Logistic and Commodity Manager

Logistic and Commodity Manager

Position title	Logistic and Commodity Manager
Location	Dili, Timor-Leste
Reports to	Deputy Chief of Party
Grade	8/1
Start date/timeframe	3 year
Application deadline	11 October, 2022
Application process	Send CV and application letter via email to [email protected] OR HR unit at CARE office at Bairo Pite, Dili.

1. Background
   1. The Programme

CARE is an international development and humanitarian organisation working in Timor-Leste since 1994. With programmes that extend across all municipalities in the country, CARE’s mission is to save lives, strive for equality and achieve social justice.

CARE does this by creating lasting change by working directly with target communities, providing innovative solutions and assistance in emergencies.

Ensuring well-being and a voice for women and girls in rural disadvantaged areas is at the heart of CARE’s work. This happens through four priority areas; Education, Women’s Economic Empowerment, Sexual Reproductive and Maternal Health and Women’s Voice.

To overcome poverty and bring about lasting, sustainable development, there needs to be equal rights and opportunities. That’s why making women and girls a priority impact group is key, as this is a proven way to create sustainable, long-term change.

• The role

The Logistic and Commodity Manager will work with the HATUTAN project. Under the supervision of the, Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP), the Logistic and Commodity Deputy Manager will lead in the following aspects of commodity management and logistics operations of the School Feeding Program, namely timely delivery of the food items to the schools following approved distribution plan and timely distribution of the food items. Additionally, also to ensure that schools submits timely and accurate utilisation reports. This position also conducts monitoring surveillance of the commodities at the Port and at the Warehouse and to file claim from a position of strength.

The role requires a high level of professionalism, good leadership, excellent organisational and planning skills and attention to detail with an ability to work confidentially and appropriately with others across a diverse team.

This position is based in Dili, with regular travels required to other field offices.

1. MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES
   1. Commodity Management:
2. Resource Planning and Budgeting-Commodity
3. Analyse commodity pipeline to ensuring sufficient stock availability across the country warehouse for smooth distribution and alert management of any deficiencies noticed.
4. Ensure timely submission of the commodity call forward information to DCoP/designate for donor approval. Negotiate and plan with CARE selected freight forwarders for smooth arrival of the commodities.
5. Prepare procurement plan for local commodities by August end for each subsequent years. Conduct market survey and select vendors for procurement of the locally available commodities.
6. Monitor the ITSH budget utilisation, reconciliation the expenses for ensuring budget availability and necessary adjustment during -Six month and Annual budget submission.
7. Ensure that all expenditures related to the area of commodity management, local procurement and/or operations are well within approved budget guidelines. All related purchases / expenses should be reviewed to confirm the availability of funds before it is sent for approval.
8. Coordinate with project field team to review the utilisation of commodities at the school level including the attendance and make necessary adjustments in following dispatches.

1. Management of Shipment of Commodity Importation and Receiving
2. Ensure all port service providers are in place, orient them for smooth commodity discharge and receiving, survey work and transportation from the Dili Port to the respective warehouses for storage and onward transportation to the schools;
3. Provide technical assistance to country office for developing agreements and/or Scope of work and contracting the service providers i.e. Clearing & Forwarding agent, Independent surveyor, fumigation company and transporter/s.
4. Conduct independent survey activities with prior approval from USDA. Ensure continuous monitoring of cargo quantity and quality on discharge from the containers to the warehouse and or trucks as appropriate, monitor the reconstitution work if deemed necessary, track and document on all losses observed at the port at the time of offloading and take remedial action for the disposal of damaged commodities, following donor guidelines and host government’s procedures. Support DCOP in preparing discharge survey reports. File claims with pictures and on time to ensure transparency and accountability. Support team members in high quality implementation.
5. Support the DCOP to coordinate and handle all shipping matters on food commodities and ensure timely correspondence on shipping matters with CARE HQ, Donor, Concerned Ministry/ Government officials, Surveyors, Shipping Agent, C &F Agent, USA Freight forwarder. 
6. Monitor/ review the performance of each service provider and provide immediate feedback with recommendations for improvement in each relevant area.
7. Review shipping documents including exemption on Tax, VAT, issue import permit letter request and ensure that all documentation required is in order before they handover to the relevant authorities, i.e. C &F agent and customs for timely clearance through customs.
8. Ensure that all survey reports are submitted on a timely manner. These should first be reviewed with the DCOP for any changes and/or corrections that need to be made and that all information contained in such reports tally with information maintained by CARE before it is forwarded to CARE USA for further action.   Ensure that all documents related to commodity receipt, storage, transport and handling are maintained in an accurate manner and are available for audit purpose.

