Procurement Officer, Kenya

Who We Are 

Africa has the world's youngest and fastest-growing population. By 2035, the continent is poised to contribute more young people to the global workforce each year than the rest of the world combined. 

At Educate we're obsessed with impact. We leverage iterative learning to build highly scalable youth employment solutions aimed at unlocking the potential of the world's youngest continent. 

Educate prepares youth in Africa to learn, earn and thrive in today's economy by: 

1. Introducing an employment-focused school subject into secondary and 
2. Delivering livelihood boot camps for out-of-school youth, with a focus on marginalized rural girls and young women.

To date, more than 500,000 youth have been meaningfully impacted across Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, and Tanzania, and along the way, Educate has become the largest youth employment and skills provider in East Africa.

Educate is a team of over 300 largely African staff and 300 volunteer youth mentors. We prioritize building an engaging, fulfilling and growth oriented work environment. 50% of our top 30 leaders have been with us for over 5 years, 10+ alumni have started their own organizations, and 6 current or former team members were Acumen Fund East Africa fellows. 

We have been backed by top foundations such as Imaginable Futures, Livelihood Impact Fund,  Jack Dorsey's #startsmall, CIFF and Echidna Giving. Educate won a 2018 Klaus J. Jacobs Prize and a 2015 WISE Award, and has been highlighted by the World Bank's S4YE's Impact Portfolio, an Al Jazeera documentary, BBC, The Brookings Institution as one of 14 case studies on scaling education, and the Gates Foundation as a Goalkeepers Accelerator. In 2022, we received a catalytic investment from philanthropist Mackenzie Scott to scale our systems change work.

Educate's long-term vision is to design solutions that measurably impact millions of youth across Africa each year.

Good to note: To Our Awesome Applicants

We know that incredible candidates sometimes hesitate to apply if they don't meet every requirement. If this role excites you, we encourage you to apply 

We're looking for passionate individuals who believe in our mission and can bring unique perspectives to our team—not just those who check every box. We value diversity and strongly encourage women and individuals from all backgrounds to apply.

Position Overview

Educate, the largest youth skills service provider in East Africa is looking for a dynamic and enthusiastic Procurement Officer who will lead day-to-day procurement operations and supports strategic sourcing for Educate Kenya. The role ensures efficient, compliant, and value-for-money procurement; healthy vendor relationships; and on-time delivery of goods and services that enable program success. The Officer partners closely with Programs, Field Operations, Finance, ICT, and Admin to plan needs, run fair competitions, and keep auditable records.

What You Will Do:

Procurement Operations & Compliance (35%)

• Support the full procurement process from request to delivery, following Educate's policies and donor/audit requirements.
• Help review purchase requests, collect quotations, prepare purchase orders, and confirm orders with vendors.
• Work with the Finance team to check documents, track payments, and ensure invoices are approved on time (at least 95% within SLA).
• Keep procurement trackers and files up to date, ensuring they are always complete and audit-ready.

Vendor & Contract Management (25%)

• Support in maintaining an updated list of prequalified and approved vendors.
• Help collect and review supplier documentation to meet due-diligence standards.
• Assist in preparing supplier contracts and ensure all details are complete and accurate.
• Track supplier performance and share feedback with the manager for review or renewal decisions.
• Maintain ethical and transparent supplier relationships in line with Educate's Ethics Guide

Sourcing & Cost Management (20%)

• Collect quotations and compare prices to ensure value for money.
• Support market research to find reliable and cost-effective suppliers.
• Assist budget holders in planning and documenting procurement needs.
• Keep records of savings or cost reductions achieved through sourcing.

Systems, Reporting & Process Improvement (20%)

• Enter and update procurement data accurately in ERPNext, ApprovalMax, and related systems
• Prepare simple monthly reports on spending, supplier status, and compliance.
• Help identify and suggest small process improvements for efficiency.
• Follow safeguarding, conflict-of-interest and anti-fraud policies in all procurement activities.

Who You Are: 

You hold a Bachelor's degree in Procurement, Supply Chain, Business Administration, or a related field, and bring 1–3 years of progressive procurement experience, ideally within an INGO or social-impact organization. You're a skilled negotiator with a sharp eye for sourcing and contract management, and your proficiency with ERP systems (ERPNext, IFMIS, or Sage) keeps processes running seamlessly. You're confident in advanced Excel or Google Sheets, and you thrive on strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and clear communication. Your professional integrity, discretion, and ethical judgment set you apart, and if you're a KISM member or hold CIPS Level 4+ certification, that's a definite plus

What We Offer

• A vibrant, mission-driven environment with a supportive and fun team. 
• Competitive salary based on experience.
• Learning & growth opportunities  

Application Process: Rolling basis, interviews happening soon

Our Culture & Tenets(Values)

We're ambitious. Are you? Educate is growing fast, so new opportunities are opening up and expanding all the time. We're inspired by people with drive, and we love to help them reach their full potential. We expect everyone at Educate to contribute above and beyond their job description, grow their skills, and advance their careers, and we are committed to supporting our staff members on that journey of their careers, and we are committed to supporting our staff members on that journey. 

1. We put Youth First, Impact-Obsessed - We are purpose-driven, focused on impact, and prioritize what truly matters. We listen to youth, design our efforts around their needs, and ensure every dollar creates transformative experiences they value.
2. We Exceed Expectations - We take pride in going above and beyond to achieve the best results—proactively identifying problems and seeking solutions without waiting or stopping at what's requested.
3. We Are Always Learning - We are committed to seeking and applying new knowledge and ideas. We stay open-minded and continuously try new things, experiment, grow, and improve. We invest in learning for ourselves and our teams.
4. We are One Team, Many Views - We value all individuals, believe diverse ideas and open dialogue drive excellence, foster a supportive and respectful environment where everyone can freely express themselves. We work as one team and prioritize the organization's mission over personal or team interests.
5. We have the Startup Mindset - We innovate relentlessly to grow our impact, we never think "we have arrived" or "we're done."We constantly challenge the status quo, embrace change, and move quickly toward our vision. Unafraid of failure, we question anything that hinders progress.

Every person at Educate — from interns to the executive director — is evaluated by how they live up to these five cultural tenets. They are at the core of how we achieve our mission and why we work as well as we do.  Educate is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all who interact in our community. In creating this environment, we encourage people from a variety of cultures, backgrounds and life experiences to join our diverse team. 

We're committed to ensuring all candidates are screened for child and youth safety. As part of the process, you'll need to provide a Certificate of Good Conduct. Educate reserves the right to withdraw employment offers if any risks to youth are identified.

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