Senior Procurement Administrator

Introduction

Purpose of the role

• The Senior Procurement Administrator secures the best-quality spares, equipment, goods and services at the best total cost, so that the company’s operations never stop for lack of parts or supplies.
• The company runs sugar cane growing, a cattle feedlot and wheat production. Its most critical operation is cane haulage: cutting, loading and hauling cane to the mill and independent outgrowers. During the crushing season, a truck, tractor, loader or trailer standing idle for a missing part costs cane quality, mill deliveries and revenue.
• The role therefore combines sharp sourcing and negotiation with sound management of the parts pipeline behind the preventative maintenance programme.

Duties & Responsibilities

Strategic sourcing and negotiation

• Source spares, equipment, consumables, inputs and services at the best balance of quality, price, lead time and after-sales support.
• Obtain a minimum of three competitive quotations in line with the company’s procurement policy and approval limits.
• Negotiate prices, volume discounts, payment terms, warranties and delivery terms with suppliers in Zambia, South Africa and further afield.
• Set up and manage supply agreements and price lists for high-volume items (tyres, filters, lubricants, fuel, batteries, ground-engaging tools, cane-cutting consumables).
• Evaluate OEM versus quality aftermarket parts on total cost of ownership, not purchase price alone.
• Manage imports where needed, including clearing agents, duties, freight and cross-border lead times.

 

Transport and fleet procurement (cane haulage)

• Keep the haulage fleet supplied with parts: trucks, tractors, cane trailers, cane loaders and support vehicles.
• Procure agreed critical spares ahead of the crushing season so breakdowns are fixed in hours, not days.
• Arrange emergency procurement for breakdowns, including after-hours and weekend sourcing in peak season.
• Source and manage service providers: tyre services, auto-electrical, panel beating, hydraulics, component rebuilds.
• Support fleet replacement and capital equipment purchases with quotations, specifications and comparisons.

 

Agriculture, feedlot and wheat procurement

• Source irrigation spares, pumps, pivots, implements and farm machinery parts.
• Procure agricultural inputs (fertiliser, chemicals, seed) to plan and on time for the planting calendar.
• Procure feedlot inputs: feed, supplements, veterinary supplies and handling equipment, in coordination with the Feedlot Manager.
• Support harvest and planting peaks for wheat with timely parts and contractor services.

 

Supply chain planning

• Plan demand with operations and workshop managers, linked to seasons and the maintenance schedule.
• Reduce dead and obsolete stock through disciplined buying and timely disposal of redundant items.
• Track open orders, expedite late deliveries and keep users informed of delivery dates.

 

Preventative maintenance support

• Work with the Workshop Manager to align parts supply with the preventative maintenance (PM) schedule for the fleet and farm equipment.
• Prepare service kits (filters, oils, belts, wear parts) in advance of scheduled services.
• Use breakdown and component-life history to forecast parts demand.
• Track warranties and supplier claims for failed parts and components.

 

Supplier management

• Maintain an approved supplier list with due diligence (registration, tax compliance, banking details verified).
• Measure supplier performance on price, quality, delivery and service, and act on poor performance.
• Develop alternative suppliers for critical items to reduce single-source risk.

 

Governance, systems and reporting

• Follow the company's procurement policy, delegation of authority and segregation of duties.
• Raise and manage requisitions and system-generated purchase orders through the company's in-house PO system, which integrates with Sage ERP.
• Uphold ethical standards: declare conflicts of interest and refuse gifts or inducements.
• Report monthly on spend, savings, dead stock, supplier performance and open orders.
• Supervise, train and develop the procurement team.

 

Goods received (GRV) process

• To keep segregation of duties, the Senior Procurement Administrator does not capture or approve GRVs. Stores receives goods and captures GRVs; Procurement manages the process around them. User access rights in the PO system and Sage ERP enforce this: the role can raise purchase orders but cannot capture GRVs.
• Make sure every purchase order clearly states quantities, part numbers and specifications so Stores can receive against it.
• Resolve receiving discrepancies flagged by Stores: short, damaged, incorrect or over-delivered goods.
• Arrange returns, replacements and supplier credit notes for rejected goods.
• Follow up open orders with no GRV and old GRVs with no invoice, so suppliers are paid on time and accruals are accurate.
• Investigate price differences between the purchase order, GRV and invoice raised by Finance, and correct them with the supplier.

