Role Purpose

Solid’Africa is seeking an experienced Head of Procurement and Supply Chain to lead the organization’s procurement and sourcing functions. The successful candidate will develop reliable, cost-effective, ethical, and transparent supply chains that support the organization’s growing operations and mission.

The role will oversee sourcing for food, agricultural inputs, kitchen equipment, energy solutions, packaging, and logistics. It will also strengthen supplier and farmer relationships, ensure compliance with organizational and donor requirements, and provide effective leadership to procurement and supply-chain teams.

Key Responsibilities

Procurement and Supply-Chain Strategy

• Develop and implement procurement and supply-chain strategies aligned with Solid’Africa’s farm-to-fork model and organizational priorities.
• Establish sourcing approaches that support reliable operations, value for money, quality, and cost-effective meal delivery.
• Lead procurement planning for food, agricultural inputs, kitchen equipment, packaging, clean-energy systems, and other operational requirements.
• Work with relevant teams to improve demand forecasting, procurement planning, stock availability, and supply-chain efficiency.
• Identify supply-chain risks and develop practical plans to address market, seasonal, climate, transport, and operational disruptions.

Agricultural Sourcing and Farmer Engagement

• Oversee procurement of seeds, fertilizers, tools, and other inputs for Solid’Africa’s agricultural activities.
• Develop fair, transparent, and sustainable sourcing arrangements with smallholder farmers, cooperatives, and other local suppliers.
• Work closely with the Sustainable Agriculture team to align farm production with kitchen demand and seasonal availability.
• Support approaches that strengthen local sourcing while maintaining appropriate standards for quality, food safety, cost, and reliability.

Food and Institutional Procurement

• Work with nutrition, kitchen, and program teams to forecast and source ingredients for hospital and school meal programs.
• Ensure procurement specifications reflect required quality, nutrition, food-safety, and service standards.
• Lead competitive sourcing and tender processes for food commodities, logistics services, equipment, and infrastructure.
• Coordinate procurement planning with kitchen production schedules to support timely supply and reduce avoidable food loss.
• Promote appropriate cold-chain, transport, and storage requirements for perishable goods.

Governance, Compliance, and Contract Management

• Ensure procurement activities comply with Solid’Africa policies, applicable Rwandan laws and regulations, donor requirements, and contractual obligations.
• Maintain transparent, competitive, well-documented, and audit-ready procurement processes.
• Strengthen internal controls, including appropriate segregation of duties and approval processes.
• Maintain an up-to-date register of supplier contracts, commitments, and procurement activities.
• Manage supplier performance, contract renewals, and procurement records.
• Support internal and external audits and ensure that findings are addressed.

Leadership and Collaboration

• Lead, supervise, and develop procurement officers, and site-based buyers.
• Set clear performance expectations and promote accountability, ethical conduct, and continuous improvement.
• Work collaboratively with Finance, Operations, Kitchens, Programs, Sustainable Agriculture, and other teams.
• Support procurement activities for Solid’Africa’s commercial and revenue-generating operations while maintaining alignment with its social mission.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Logistics, Agribusiness, Business Administration, or a related field. A relevant master’s degree is an advantage.
• Professional procurement certification, such as CIPS, is highly desirable.
• At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in procurement or supply-chain management; 10 years or more is an advantage.
• Experience in food supply chains, FMCG, food manufacturing, institutional catering, agriculture, or a large NGO or social enterprise is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience managing competitive procurement, high-value contracts, supplier relationships, and procurement teams.
• Experience working with farmers, agricultural cooperatives, or local sourcing initiatives, preferably in Rwanda or East Africa.
• Strong knowledge of procurement controls, contract management, audit requirements, and donor-funded procurement.
• Familiarity with inventory management systems, ERP platforms, and demand-forecasting tools is an advantage.

Key Competencies

• Strong strategic planning, negotiation, and supplier-management skills.
• High integrity and commitment to transparent, ethical procurement.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and deliver results in a growing organization.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
• Fluency in English and Kinyarwanda is required; French is an advantage.
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly to Solid’Africa sites across Rwanda.

• Develop and implement procurement and supply-chain strategies aligned with Solid’Africa’s farm-to-fork model and organizational priorities.
• Establish sourcing approaches that support reliable operations, value for money, quality, and cost-effective meal delivery.
• Lead procurement planning for food, agricultural inputs, kitchen equipment, packaging, clean-energy systems, and other operational requirements.
• Work with relevant teams to improve demand forecasting, procurement planning, stock availability, and supply-chain efficiency.
• Identify supply-chain risks and develop practical plans to address market, seasonal, climate, transport, and operational disruptions.
• Oversee procurement of seeds, fertilizers, tools, and other inputs for Solid’Africa’s agricultural activities.
• Develop fair, transparent, and sustainable sourcing arrangements with smallholder farmers, cooperatives, and other local suppliers.
• Work closely with the Sustainable Agriculture team to align farm production with kitchen demand and seasonal availability.
• Support approaches that strengthen local sourcing while maintaining appropriate standards for quality, food safety, cost, and reliability.
• Work with nutrition, kitchen, and program teams to forecast and source ingredients for hospital and school meal programs.
• Ensure procurement specifications reflect required quality, nutrition, food-safety, and service standards.
• Lead competitive sourcing and tender processes for food commodities, logistics services, equipment, and infrastructure.
• Coordinate procurement planning with kitchen production schedules to support timely supply and reduce avoidable food loss.
• Promote appropriate cold-chain, transport, and storage requirements for perishable goods.
• Ensure procurement activities comply with Solid’Africa policies, applicable Rwandan laws and regulations, donor requirements, and contractual obligations.
• Maintain transparent, competitive, well-documented, and audit-ready procurement processes.
• Strengthen internal controls, including appropriate segregation of duties and approval processes.
• Maintain an up-to-date register of supplier contracts, commitments, and procurement activities.
• Manage supplier performance, contract renewals, and procurement records.
• Support internal and external audits and ensure that findings are addressed.
• Lead, supervise, and develop procurement officers, and site-based buyers.
• Set clear performance expectations and promote accountability, ethical conduct, and continuous improvement.
• Work collaboratively with Finance, Operations, Kitchens, Programs, Sustainable Agriculture, and other teams.
• Support procurement activities for Solid’Africa’s commercial and revenue-generating operations while maintaining alignment with its social mission.

• Strong strategic planning, negotiation, and supplier-management skills.
• High integrity and commitment to transparent, ethical procurement.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and deliver results in a growing organization.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
• Fluency in English and Kinyarwanda is required; French is an advantage.
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly to Solid’Africa sites across Rwanda.

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Logistics, Agribusiness, Business Administration, or a related field. A relevant master’s degree is an advantage.
• Professional procurement certification, such as CIPS, is highly desirable.
• At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in procurement or supply-chain management; 10 years or more is an advantage.
• Experience in food supply chains, FMCG, food manufacturing, institutional catering, agriculture, or a large NGO or social enterprise is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience managing competitive procurement, high-value contracts, supplier relationships, and procurement teams.
• Experience working with farmers, agricultural cooperatives, or local sourcing initiatives, preferably in Rwanda or East Africa.
• Strong knowledge of procurement controls, contract management, audit requirements, and donor-funded procurement.
• Familiarity with inventory management systems, ERP platforms, and demand-forecasting tools is an advantage.