Job Title: Local Purchase Manager
Organisation: Abacus Pharma Limited
Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda
Reports to: Group Head of Supply Chain
About US:
Abacus Pharma Limited is the leading distributor and manufacturer of pharmaceutical products in the East Africa region, with its head quarter in Uganda. Abacus distributes a variety of pharmaceutical products that cover the therapeutic areas; Cardio-vascular drugs, Respiratory, Anti-infective, Dermatology, Metabolic disorder, Pain management, Gastro Instestinal, Vaccines, Fertility Drugs – IVF, Anti-malarial, Medical Consumables / Sundries, Surgical / Medical Equipment, Neuro-CNS and OTCs (over the counter drugs).
Job Summary: Reporting to the Group Head of Supply Chain, the Local Purchase Manager is responsible for developing purchasing strategies, maintaining positive relationships with suppliers, coordinating with internal teams regarding their supply needs and overseeing the purchasing team in their day-to-day activities.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
Purchasing
- Manage purchase of trading and non-trading items and services
- Lead the preparation of and solicit competitive bids, quotations and proposals with clear specifications, terms and conditions.
- Works with the division and function leaders/managers and key users to ensure successful implementation of sourcing decisions.
- Leads negotiations for the supply of both standard and complex products and services with new and existing suppliers
- Maintains a cost reduction, cost avoidance, cost containment program
- Identify and/or select potential sources of services or supplies
- Administer purchase orders and other transactions from requisition to completion
- Maintains documentation of sourcing with due consideration to price, quality, availability and delivery accurately.
- Demonstrate significant expertise in contract negotiations
- Comparing and evaluating offers from suppliers
- Ensuring that all procured items meet the required quality standards and specifications
- Forecast price and market trends to identify changes of balance in buyer-supplier power
- Assess, manage and mitigate risks
- Ensure procurement processes are compliant with regulatory requirements and internal policies
- Provides assistance to user departments in preparing specifications of goods and services and proposes product substitutions consistent with requirements to achieve cost savings
- Finalizes purchase orders and contracts for approval by the relevant authority or may authorize purchases in line with approval authority.
- Maintains relevant internal databases and files; keeps track of any contractual agreements, direct provisioning contracts, etc. and informs affected users of contractual rights and obligations.
- Follows up and offers feedback to users on outstanding requisitions
Supplier Management
- Maintains supplier relationships and resolves complex supplier issues including escalated cases
- Managing supplier relationship and negotiating yearly contracts, prices, timelines, etc.
- Develop supplier score cards and other analytics to enable team to effectively manage supplier performance
Inventory Management
- Coordinating with planning team to determine and manage inventory needs to guide quantity and timing of deliveries
- Execute stock replenishment plan based on validated forecasts and target inventory levels
- Ensure zero-stock out cases for critical products
Process Improvement:
- Continually identify process improvements and cost reduction opportunities
- Identify opportunities for digital adoption and drive automation of existing manual processes
- Develop resolutions and support in process improvement projects e.g., ERP.
- Working to improve purchasing systems and processes
- Report KPI’s to Supply Chain Leadership Team for relevant weekly/monthly reviews.
- Lead ERP adoption by the purchasing team
- Providing the necessary reports to the senior management in order to take necessary actions wherever needed.
- Track and report key functional metrics to reduce expenses and improve effectiveness
Others:
- Perform any other roles / duties as assigned by supervisor from time to time
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
- The applicant must hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Supply Chain plus 3 years working experience in a Procurement/ Purchasing function; or any other degree combined with over 5 years experience in Purchasing.
- Experience in Pharmaceutical industry is highly preferable
- Additional professional Supply Chain certification e.g., CIPS
- Experience in sourcing pharmaceuticals, medical devices and equipment
- General knowledge of pharmaceutical industry regulations
- Excellent problem solving and negotiation skills
- Experience in working with procurement systems
- Ability to make fact-based decisions
- Has advanced and proven knowledge of procurement industry cost structures and drivers
- Must have excellent planning, organization, problem solving, negotiating, and decision-making skills.
- Persistent and resilient when confronted with obstacles and resolves issues in a timely manner
- Computer Literacy: Microsoft Office and ERP Software Application experience
- Excellent Communication skills
- Analytical skills
- Presentation skills
- Interpersonal skills
- Planning skills
- Organizing skills
- Self-starter
- Result oriented
- Accountability
- Customer Focused
- Priority Setting
- Problem Solving
- Time Management
- Willing to work extended hours to accomplish job roles
How to Apply:
All candidates are strongly encouraged to apply online at the link below.
Deadline: 10th March 2023