TRADE
Background
Transforming Agriculture through Diversification and Entrepreneurship Programme (TRADE) Programme is a Government of Malawi 6-year initiative funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) whose overall goal is to contribute to improved sustainable livelihoods of rural people in Malawi through Value Chain commercialisation and resilience of rural poor and smallholder’s producers”.
TRADE Programme specifically seeks to:
(i) increase production and productivity by smallholder farmers;
(ii) functionally upgrade smallholder farmers and the rural poor to undertake new functions such as processing, storage, packaging to capture more value;
(iii) improve horizontal linkages by strengthening the capacities of cooperatives to provide market access functions to smallholder farmers; and,
(iv) improve vertical linkages between stakeholders at different functional levels of the commodity chain, including private sector.
TRADE intends to support rural entrepreneurs, focusing on youths and women to develop and sustain their agribusiness enterprise opportunities and ensuring that commodities are nutrition sensitive. This objective will be achieved through targeted support to smallholder farmers and non-farm actors to benefit from commodity markets, improved access to rural financial services, market and business development services and partnerships with the private sector. The programme directly contributes to Pillar 1 of MW 2063 and Strategic objective 2 of the Malawi Country Strategic Opportunity (COSOP 2016-2021) “Smallholder households access remunerative markets and services”.
It also contributes to Strategic Objective 1 of the COSOP “Smallholder households become resilient
to natural shocks” by focusing on the promotion of climate-smart agriculture and the mainstreaming of nutrition in all project activities. Under the Ministry of Local Government as lead agency, TRADE will be implemented under 3 interlinked components namely:
sustainable producer-private partnerships; enabling environment for smallholder commercialization and component; and, institutional support and programme management. With a total target of 300,000 households, TRADE will initially cover 11 districts (Mchinji, Ntchisi, Dedza, Blantyre, Kasungu, NkataBay, Rumphi, Karonga, Lilongwe Rural, Thyolo and Chitipa) focusing on 7 commodities (groundnuts, soybean, sunflower, Irish potato, dairy, beef and honey).
It is in view of this background that TRADE is looking for highly motivated and experienced candidates to fill the 2 positions tenable in Lilongwe as follows:
Job Purpose
The Procurement and Contracts Specialist (PCS) shall be responsible for managing procurement processes and contract administration aspects. As head of the procurement unit, the incumbent will be tasked to ensure compliance with Government of Malawi (GOM) Procurement regulations and ensure due diligence to comply with IFAD Procurement Guidelines and handbook.
Key Responsibilities and Duties
- Installation of appropriate procurement systems and procedures for effective planning and monitoring of procurements under the project;
- Oversee preparation and consolidation of inputs to the Annual Procurement Plan;
- Finalize, within three months after start of duty, a draft manual on procurement by partners
(under component 2) and grant recipients (under component 2), which sets the minimum standards of compliance for the procurement of goods and services under TRADE financing; - Continuously train (on the job) implementers in the preparation of terms of reference, specifications and proactive follow-up of these inputs in the bidding processes;
- Prepare bidding documents based on acceptable bidding standards;
- Ensure all prior review requirements such as obtaining of the No Objections from IFAD are
complied with in a timely manner; - Ensure that all the due tendering processes are adhered to: sufficient publications, strict adherence to deadlines, transparency in communications with bidders, publication of bid results, etc.;
- Ensure acceptable record keeping in procurement with at least a complete procurement file for each procurement from start to contract finalization. Maintain all procurement records in a form appropriate for regular auditing and spot checks by supervision missions;
- Communicate to all implementing entities and service providers their responsibilities and
requirements with respect to procurement in keeping with prevailing Government practices
which are acceptable to IFAD;
1. Oversee the contracting process, including ensuring that Evaluation Committees have people with
appropriate expertise;
2. Monitor implementation of contracts: report status and problems to the National Programme
Coordinator monthly; and intervene to address problem upon request by the Coordinator;
3. Ensure that goods and services have been procured in accordance with the loan agreement and the
GOM procurement regulations;
4. Work with the Financial Controller to ensure that tax exemptions for the procurement of goods for
the project are secured at the appropriate time;
5. Work with the Value Chains and Commodity Specialists in preparation of AWPB and ensure its
alignment with Procurement plan.
6. Prepare quarterly reports of progress with implementation of the Procurement Plan, and regularly inform the National Programme Coordinator of problems and make proposals to overcome bottlenecks;
7. Carry out any other activities that are assigned by the National Programme Coordinator.
Qualification
- At least University Degree and professional qualification in Procurement;
- Should be a certified member of procurement body/institute in Malawi and outside.
- At least 10 years’ experience in procurement and contracts management of Programmes or
businesses with similar funding mechanisms. - Considerable knowledge of and demonstrated experience and familiarity with IFAD’s procurement procedures.
Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should send their applications together with copies of certificates, CVs and names of three traceable referees clearly indicating the position being applied for on the email heading (for emails) of envelopes (for hard-copies) not later than 27th September 202 to:
The National Programme Coordinator Transforming Agriculture through Diversification and
Entrepreneurship (TRADE)
P.O. Box 2135
LILONGWE
Or Email: administration@tradeprogramme.org
Area 9 Plot Number 328TRADE is an equal opportunity employer. Women candidates are encouraged to apply