iii. Commodity supply chain management and accounting

• Establish a commodity requirement plan for all targeted schools. Secure numbers of students from each municipalities for all schools through an official request letter. Verify and check with the school feeding team to ensure correctness.
• Conduct logistics assessment to set up the warehouses at strategic location for timely commodity receipt and final delivery to the respective destination/s schools as deemed appropriate and necessary or under emergency situations such as road inaccessibility, etc.
• Sign agreement with the schools to conduct SFP activities, make sure that the schools understand the roles and responsibilities as well as the liabilities.
• Work with the Senior School Feeding Officers to assess the school storage facilities routinely and ensure necessary improvement action is taken. Make changes to the plans if the schools are not ready to receive.
• In conjunction with the DCOP, develop and design the commodity standard operating procedure/ guidelines/ forms/formats/ monitoring tools.
• Introduce effective commodity accounting and reporting system and organize to design computerised inventory system for commodity reporting if required.
• Establish effective internal control systems at all levels to avoid / mitigate losses and damages as per the CARE and donor regulation and provide training on standard operating procedures to all staff involved in commodity storage, delivery and distribution management.
• Ensure that all invoices provided by the transporter are first reviewed for correctness which shall include the determination of all internal losses and take appropriate action.
• Review the performance of each transport contract and provide feedback and recommendations to Management.

iv. Reporting, monitoring and audit

• Ensure that all commodity reports are prepared accurately on a monthly basis. Such reports are to be consolidated and submitted, CARESSC, and HQ on a quarterly basis, within the stipulated time;
• Provide commodity information to COP, DCOP and Director for Finance and Administration, for monthly, quarterly, semi-annual and annual reports.  
• Assist management to update commodity information to FAIS or any other donor requirement.
• Develop guidelines to form an independent team comprising with finance, administration and other project staff in all school district to carry out the physical inventory at warehouse at the end of each month after completion of transaction/distribution.
• Ensure all warehouses and school storage facilities are inspected periodically by the relevant staff for quantity and proper storage of commodities and take remedial measures as needed.
• Ensure that steps are taken for the timely / regular submissions of the School Feeding Reports (also known as the School Stock & Issue Register) to the relevant dispatching points for review and assimilation of information. Institute follow-up procedures for delinquent reporting centers.
• Utilise end-use monitoring findings to improve supply chain management activities.
• Provide distribution information to Project Implementation manager regularly.
• Facilitate Internal / External Audits and resolve audit observations in relation to commodity.

v. Staff Management

• Supervise the direct reports.
• Perform performance management activities of the supervisees     
• Guide capacity building of the commodity staff of both CARE and Partner
• Conduct field visits for onsite guidance and implementation

• The requirements

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum Bachelors’ degree in any discipline with minimum 10 years’ relevant work experience, preferably in an International Non-Government Organisation (INGO) Prior practical experience in food commodity handling is a big plus; Master’s degree with similar work experience preferred.

• Ability to manage the logistic and commodity technical function and implement procedures and processes, with minimal supervision.

• Knowledge of port operation and USDA rules and regulations is desirable.

• Experience as a supervisor of other operational support staff.

• Excellent written and verbal skills in both Tetum and English and good numerical skills.

• Demonstrated knowledge of and experience in software package including Ms Offices.

• Demonstrated high level organizational and time management skills, including the ability to plan and manage workflows and balance competing priorities to ensure timely processing to meet deadlines in a complex environment.
• Demonstrated strong leadership, decision making, problem solving, planning, analytical and communication skills.

• Proven understanding of working with an International Non-Government Organisation (INGO) and a willingness to learn about CARE, gender equality and women’s empowerment activities.

• How to apply

Interested applicants should send a CV (no longer than four pages) and cover letter via email to [email protected] OR to Human Resource unit at CARE Timor-Leste office at Bairo Pite, Dili.

* Applicants are required to mention where they discovered information about this position

* This application is required by 11 October, 2022