Management & Engineering Technologies International, Inc.

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Tajikistan Operations and Procurement Manager

Dushanbe, Tajikistan March, 2024

Management and Engineering Technologies, Inc. (METI), a close partner of the US Forest Service (USFS), may require the services of a Tajikistan HR & Finance Coordinator to support the development and implementation of the “Strengthening Natural Resource Management Capacity in Tajikistan” program. As a part of the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) programming in Tajikistan, the USFS will collaborate with the Government of Tajikistan (GoT) and other relevant partners to strengthen institutional capacity in a number of areas including but not limited to, natural resource management, combatting land degradation, promoting watershed health and conservation, protecting food security, supporting ecosystem adaptation and resilience, as well as adaptation to natural hazards and disaster risk reduction.

BACKGROUND

The US Forest Service (USFS) is the principal domestic technical agency for forestry and natural resource management in the United States and the largest natural resource research institution in the world. Its 35,000-person workforce possesses a wide range of natural resource management skills, including expertise in forest and rangeland management, protected area management, wildlife management, research and practical applications related to ecological resilience, recreation and tourism development, ecosystem services valuation, and ecosystem restoration, among others. The agency’s multiple use mandate requires that it balance conservation with social and economic interests, necessitating a pragmatic approach to natural resource management.

The primary purpose for this program is to provide support to USAID/Tajikistan for implementation of the Strengthening Natural Resource Management Capacity activity. This program is funded by USAID/Tajikistan and the partnership provides an efficient mechanism through which USAID/Tajikistan can engage the unique technical expertise and capabilities of USFS International Programs (USFS/IP). In collaboration with USAID/Tajikistan, USFS/IP has begun to develop technical cooperation with relevant GoT counterparts on a wide array of natural resource management focus areas including establishment of a National Forest Inventory, rangeland management, strengthening community capacity and public participation in sustainable natural resource management, and empowering women in youth in natural resource management. USFS Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) provide technical assistance to support relevant GoT agencies, and/or their respective local authorities, in knowledge areas and skills that are critical to strengthening natural resource management. USFS SMEs provide technical assistance through both remotely based support from the US and in-person technical consultations, trainings, workshops, and Train-the-Trainers activities implemented in Tajikistan. 

This program, including a growing team of in-country specialists, collaborates closely with relevant GoT agencies including the State Forestry Agency, Ministry of Agriculture, the Tajik Ministry of Energy and Water Resources, the Tajik State Committee on Environmental Protection, the Tajik State Agency of Land Reclamation and Irrigation, the Tajik Academy of Sciences, the Tajik Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and the Tajik Hydrometeorology Agency. This program also collaborates with Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), Community-based Organizations (CBOs), and academia to ensure individual project components are carried out effectively and meet the needs of target beneficiaries. USFS may also explore collaboration with other international donor agencies active in Tajikistan’s natural resource sector. 

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The ‘Operations and Procurement Manager’ will be required to provide operational and logistical management for USFS/IP to ensure effective implementation of the Tajikistan MRM program and oversee smooth execution of all processes including, but not limited to, to the office management, inventory management, supply chain management, property management and relevant logistical operations. The Operations and Procurement Manager will be responsible for developing an office inventory management system and operationalizing the inventory mechanism to track the flow of office goods and resources. The Operations and Procurement Manager will ensure all operational and logistical procedures are in accordance with the relevant office policies and complaint to the associated guidelines of USAID and USFS/IP as appropriate. The Operations and Procurement Manager will work closely with USFS/IP team members to provide trainings on standard operational and logistical mechanisms.

The 'Operations and Procurement Manager' will support the program with duties and responsibilities including, but not be limited to, the following:

