Commodity Manager

FH seeks a qualified candidate for the Commodity Manager role, who will work under the Deputy Chief of Party, Food Security and Nutrition for an anticipated five-year USAID-funded Resilience Food Security Activity (RFSA) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The goal of the Activity is to improve food and nutrition security and resilience among poor and chronically food insecure households and communities in a sustainable manner. Hiring is contingent upon successful award of the program and USAID approval of the candidate.

The Commodity Manager is responsible for the logistical management of the Title II commodities. This role is responsible for establishing accurate commodity tracking systems, managing risks (including fraud and corruption), managing the procurement, transport, storage, and distribution of food commodities and will be responsible for the review and consolidation of all status reports as required by USAID. S/he will be responsible for analyzing commodity losses; consolidation of required documentation related to commodities in line with BHA procedures; and review all field and site monitoring reports to ensure proper follow-up. The Commodity Manager is responsible for establishing accurate commodity tracking systems, managing risks (including fraud and corruption), and ensuring accountability throughout the supply chain.

FH Culture

All we do, and how we do it, seeks to promote God’s beauty, goodness, and truth in a broken world. As such, we are defined by our ability to make people’s lives measurably better; our ability to deliver impact is the measure of our collective success. For we know that we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God has already prepared in advance for us to do. At Food for the Hungry, we operate under a set of values called Heartbeat Values.

Principle Responsibilities

Food Resource Planning

• Based on the results of targeting and resource mix, involve in the development of proposal writing to determine type and quantity of commodity requirement for the desired program period.
• Carefully plan and prepare AER (Annual Estimation of Resource) and make timely resource call forwards for USAID funded programs.
• Identifies sources of commodities, if necessary, whether to procure locally or import from abroad.
• Work in coordination with the freight forwarders, clearing agents, independent surveyors, and inland and cross-border carriers to ensure commodities shipments are cleared and carried out of the port as soon as possible.
• Carefully plan and make sure that the required food commodities are delivered in good condition and required quantity at the destined locations in a timely manner; by networking constantly with the carrier representative, the port clearing agent, and the independent surveyor at the discharge port.
• Ensure that a proper database for commodity related information is in place and maintain commodity records, including complete shipping documents, transport and forwarding agreements, dispatch reports, losses claim, and actions taken.
• Prepares and periodically revises lists of standard commodities with relevant information including standard packages and quality to use for a specific program activity.
• Prepares allocation and distribution plans for the annual commodities shipment and timely dispatch to FH Primary Warehouses and distribution sites.
• Ensures that adequate warehouse space will be available in each destination and Primary Warehouse, and warehouse equipment and materials are in place before commodities arrival.
• Conducts pipeline analysis of commodities to determine when and where commodities are required, in what quantity, package and size.

Commodity Management

• Ensures that standard commodity management is in place both at FH sites and distribution centers.
• commodity shipment documents from FH Global office on time and facilitate the commencement of clearance before the arrival of vessels at unloading ports.
• Follows up the status of vessels carrying FH cargo while in high sea and maintains contacts with concerned officials to collect information on ETA (expected time of arrival) of the vessel at a designated port of entry.
• Tracks the importation of food from abroad based on the procurement schedule estimated time of departure (ETD) and estimated time of arrival (ETA) in collaboration with the discharge port agent and FH US forwarding agent.
• Periodically revises list of trucking companies, forwarding agents and surveyors and commodity suppliers.
• Facilitates contracting of reliable transport, survey, clearing and forwarding companies through competitive bidding and make analysis and ensures that agreements are signed accordingly.
• Ensures that food commodities delivered to each FH distribution site are appropriate to the food consumption habit of the target community.
• Ensure that the standard commodity-tracking system is in place and functioning properly.
• After the completion of any shipment, compare the Bill of lading quantity with the quantity received at PDP, identify, and collect evidence for the difference (including short landing certificate, survey report, waybill / GRN discrepancy).
• Fills / updates the shipments register during the process of receiving commodities shipments in the country.
• Facilitates and handles loan arrangements when it is needed from the government food security reserve, WFP, and other sister NGOs.
• When losses occur at FH shipment and warehouses, make timely loss claims and forward them to the FH Global office along with event reports.
• Fills / Updates the loss & claims register progressively when new steps are made in pursuing loss claims according to USAID reg 11, section 211.9.
• Coordinate and facilitate local commodity purchase for the organization.

Financial management

• Follow up and enforce stewardship by ensuring efficient and effective utilization of ITSH related budget for the intended purpose.
• Ensure effective management of budget according to approved work and procurement plans.

Capacity building

• Plan, organize and facilitate capacity building training for FH commodity management staff in collaboration with commodity professionals and technical coordinators.

Correspondence, Networking and Reporting

• Attends regular meetings with partners and other cooperative sponsors.
• Handles all correspondence pertaining to commodities with FH HQ and donors.
• Ensures the availability of an adequate filing system of all reports, shipping documents, letters, bid documents, agreements, and resource materials.
• Maintains effective communications and smooth relationships with the concerned government bodies and other partners.
• Prepares periodical and timely reports and submits them on time.
• Ensure Commodities Status Reports (CSRs), Recipients Status Reports (RSRs) and Loss Status Reports (LSRs) are prepared and submitted monthly and then consolidated quarterly and submitted to USG Commodity Manager for review and input.
• Willing to spend more than 50% of his time traveling at project sites for technical support to commodities staff and to the discharge port when required to coordinate ports operations and link with clearing agent, the carrier representative, and the surveyor.

Other duties as assigned.

Job Level Specifications

• Vibrant personal relationship with Jesus Christ, a Christian commitment to serving the poor and in full agreement with FH’s Christian beliefs.
• Demonstrated computer-operating skills, including proficiency in Google platforms, Microsoft Office products, and virtual technologies such as Skype and/or Zoom.
• Extensive experience managing in-kind food commodity supply chains from point of origin through to food distribution points and end recipients in developing countries.
• Extensive experience maintaining commodity quality and safety, managing warehouses (including fumigation and testing), coordinating transportation (port, road, rail, etc.), monitoring, and reporting.
• Ability to network and engage with necessary stakeholders to manage food commodity supply chains.
• Ability to travel up to 25% of time per year in the DRC, sometimes to insecure locations.

Education/Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant academic area—e.g., supply chain management, food science, etc., plus 7 years of relevant commodity experience.
• At least 5 years of experience in field work related to an international development organization.
• Advanced level experience with MS Excel.
• Experience with Sun Systems (financial application).
• Experience specific to Title II is highly desired.
• Experience working in the DRC is preferred.
• Knowledge and experience with USAID and U.S. Government regulations are preferred.

Language

Fluency in French is required, and professional proficiency in English. Proficiency In the Congolese national language specific to the region is preferred.

Supervisor Responsibilities

Directly supervises staff. Carry out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization’s policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints, resolving problems, etc.

Safeguarding Policy

FH strives to provide an environment free from sexual exploitation and abuse and harassment in all places where relief and development programs are implemented. FH holds a zero-tolerance policy against sexual exploitation and abuse and harassment. FH expects its employees to maintain high ethical standards, protect organizational integrity and reputation, and ensure that FH work is carried out in honest and fair methods, in alignment with the Heartbeat Values and safeguarding and associated policies. Violations to stated policies will be subject to corrective action up to and including termination of employment.

Typically, successful candidates are hired at a salary rate up to midpoint of the range, based on relevant experience, internal equity, and budgetary allowances.

BENEFITS OFFERED

Insurance – Health, Disability, Life

Paid holidays, vacation, & sick leave

Pension, available on first of month after date of hire

Professional development