Job Description

Director of Procurement - Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) – Malawi II

About MCA

The Government of Malawi signed a five-year agreement (“Compact”) with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (“MCC”) to fund specific programs targeted at reducing poverty and stimulating economic growth. MCC is a U.S. government agency focused on assisting countries dedicated to good governance, economic freedom, and investing in people. An accountable entity called the Millennium Challenge Account-Malawi II (“MCA-Malawi II”) has been created and designated by the Government of Malawi to implement the Compact.

Malawi compact

The Compact consists of three projects namely;

1. The Accelerated Growth Corridors Project (AGC) which will focus on reducing the costs of transport in targeted rural areas. Under the AGC Project, the Road Corridor Improvement (RCI) Activity will target investment in physical upgrades and improvements across different classes of roads within four selected Accelerated Growth Corridors (AGCs) to improve rural access by addressing road conditions and reducing transport costs. The Policy and Institutional Reform and Capacity Building (PIR) Activity will focus on assistance to the Government to address policy, legislative, institutional, and funding issues to ensure that road transport in AGC areas is well-maintained and managed.

2. The Increased Land Productivity Project will focus on improving land services, strengthening conditions for increased investment in land and better functioning land markets through two main activities: the Land Administration Resourcing and Institutions Activity – which will support development, adoption, and implementation of reforms to expand national land-based revenues and address institutional change – and the City Council Land-Based Revenue Modernization Activity, which will expand coverage and collection of land-based revenues, to increase resources for key services and increase investment in land and finally

3. The American Catalyst Facility for Development Project will focus on facilitating U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) investment in Malawi to catalyze increased private investment consistent with Compact objectives and increase the scale and impact of the Compact.

Director of Procurement

Position Objective

• The Director, Procurement, under the supervision of the Chief Operating Officer, leads the procurement unit and has overall responsibility for the day-to-day management of the Compact’s delivery and implementation of procurement-related services. The Procurement Director ensures that all procurement transactions are implemented in accordance with MCC guidelines; consolidates and keeps records of all procurement activity; and reports on the progress of this activity. The Procurement Director is responsible for managing the flow of procurement activity to implement the Compact by the MCA Entity. The Procurement Director serves as the primary liaison between the Procurement Agent, MCA-Malawi II, MCC and outside entities from a variety of specialized sectors on all procurement activities and facilitates the smooth interplay between and among all elements of the procurement process. A key aspect of this responsibility involves synchronizing the substance and process elements of procurement activities.

Primary responsibilities

• Lead the overall Procurement function of the MCA-Malawi II, including the management of Procurement Agent, and ensure that sufficient support is provided to the operational and programmatic functions of the Procurement unit to strengthen its ability to deliver on the targets of the Compact in accordance with MCC Program Procurement Guidelines.
• Guide, mentor, lead, and supervise the performance of the MCA-Malawi II Procurement Specialist.
• Review the solicitation documents, Procurement Plans, CPPRs and all other required documents prepared by the Procurement Agent and recommend any necessary changes or improvements to ensure they comply with the MCC Program Procurement Guidelines and related guidance, and that they meet the procurement needs of MCA-Malawi II.
• Review the MCA’s Procurement Operations Manual prepared by the Procurement Agent and recommend any necessary changes or improvements to ensure it responds to the operational reality of MCA-Malawi II.
• Ensure that the Procurement Agent acts consistently with the approved Procurement Operations Manual.
• Monitor compliance by the Procurement Agent with all the rules and procedures of the MCC Program Procurement Guidelines.
• Support management and the Chief Executive Officer of MCA-Malawi II in maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of the procurement process.
• Facilitate the preparation and submission to the Procurement Agent of necessary procurement documents by the technical staff of MCA-Malawi II.
• Analyze MCA-Malawi II operational and programmatic needs and oversee the development of procurement plans and budgets which are consistent with the overall plans of the Compact and aligned to the needs of MCA-Malawi II.
• Develop and build out the Procurement Unit through recruitment and onboarding of staff and identifying and engaging technical resources (e.g. external consultants, MCC) to provide external advice and expertise aligned with the strategic needs of MCA-Malawi II. Ensure team is adequately resourced throughout the life of the Compact
• Develop and coordinate efforts to prevent fraud and corruption within MCA-Malawi II’s procurements and contract management processes and to conduct training for MCA-Malawi II staff to clarify procedures and strategies for this prevention.
• Represent MCA-Malawi II as the primary procurement liaison in implementing the Compact program, including identifying initial procurement needs, organizing procurement operations and reviewing reports, as necessary.
• Lead MCA-Malawi II’s efforts to ensure that all procurements are conducted in a manner consistent with MCC procurement requirements.
• Develop and implement procurement policies and frameworks for contract administration documents throughout the life of the compact and recommend any necessary changes or improvements to ensure it responds to the operational reality of MCA-Malawi II.
• Guide MCA-Malawi II procurement and program staff and implementing entities on MCC Program Procurement Guidelines and reporting requirements to ensure compliance and transparency.
• Monitor all planned procurements, including works contracts, identify delayed procurements and provide recommendations.
• Oversea quality delivery by examining procurement requests, quality of goods, and other relevant documentation to ensure compliance to established work plans, as well as MCC/MCA-Malawi II standards.
• Advise on MCA-Malawi II’s and, if applicable, implementing entities’ procurement systems and determine their compliance with MCC standards, identify issues and risks, to support internal and external audit exercises.
• Develop and implement Bid Challenge System.
• Ensure implementation and adherence to MCC guidance on the reporting of contractor performance and the use of contractor past performance information in procurement, including training contract managers on their responsibilities and advising MCA-Malawi II management and MCC on issues of non-compliance.
• Review reports submitted by members of the Procurement Unit.
• Consolidate and keep records of all procurement activity and reports on the progress of the activity.
• Coordinate the functions of MCA-Malawi II and the Procurement Agent in implementing the Compact program, including identifying initial procurement needs and organizing procurement operations.
• Perform other tasks and responsibilities as requested by the Chief Executive Officer of MCA-Malawi II.

Required Competencies

• Bachelor’s degree or relative equivalent required. (Major course of study in business administration, acquisition management, law, contracting, engineering, or procurement preferred.)
• Advanced Degree in acquisition management, law, contracting, engineering, procurement, or other related functions preferred
• Post-secondary education/training in public procurement subjects and/or an internationally recognized procurement qualification or certification (e.g., NIGP-CPP, CPPO from UCCPP, MCIPS, CPSM, and CPSD) would be an added advantage.
• Minimum eight (8) years of relevant experience in senior position(s) or in senior advisory role(s) in the management of project(s) that required procurement of goods, works and services. The most relevant experience would include managing or supervising a team of procurement professionals and managing procurement operations supporting a multimillion-dollar project.
• Experience in drafting, reviewing, and approving procurement documents to international standards.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with domestic and international stakeholders and counterparts.
• Experience in one or more of the sectors similar to the projects of the Malawi Compact is preferred.
• Experience in planning and organizing market outreach is preferred.
• Familiarity and/or experience with international donor institutions’ procurement guidelines and procedures, particularly those of the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank and/or US Government.
• Experience managing project-based teams of professionals delivering high quality outcomes.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Strong computer skills with office productivity applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, MS Project).

How to apply

Applications must be submitted on-line, on or before the application deadline July 26th, 2023.
Applications should be accompanied by the following documents:

1. Curriculum vitae containing detailed work experience;
2. Cover letter confirming interest and availability;
3. Soft copies of higher education and professional certificates (if available); Only applications that come in before or on the application deadline will be considered. • We thank all applicants. However, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.