• Develop standard office operations and logistical mechanisms to manage the effective implementation of all standard procedures compliant with USAID and USFS/IP guidelines;
• Prepare a standard procurement mechanism in line with local laws and USAID and USFS regulations.
• Oversee the vendor selection procedure; participate in bid-opening and technical and cost evaluations. Ensure due diligence for awarded procurements and review legitimacy of terms and conditions. Evaluate quantity and quality of the goods delivered by the vendor;
• Examine and approve procurement request and issue the procurement orders.
• Establish and maintain a database and network of prequalified vendors, suppliers, and service providers and carry out enlistment surveys and analysis, and appraisals, as well as providing for commonly used goods and services (such as stationeries, transport, venues, appliances);
• Facilitate coordination within the project team to ensure procurement procedures are timely and compliant with procurement thresholds, approval procedures, and related regulations;
• Coordinate closely with Tajikistan NRM team members in relevant procurement and acquisition planning. Facilitate procurement process ensuring timely delivery of goods and services in compliance with relevant policies;
• Manage the inventory and corresponding log book to track inventory and delivery of procurement requests. Conduct inventory reconciliation cycle and track joint responsibilities and sharing of assets, as appropriate;
• Act as the office manager and provide leadership of overall property and resource management operations including dealing all aspects of the day-to-day office management activities, facility security and safety arrangement, relevant leasing mechanisms, vehicle management, relevant utility maintenance and repair operations as appropriate with fulfillment to the local laws and regulations;
• Coordinate closely with team members to plan and forecast the logistics requirements ensuring constant and adequate availability of office supplies and equipment. Manage a functioning system ensuring timely delivery of goods and services for meetings, trainings, workshops, relevant events and other activities;
• Responsible for all logistical support for USFS/IP team members, consultants, and USG detailers in organizing travel, accommodation, event venues, supplies and equipment, visa processing, etc;
• Prepare and maintain office forms as needed in processing all the logistical and operational procedures. Develop and maintain a standard documentation system for tracking all the requests and requisitions to meet the relevant compliance requirements, and prepare periodic reports, as needed;
• Supervise the office support service providers, support staff, and drivers; 
• Provide capacity development support to USFS/IP team members and associated members on standard practices for complaint office operations and logistics management procedures;
• Carry out any other administrative responsibilities as assigned by the office.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION:

To be considered for the position, a candidate must meet the minimum qualifications listed below:

Education

A Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent, with higher degree desired, in Management, Business Operations, Supply Chain Management or related discipline.

Experience

At least 5 years of work experience, with increasing responsibilities, in office administration, operations and logistics management related positions. Experience in providing leadership in organizational procurement processes, vendor coordination, property management and day-to-day office management with full stakeholder involvement. Experience of managing the inventory of office resources, maintain a dynamic database system and establish identifying, proposing, and implementing innovative ways of achieving operational efficiencies in order to improve efficiency of programming. A demonstrated understanding of mechanisms, standard procedures, and administrative tasks involved in USAID-funded and USG programs, highly preferred.

Skills/Competencies

• A comprehensive understanding of standard process and provisions relating to the procurement operations of USAID-funded programs;
• Strong knowledge on the appropriate compliance and diligence requisites for USAID and USG programs along with demonstrated understanding of relevant local laws and regulations for delivering compliant procurement operations;
• Proven skills and ability to smoothly navigate the operational and logistical portfolio of a complex multi-layer development program/project;
• Demonstrated leadership traits and be able to work independently with minimum supervision or guidance;
• Excellent managerial skills and people manage skills for tracking and analyzing the performances of the program/project operations using appropriate checkpoints and internal controls are required;
• Able to develop effective working relationships with the project/program team members as well as with the external suppliers, vendors and service providers;
• Proven ability to show strong teamwork skills and work with a diverse group of stakeholders, with excellent customer service skills;
• Interest in learning new tools, ability to make evidence-based operational decisions;
• Proven ability to provide on-job capacity building trainings to other team members;
• High proficiency in relevant computer applications e.g. MS-Word, MS-Excel, MS- PowerPoint, and basic internet skills are required.

Language Ability

The incumbent must be proficient in spoken and written English, Tajik, and Russian

General Information About the Position

Issuance Date: 25 March 2024

Application Closing Date: 15 April 2024

Number of Positions: 01 (One)

Position Title: Operations and Procurement Manager

Level of Efforts: Full Time

Salary: Relevant to the technical skill level of the position but may be adjusted to account for additional experience and skills.

Period of Performance: Initially 1 Year; with the possibility of extension

Base Location: Dushanbe, Tajikistan

Expected Starting Date: 29 April 2024

If the US Forest Service were to secure the services of an individual with these skills, the successful applicant would be hired through Management and Engineering Technologies Inc.

Qualified individuals should send apply at: https://jobs.localjobnetwork.com/j/78828130 

Close of business: April 15, 2024

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted 

Due to the high volume of applications, we cannot respond to all applicants and therefore only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. 

METI is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building a workforce representative of the diverse communities we serve. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status, age or any other federally protected class.

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