Senior Procurement Officer

Tropical Heat was established in 1973 as a small ethnic snack cottage industry. Today, we are one of the leading manufacturers of spices and snacks in the East African region and our brand Tropical Heat is a household name in Kenya. With our very strong and expert technical team, we manufacture a vast range of spices and snacks. The spices include pure sp…

Senior Procurement Officer

Job Purpose

• The Senior Procurement Officer will oversee procurement operations, ensuring the timely, cost-effective, and efficient sourcing of goods and services to support business operations. The role requires a strong understanding of procurement planning, supplier management, inventory coordination, and cost control, with the ability to manage a high volume of Stock Keeping Units (SKUs). The successful candidate will also provide leadership and guidance to the procurement team, ensuring adherence to procurement policies, quality standards, and delivery timelines.

Key Responsibilities

Procurement Planning and Execution

• Develop and implement procurement plans based on business requirements, demand forecasts, inventory levels, and operational priorities.

• Manage end-to-end procurement activities, including sourcing, supplier evaluation, quotation analysis, negotiation, purchase order processing, and order follow-up.

• Oversee procurement activities involving a high volume of SKUs, ensuring accurate ordering, availability, and timely replenishment.

• Monitor stock availability and coordinate with inventory, warehouse, production, and other relevant departments to minimize stockouts and excess inventory.

• Ensure purchased materials, products, and services meet the required specifications, quality standards, and delivery schedules.

• Review purchase requisitions and ensure procurement activities align with approved budgets and internal procedures.

Supplier Management and Negotiation

• Identify, evaluate, and develop relationships with reliable suppliers to ensure consistent supply and competitive pricing.

• Negotiate prices, payment terms, lead times, and contractual conditions to achieve cost savings and value for money.

• Monitor supplier performance against agreed service levels, quality requirements, and delivery timelines.

• Resolve supplier-related issues, including delayed deliveries, quality discrepancies, and pricing disputes.

• Maintain an updated supplier database and identify alternative sources of supply to mitigate procurement risks.

SKU and Inventory Management

• Manage procurement requirements across a broad and diverse SKU portfolio, ensuring accurate purchasing decisions and effective stock replenishment.

• Analyse SKU movement, consumption patterns, lead times, and demand trends to support procurement planning.

• Coordinate with the inventory and warehouse teams to maintain optimal stock levels and minimize slow-moving, obsolete, or excess stock.