Regional Supply Chain Systems Advisor, Central Africa Regional Office

Job Location: Home-based Telecommuting

About CRS

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding.

CRS works across Central Africa in 10 countries including Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of the Congo, Benin, Togo, Burundi, Rwanda, Central Africa Republic, Cameroon and Chad. The total annual program value is approximately $200 million. The country programs are recipients of funds from diverse donors both as prime and sub awardees, with significant procurement and supply chain components especially in health and food security.

Job Summary

CRS is modernizing its Supply Chain operations with a new Oracle Cloud Enterprise Resource Planning system, internally called “Insight’’, as well as other systems, tools and standard processes to enable the Agency to be ‘best in class’. As CRS continues to implement improvements, the full deployment of Insight to all countries is a critical initiative. The Regional Supply Chain Systems Advisor will be instrumental in the preparation, implementation, stabilization, and optimization of Insight.

Beyond Insight, the Regional Supply Chain Systems Advisor is responsible for contributing to the design, build, and adoption of complementary supply chain systems and technologies. S/he is also responsible for helping to establish and execute a robust data usage culture for supply chain staff and contributors, in line with the Agency vision.

Roles and Key Responsibilities

General

• Under the direction of the Regional Advisor, SCM, manage SCM workstream tasks to make sure that all staff at the country program can deliver on technical, functional, and training deadlines, and that all activities are well coordinated.
• Be the primary point of contact between the regional office and GSCM for all SCM global and regional systems initiatives under the supervision of the Regional Advisor, SCM.
• Is responsible for regular updates on status, challenges, and solutions to regional and GSCM teams on projects and operations.
• Other responsibilities as assigned by supervisor.

Systems Implementation

For Insight and other relevant systems that are introduced:

• Review Country Program (CP) SCM operations in their entirety, organization structures, processes, vision and business needs in order to recommend process improvements and design solutions and create an action plan to implement all needed activities before system go-live. Conduct assessment activities for relevant complex countries. Support CPs as they work through their action plans.
• Collect data on key local design elements and structure, as well as all relevant transactional documents. Work with the GSCM team to ensure correct configuration for each CP.
• Participate as a reviewer and subject matter expert (SME) in the preparation of policies, procedures, and guidelines, based on system needs and key organizational changes, to support system implementation.
• Liaise between Global Supply Chain Management and all relevant CP staff to ensure common understanding of proposed system designs, associated training requirements, and potential for errors or need for intensive support (hypercare) during go-live.
• Leading up to formal trainings, organize and facilitate meetings, and presentations to sensitize, educate, and prepare staff for Insight.
• Provide trainings for country program SCM staff.
• Ensure quality hypercare support is consistently applied.

System Stabilization and Optimization

• Develop and maintain a strong working relationship with application end-users and management to continuously improve their user experience.
• Provide ongoing support for the technical aspects of Insight and other relevant systems that have been introduced.
• Identify, prioritize and manage stabilization activities.
• Support CPs through analysis of processes and data to ensure user progression from adoption to stabilization to value realization.
• Contribute to the plan of the GSCM Systems and Performance (S&P) team, providing recommendations for effectively and efficiently accomplishing project activities by team members.
• Serve as coach, coordinator, and leader to CPs, guiding, assisting and consulting in executing project tasks and fulfilling project plan deliverables in a timely manner.
• Support SCM master data management and data quality activities.
• Support agency-wide SCM systems knowledge management and learning activities.

Supporting Integration and Performance Activities

• Work with RA SCM, GSCM and CPs to design Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that will help drive regional and country data-based decisions to improve SCM operational efficiencies.
• Conduct training sessions on the use of KPIs to identify areas for improvement.
• Evaluate KPIs at a regional level to assess CP execution of SCM best practices.
• Provide regional support for Last Mile Distribution data capture and incorporation into HQ and national systems as scoped with the goal of providing full visibility to the SCM pipeline from Requisition through Final Distribution.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Information Systems, Business Administration, International Development, or related discipline required. Master’s degree preferred.
• Five years related experience, with at least two years international experience required. Demonstrated experience implementing and/or supporting finance and supply chain applications required. Experience with Oracle applications preferred.
• Experience with an international development organization preferred
• Experience with finance and supply chain business processes within Non- Governmental Organizations preferred.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office tools.
• Working knowledge of SharePoint or other means of enterprise-level electronic information sharing systems.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong presentation, facilitation, training, mentoring, and coaching skills
• Excellent interpersonal, written and oral communication skills
• Excellent relationship management skills with ability to influence and get buy-in from people not under direct supervision
• Strong strategic, analytical, organizational, and systems thinking skills with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment
• Ethical conduct in accordance with recognized professional and organizational codes of ethics
• Proactive, resourceful and results-oriented. Ability to be effective with minimal supervision

Required Language Skills: English + French

Travel Required Up to 50%

Qualifications

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)

These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Integrity
• Continuous Improvement & Innovation
• Builds Relationships
• Develops Talent
• Strategic Mindset
• Accountability & Stewardship

*Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.

Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

Note: All positions requiring residence or frequent travel outside their home country must undergo and clear a pre-employment medical examination.

CRS’ talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people – especially children and vulnerable adults – to live free from abuse and harm.

EOE/M/F/D/V – CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. (For all US and International positions)