Procurement Officer

Information

Common information

UCA Background:

The University of Central Asia (UCA) was founded in 2000 as a private, not for profit, secular university through an International Treaty signed by the Presidents of Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, and His Highness the Aga Khan; ratified by their respective parliaments and registered with the United Nations. The Presidents are the Patrons of the University and His Highness is the Chancellor. UCA’s mission is to promote the social and economic development of Central Asia, particularly its mountain communities, by offering an internationally recognized standard of higher education, and enabling the peoples of the region to preserve their rich cultural heritage as assets for the future. UCA brings with it the broader commitment and partnership of the Aga Khan Development Network. For more information: www.ucentralasia.org

Summary of Position:

Under the supervision of the Materials Management Manager in collaboration with the relevant staff of the UCA departments and units, the Procurement Assistant shall support all aspects of procurement and materials management activities within UCA Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Afghanistan including planning, order placement, vendor selection, purchase and delivery, inventory control, material handling and logistics, in compliance with specifications established by UCA and by relevant regulations.

Qualification requirements

• Ability to work in a start-up environment, under uncertainty and tremendous stress; being able to feel, appreciate and use the drive of the team is a must;
• Proven ability to solve problems, especially in the context of conflicting or absent regulations;
• Action and results-orientated; honest and trustworthy; strong work ethic and diligent performer; ability to work cooperatively across an organization with many levels of staff and leadership;
• Attention to detail; sensitivity to various organizational interests; tactfulness;
• Self-confidence; resourcefulness; organizational skills;
• Ability to maintain composure, dignity, and a sense of humor while creatively and effectively functioning in a work atmosphere of continuously shifting sands and numerous equally important deadlines.

Language:

• English is required.
• Russian is an important asset.
• Working knowledge of Tajik, Kyrgyz and/or Kazakh would be an asset.

Duties

• Provide input to statements of requirements.
• Determine commercial conditions that best serve UCA’s interests.
• Search and select suppliers in accordance with UCA needs and requests for purchases within a certain threshold.
• Prepare bidder lists.
• Standardize and aggregate purchases for all categories, minimizing the total cost of purchase.
• Review orders and prepare purchase requisitions; manage the approval process.
• Prioritize and share with suppliers approved purchase requisitions and supporting documents. 
• Contact suppliers to schedule or expedite deliveries and to resolve shortages, missed or late deliveries, and other problems.
• Prepare, review, and maintain purchase-related files, reports, and price lists.
• Manage contracts.
• Track the status of requisitions, contracts, and orders.
• Prepare Release of Payments and other supportive documents.
• Follow-up on payment process to make sure suppliers are paid on time.
• Work with suppliers to ensure that key processes are running efficiently and cost-effectively.

• Build strong working relationships both internally and with key suppliers.
• Provide support integrated with SAP through UCA locations.
• Warehouse related issue, warehouse inventory, warehouse physical verification, tag number.

Conditions

Please submit your application (cover letter, CV and contact information of three references) o https://tinyurl.com/4nvp54ew by 25 April 2024.

Applications will be reviewed when received. Early applications are strongly encouraged.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Review other job vacancies at: https://ucentralasia.org/career-opportunities