders including consortium members, MOE, other agencies and Non-profit organizations i.e. WFP
- Compile, review, and revise narrative reports for the commodity operations part.
Educational Background:
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent relevant experience required.
Skills/Experience:
- Minimum 7-10 years' experience in Commodity Management or related field with at least three years’ experience in USDA or USAID commodities management as a Senior Manager
- Experience with Food Aid programs especially USDA or USAID, with an in-depth knowledge of USDA or USAID
- Strong level of technical and/ or managerial knowledge, skills, and experience to direct the operational activities of a unit or team, or provide technical advice, guidance and management related to various size programs, grants or projects.
- Exercise independent judgment and discretion on significant matters.
- Prior experience in commodity management and logistics coordination specific to food goods in the NGO sector, within complex/large scale country programs
- Proven experience in all technical areas of logistics operations including registration, distribution, procurement, transport, warehousing and stock management, and fleet management.
- Technical experience/training in specific areas of food safety and food importation
- Experience managing and supervising remote field bases with limited infrastructure
- Ability to synthesize and analyses information, and make clear, informed decisions
- Ability to build relationships quickly with a wide range of people, both internally and externally
- Strong planning, management and coordination skills, with the ability to organize a substantial workload comprised of complex, diverse tasks and responsibilities
- Understanding of the political, social and cultural context of Liberia preferred, with strong written and spoken communication and interpersonal skills in English
Compensation/Benefits:
- Aetna Medical and Dental insurance with a concierge service
- Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
- Vision Insurance
- Life insurance
- Employee Assistance Program
- Vacation and Sick leave
- Paid holidays
What makes us special!
- Generous Retirement Savings with matching company contributions of up to 8%
- Family Leave – 10 additional days of paid time off for you to use to care for your family members
- Additional Maternity and Paternity Leave – 30 days where parents can take additional paid leave (beyond short-term disability and FMLA) at the birth or adoption of a child during that critical first year!
- Critical Child Illness Leave – We hope you never have to use it, but we will provide an additional 30 days of paid leave per year should your dependent child be faced with a critical illness.
- Pet Insurance, Critical Illness Insurance, Identity Protection, Home, Auto and additional Life insurances
- Volunteer Day – One paid day a year to support the causes that matter to you!
- Leadership and Employee Development Training, including:
- Our remarkable in-house CORE, Senior Management Development, and Leadership Development Programs
- Language learning opportunities
- Continuous Improvement skill development programs
- Brown Bag information sharing sessions
Job Function:
Organization Info
Listing Stats
Post Date:
Jan 27 2019
Active Until:
Feb 28 2019
Hiring Organization:
Save the Children US
industry:
Nonprofit