Knowledge, Skills and Competencies

Technical knowledge

• End-to-end supply chain: demand planning, sourcing, logistics, import clearing and inventory management.
• Heavy commercial vehicle, tractor and agricultural machinery parts, including part numbering, OEM versus aftermarket and cross-referencing.
• Preventative maintenance principles and how parts planning supports fleet availability.
• Zambian procurement, tax (VAT, withholding tax) and import requirements.
• Sage ERP (or a similar ERP), purchase order systems and advanced Excel.

 

Core skills

• Strong negotiator who consistently achieves savings without compromising quality or reliability.
• Highly efficient and organised; able to handle many urgent requests during the crushing season.
• Analytical: compares quotations on total cost, reads spend and supplier data and spots trends.
• Clear communicator with suppliers, workshop staff, farm managers and Finance.
• Leads and develops the procurement team.

 

Personal attributes

• High integrity and transparency in handling company funds and suppliers.
• Sense of urgency and ownership; works extended hours in peak season when required.
• Practical and hands-on; comfortable in workshops, stores and on the farm.
• Attention to detail and strong record keeping.

Qualifications and Experience

Education:     

• Essential: Diploma or degree in Purchasing & Supply, Supply Chain Management, Logistics or Business
• Advantageous: Degree plus a mechanical or agricultural background

 

Professional body:

• Essential: Membership of ZIPS (Zambia Institute of Purchasing and Supply) or eligibility
• Advantageous: CIPS qualification

Experience:

• Essential: At least 5 years in procurement, 2 of them at senior or supervisory level
• Advantageous: Experience in sugar, agriculture, mining or a transport fleet operation

 

Sector exposure:

• Essential: Procurement of heavy vehicle, tractor or plant spares     
• Advantageous: Cane haulage, feedlot or irrigation procurement

 

Systems:

• Essential: Sage ERP or similar, and advanced Excel
• Advantageous: Workshop or fleet management system

 

Other:

• Essential: Valid driver's licence; clear record of integrity     
• Advantageous: Established supplier network in Zambia and South Africa

 

Key performance indicators

Targets are suggested starting points, to be set with management once baseline data is available.

 

Procurement savings:

• Measure: Negotiated savings against first quote or prior price         
• Suggested target: 5–10% of controllable spend per year

 

Fleet downtime from parts:

• Measure: Hours vehicles stand waiting for parts in season  
• Suggested target: Reduced year on year; critical parts within 24 hours

 

Critical spares supply:

• Measure: Critical spares requests supplied within the agreed lead time       
• Suggested target: 95% or higher

 

Obsolete stock:

• Measure: Items with no movement for 12 months 
• Suggested target: Reduced each quarter

 

PM kit readiness:

• Measure: Service kits ready before scheduled services       
• Suggested target: 100%

 

Purchase order turnaround:

• Measure: Requisition to order for routine items      
• Suggested target: Within 2 working days

 

Policy compliance:

• Measure: Orders with correct quotes and approvals
• Suggested target: 100%

 

Supplier performance:

• Measure: On-time, in-full deliveries from key suppliers       
• Suggested target: 90% or higher

Working Relationships and Conditions

• Internal: Financial Manager (line manager), Group Technical Manager (indirect reporting line), Stores Manager (responsible for receiving, GRV capture, stock control and stock count accuracy), Finance department (close day-to-day working on budgets, approvals and supplier payments), General Manager, Workshop and Fleet Manager, Transport Operations, Farm and Feedlot Managers.
• External: Suppliers and OEM dealers, service providers, clearing and freight agents, transporters, outgrower representatives where relevant.
• Working conditions: Based at Mazabuka with time in the office, stores, workshops and on the farm. Peak demand during the crushing season (roughly April to November) requires extended hours, weekend availability and standby for emergency breakdowns. Some travel to suppliers in Lusaka and South Africa.

This job description is not exhaustive. The incumbent may be asked to perform other reasonable duties in line with the role.

 

Kindly regard your application as unsuccessful if you have not heard from the agency within 2 weeks