Supply Chain & Strategic Sourcing Manager - Kinshasa DRC

Role Summary
The Supply Chain & Strategic Sourcing Manager will lead end-to-end supply chain activities for electrical materials and equipment, covering strategic sourcing, procurement, demand and inventory planning, warehousing, logistics, and distribution. The role will ensure that materials are available on time, meet approved technical and quality requirements, and are sourced at competitive total cost to support sales, projects, manufacturing, and operations.
Key Responsibilities

Strategic Sourcing & Procurement
• Lead sourcing for high-value and critical requirements, obtaining competitive quotations, evaluating offers against approved technical specifications, and preparing a documented comparative statement for each award.
• Develop category strategies for key materials, determining the appropriate single-, dual-, or multi-source approach, contract duration, and local or international sourcing model based on total cost, lead time, quality, and risk.
• Identify, assess, onboard, and maintain a qualified supplier base, including manufacturers, OEMs, and authorized distributors, supported by supplier due diligence and KYC processes.
• Negotiate prices, payment terms, delivery schedules, warranties, supplier agreements, transport modes, and delivery terms (Incoterms).
• Monitor market prices, exchange rates, supplier lead times, and market developments to identify opportunities, cost movements, and supply risks.

Electrical Materials & Technical Compliance
• Plan and procure electrical materials including cables, wires, circuit breakers, switchgear, distribution boards, lighting, wiring accessories, transformers, and related equipment.
• Work with Sales, Engineering, and Project teams to forecast demand, review bills of quantities (BOQs), material schedules, and technical documentation, and plan material requirements.
• Ensure purchased materials meet approved specifications, including voltage and current ratings, cable sizes, protection ratings, and compatibility requirements, obtaining technical approval where required.
• Ensure suppliers provide product certificates, test reports, warranties, certificates of conformity, and traceability documentation as applicable.
• Maintain controls to prevent the purchase, storage, or distribution of counterfeit, substandard, damaged, or unapproved electrical products.

Inventory, Warehousing & Distribution
• Manage inventory levels across product categories, balancing material availability with working capital requirements and the risk of excess or obsolete stock.
• Oversee safe storage, handling, stock identification, and dispatch of electrical materials, including cable drum management and protection of sensitive equipment.
• Coordinate local and international logistics, customs clearance, and deliveries to warehouses, customers, and project sites.
Manage returns, damaged goods, warranty claims, and non-conforming materials, coordinating corrective action with suppliers and internal departments.

Importation, Systems & Reporting
• Maintain control of the import documentation chain, including commercial invoices, packing lists, bills of lading, certificates of origin and conformity, and inspection reports.
• Maintain accurate product codes, units of measure, technical descriptions, inventory records, and procurement data in the ERP system and supporting trackers.
• Prepare timely, accurate, and auditable procurement and supply chain reports, comparative statements, cost analyses, and KPI updates for management.
• Identify and manage supply risks, including single-source dependency, long lead-time items, supplier stability, regulatory changes, and logistics disruptions.

Leadership & Coordination
• Lead and develop the supply chain team, setting priorities and monitoring performance.
• Work closely with Finance, Warehouse, Sales, Engineering, Project, and user departments to ensure smooth end-to-end procurement and supply chain operations.
• Drive continuous improvement in cost, service levels, stock accuracy, supplier performance, and operational efficiency.

Qualifications & Experience
• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related field.
• Approximately 6–8 years of relevant supply chain and procurement experience, including substantial experience in international sourcing and imports (ideally at least 5 years).
• Experience in industrial, electrical, or project-material procurement, with working knowledge of electrical products, specifications, brands, and distribution channels.
• Experience across procurement, demand and inventory planning, warehousing, logistics, and supplier management.
• Experience leading or supervising a team and coordinating cross-functional activities.
• Ability to interpret material schedules, bills of quantities (BOQs), technical specifications, and product documentation.
• Proven ability to deliver measurable cost savings and develop procurement reporting and KPIs.
• Strong ERP skills and advanced Microsoft Excel proficiency, including the ability to analyse data and present clear findings to senior management.
• Experience with imports and customs clearance; CIPS, ASCM/APICS CSCP, or CPIM certification will be an advantage.

Required Skills & Competencies
• Supplier sourcing, evaluation, negotiation, and contract management.
• Electrical materials and product knowledge.
• Strategic procurement, demand planning, and inventory control.
• Cost analysis, total-cost evaluation, and commercial judgment.
• Import documentation, logistics coordination, and customs-clearance awareness.
• Quality awareness, accuracy, integrity, and accountability.
• Team leadership, communication, and cross-functional coordination.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
• Procurement cost savings and cost avoidance against targets.
• Material availability and order fulfilment.
• On-time, in-full (OTIF) delivery from suppliers.
• Order-to-delivery lead time.
• Supplier delivery and quality performance.
• Inventory accuracy and turnover.
• Stockout levels and obsolete inventory.
• Total supply chain cost.
• Material rejection, damage, return, and warranty-claim rates.
• Timeliness and accuracy of management reporting.

How to Apply
Interested candidates are requested to share their CV at [email protected], mentioning “Supply Chain & Strategic Sourcing Manager” in the subject line.