Procurement Assistant

Title: Procurement Assistant
Job type: Full-time
Program: USAID Linkages for Small and Medium Enterprises (LinkSME)
Project Location: Hanoi, Vietnam
Duration: Estimated 6 months, tentatively from March 2023 to August 2023

The USAID LinkSME project, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), supports the Government of Vietnam (GVN) in its efforts to develop, adopt, and implement policy and regulatory reforms to provide a more favorable environment for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). It also supports private sector development, cooperating with business support organizations (BSOs) and the GVN to improve the performance of SMEs and integrate them into lead-firm supply chains.

The project is implemented by Improving Economies for Stronger Communities (IESC) (www.iesc.org), under a contract with USAID and an operating license issued by the People’s Aid Coordinating Committee. IESC is a leading U.S. nonprofit organization that fosters private sector development in the economically developing world. Since 1964, we have delivered lasting solutions that have resulted in more than 1.5 million jobs in 137 countries. We partner with businesses, cooperatives, entrepreneurs, jobseekers, and governments to sustainably build capacity, create jobs, and grow enterprises, sharing proven skills and experience that improve the lives of individuals, families, and communities around the world. Our major funders today are the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), among others.

IESC is seeking a Procurement Assistant for the USAID LinkSME project.

The Procurement Assistant will work full-time and be based in Hanoi office. The Procurement Assistant will perform market research to ensure reasonable procurement prices for the project and ensure timely delivery of products, goods, and services. The role reports directly to the Procurement and Administration Manager.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Support the Procurement and Administration Manager to ensure smoothly operation of project purchasing function.
• Perform vendor research and selection to enhance value for money performance, reducing operating cost and boosting efficiency.
• Maintaining cordial working relationships with vendors and supervising vendor activities, monitoring their performance and renegotiating contracts.
• Managing purchase orders, overseeing deliverable schedules and maintaining purchase records to identify discrepancies and perform post-event clearance documentations.
• Conducting ongoing market research to identify beneficial purchase agreements and potential vendors
• Maintain event update, vendor database and track vendor usage, quality, and responsiveness.
• Maintain and mange procurement documentation in both hard and soft files.
• Travel regionally as required.
• Perform any other task as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Foreign Trade, English or relevant fields.
• Experience in support service or international non-profit organization is an advantage.
• Extremely organized and able to handle multiple tasks at once
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Fluency in written and spoken both Vietnamese and English
• Excellent attentive to detail
• Self-starter, ability to work independently, prioritize tasks and take initiatives.
• Good collaboration and teamwork spirit.
• Computer skills and experience on formatting/editing documents (excel, word, power point, outlook) are essential.
• High levels of integrity and ability to handle confidential information.
• Availability to start working and travelling in short advance notice is a plus.

IESC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Please note that these positions are intended for Vietnamese nationals. CV and cover letter in English are required. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the position will remain open until filled. Early applications by February 27, 2023 are strongly encouraged.

APPLY HERE