Background

Kilombero Sugar Company Limited (KSCL), the largest sugar producer in Tanzania operating together with Illovo Distillers Tanzania Limited (IDTL), is inviting applications from qualified, hardworking, and committed individuals to fill the position of Procurement and Inventory Manager. The company is part of the ABF Sugar Division and continues to support professional growth while maintaining high operational and healthcare service standards within its workplace environment.

The successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing local Procurement and Inventory operations, ensuring delivery against key performance metrics aligned with the organization’s business strategy. The role involves leveraging analytical data and insights to collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders in forecasting, developing, and implementing effective demand plans.

The candidate will lead, manage, and develop the local Procurement and Inventory teams, ensuring the execution of robust, long-term sourcing strategies that are fully aligned with both Country and Group strategic objectives.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

• Adopt and embed best practices, minimum standards, policies, processes, tools, systems and enablers (capabilities) shared by Group Procurement & Inventory teams
• Set goals/KPIs and SLAs aligned to Group then measure, track and manage performance against these KPIs. Work with subfunctions to implement initiatives that will improve performance in their functions (i.e., OTIF, purchasing speed, increased savings, optimal stock holding, etc.)
• Guide and support the operations’ Inventory personnel in managing Inventory parameters within the ERP system and optimizing these parameters on an ongoing basis
• Manage and monitor departmental Procurement & Inventory budgets to ensure seamless operation of the department
• Accountable for oversight and management of the Logistics/Customs activities driven through the Inventory team
• Develop and maintain close relationships with key stakeholders, understanding their work context to inform forecasting and planning for their Procurement and Inventory needs within their demand planning environment (including off Crop demand planning)
• Communicate the Procurement & Inventory processes and drive compliance required from end-users; this includes tracking and reporting on compliance and/or deviations
• Review and contribute to the development of a Country Procurement Category strategy & local commodity sourcing strategy to ensure smooth execution
• Drive contract management activities and contract compliance with the Contracts Specialist team (i.e.% spend under contract)
• Ensure a strong partnership exists between the Contract Specialist and Group Category teams to give input into category strategies
• Drive Working Capital Management by ensuring that parameters of inventory holding are optimized, service levels to stakeholders is maintained, inventory is correctly classified, Obsolete/excess Inventory is identified and flagged for provision planning together with Finance
• Support Inventory Manager in verification and expediting activities according to pre-determined KPIs and in guiding the Inventory Operations team to ensure accurate and efficient receiving/receipting/issuing of stock takes place according to pre-agreed KPIs
• Ensure compliance to the FCFQ is achieved through rigorous engagement with group and internal audit (this includes maintaining relevance to current systems, policies & procedures)
• Promote and adhere to Kilombero procedures, policies and guidelines, including, without limitation, those relating to SHERQ, Competition Law and Anti-Bribery and Corruption (ABC)

Qualifications

Job Qualification and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Procurement, Supply Chain, Commerce, Engineering or equivalent
• 7+ years’ experience in Procurement or Inventory
• 3+ years in a management role
• Procurement professional accreditation

Must have skills

• Leadership and Management Skills

• Adopt and embed best practices, minimum standards, policies, processes, tools, systems and enablers (capabilities) shared by Group Procurement & Inventory teams
• Set goals/KPIs and SLAs aligned to Group then measure, track and manage performance against these KPIs. Work with subfunctions to implement initiatives that will improve performance in their functions (i.e., OTIF, purchasing speed, increased savings, optimal stock holding, etc.)
• Guide and support the operations’ Inventory personnel in managing Inventory parameters within the ERP system and optimizing these parameters on an ongoing basis
• Manage and monitor departmental Procurement & Inventory budgets to ensure seamless operation of the department
• Accountable for oversight and management of the Logistics/Customs activities driven through the Inventory team
• Develop and maintain close relationships with key stakeholders, understanding their work context to inform forecasting and planning for their Procurement and Inventory needs within their demand planning environment (including off Crop demand planning)
• Communicate the Procurement & Inventory processes and drive compliance required from end-users; this includes tracking and reporting on compliance and/or deviations
• Review and contribute to the development of a Country Procurement Category strategy & local commodity sourcing strategy to ensure smooth execution
• Drive contract management activities and contract compliance with the Contracts Specialist team (i.e.% spend under contract)
• Ensure a strong partnership exists between the Contract Specialist and Group Category teams to give input into category strategies
• Drive Working Capital Management by ensuring that parameters of inventory holding are optimized, service levels to stakeholders is maintained, inventory is correctly classified, Obsolete/excess Inventory is identified and flagged for provision planning together with Finance
• Support Inventory Manager in verification and expediting activities according to pre-determined KPIs and in guiding the Inventory Operations team to ensure accurate and efficient receiving/receipting/issuing of stock takes place according to pre-agreed KPIs
• Ensure compliance to the FCFQ is achieved through rigorous engagement with group and internal audit (this includes maintaining relevance to current systems, policies & procedures)
• Promote and adhere to Kilombero procedures, policies and guidelines, including, without limitation, those relating to SHERQ, Competition Law and Anti-Bribery and Corruption (ABC)

• Leadership and Management Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Procurement, Supply Chain, Commerce, Engineering or equivalent
• 7+ years’ experience in Procurement or Inventory
• 3+ years in a management role
• Procurement professional accreditation