1.                Background

 

The RWA/030 “Improving Skills for Holistic Employment in Modern Agriculture” (ISHEMA) project will contribute to Rwanda’s ambitions to stimulate economic growth and to reach high-quality living standards for all Rwandans, ensuring universal access to amenities, safety and security and investments in human capital as outlined in its Vision 2050. The ISHEMA project will do so by contributing to two pillars of this long-term strategic document:

 

• human (capital) development with a strong focus on universal access to high-quality education;
• agriculture for wealth creation with the goal of transforming the agriculture sector through investments in modernisation, mechanisation, digitalisation, and integration within global value chains for high-value products.

In line with this ambition, the general objective of the ISHEMA project is the following: “Sustainable transformation of agricultural systems in Rwanda and increased livelihoods for women, youth and people with disabilities (PwD) through enhanced climate-resilient TVET in agriculture”.

 

To contribute to the achievement of this general objective, the ISHEMA project will pursue two specific objectives.

 

With its specific objective one “Improve access to high-quality skills and formal certification in agriculture, food processing and animal health, especially for women, youth and PwD, the ISHEMA project will contribute to high-quality and labour-market relevant TVET.

 

Specific objective two “Enhance effectiveness of mechanisms for agricultural innovation and learner’s insertion into the agricultural labour market, especially for women, youth and PwD”, aims at connecting CoVEs with the economic ecosystem, piloting and scaling agricultural innovation and supporting labour market insertion of the specific target groups.

CoVEs are former technical secondary schools (TSSs) that collaborate with economic, educational, social, and political partners and aim to provide high quality TVET skills as well as to contribute to regional development planning and growth.

 

The ambitions of the ISHEMA project perfectly align with Luxembourg’s general Development Cooperation strategy “Road to 2030”. This document clearly identifies strengthening the vocational training system in partner countries and supporting employability of women and youth to enhance the socio-economic integration of these target groups as a priority.

 

2.                Job Summary

 

LuxDev is engaged in the procurement and supply of high-quality crops and livestock processing machines to enhance agricultural production and process efficiency. To support our procurement strategy, we seek a qualified Procurement Specialist to lead end-to-end procurement and logistics for high-quality crops/livestock processing machinery, ensuring alignment with project goals, technical standards, and cost efficiency to enhance agricultural productivity across TVET institutions (CoVEs).

 

The role requires a strong background in electrical and/or Electronic and mechanical engineering respectively in automation and a minimum of five years of procurement experience is essential to assess technical specifications and supplier quality. Ensure that all procurements and subsequent installations will align with the LuxDev General environmental recommendations for sustainable buildings, the Clean Construction Site” Specifications and the requirements for the Acquisition of sustainable Constructions.

 

3.                Key Responsibilities

 

3.1.                          Needs Analysis & Specification Development:

• Collaborate closely with infrastructure and equipment, and production team to understand technical requirements.
• Translate operational needs into detailed, clear, and compliant technical specifications for equipment.
• Ensure specifications align with food safety regulations (FDA, USDA, EU regulations, HACCP, GMPs) and industry standards.

3.2.                          Supplier Identification and Evaluation

• Researching and identifying reputable suppliers of crops and livestock processing machines.
• Purchasing of spare parts and consumables supplies based on international standards for food canning, filling, packaging and logistics.
• Assessing supplier capabilities and conducting due diligence on reliability and quality assurance: assess technical capabilities, manufacturing quality, financial stability, regulatory compliance history, after-sales service, and references.
• Build and maintain a robust pre-qualified supplier database specific to food/agro-processing technology.

 

3.3.            RFx Process Management:

• • Develop and issue comprehensive Requests for Quotation (RFQ), Requests for Proposal (RFP), or Requests for Information (RFI).
  • Clearly communicate technical specs, delivery requirements, quality standards, and commercial terms.
  • Manage the bid process timeline and ensure supplier clarity.

 

3.4.            Technical & Commercial Evaluation:

• • Lead cross-functional teams (Engineering, Quality, Operations) in evaluating bids.
  • Analyze proposals for technical compliance, performance guarantees, lifecycle costs (TCO), not just initial purchase price.
  • Rigorously compare supplier capabilities, lead times, payment terms, and warranty/support offerings.

 

3.5.            Procurement Planning & Strategy

• • Developing and implementing procurement strategy aligned with organizational goals.
  • Ensuring cost-effective purchasing while maintaining high standards of quality and performance.
  • Identify and mitigate supply chain risks (single-source dependencies, geopolitical instability, long lead times, obsolescence).
  • Develop contingency plans for critical equipment.

 

3.6.            Technical Assessment & Compliance

• • Assist in the drafting of internal technical specifications for equipment and machine requirements based on project recommendations and needs.
  • Evaluating machinery technical specifications based on production requirements, operator trainings, and aftersales services.
  • Ensuring compliance with industry standards, safety regulations, and operational efficiency.

 

3.7.            Contract Negotiation & Management

• • Negotiate optimal pricing, payment terms, delivery schedules, performance guarantees (capacity, efficiency), warranty terms (length, coverage), and penalties for non-performance/delay.
  • Negotiate comprehensive Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for installation, commissioning, training, and ongoing maintenance/support.
  • Draft, review, and finalize robust purchase contracts and SLAs, ensuring clear allocation of risks and responsibilities.

 

3.8.            Shipping, Logistics, Commissioning and Maintenance

• • Coordinating international and local shipping of procured machinery.
  • Overseeing machine commissioning and installation at operational sites.
  • Overseeing and approving the final commissioning certificate on sites.
  • Ensuring the implementation of required maintenance and service cycles.
  • Ensuring timely delivering of purchased goods.
  • Ensure supplier-provided training for operations and maintenance staff is delivered as per contract.

 

3.9.            Cost Optimization & Budget Management

• • Managing procurement budgets and identifying cost-saving opportunities.
  • Conducting price analysis and ensuring value-for-money procurement.
  • Identify new sponsorship opportunities and enhance current sponsorship engagements to maximize resource mobilization.
  • Track costs, identify savings opportunities (volume discounts, standardization), and report on procurement performance.
  • Analyze Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for major equipment investments.

 

3.10.         Risk Management & Compliance

• • Identifying potential procurement risks, especially time constraints or delivery delays, and implementing mitigation strategies.
  • Ensure all procurement activities strictly adhere to internal policies, external regulations (food safety, trade), and ethical standards.
  • Maintain meticulous records (specs, bids, contracts, correspondence, certifications, manuals) for full traceability and audit readiness.

 

3.11.         Stakeholder Engagement & Reporting

• • Collaborating with technical teams, finance, and logistics departments.
  • Preparing procurement reports and presenting data-driven recommendations.
  • Act as the primary commercial liaison between the supplier and internal stakeholders

 

4.                Required Qualifications & Experience

 

• • Bachelor's or master's degree in Electro-Mechanical Engineering, Process Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, coupled with Supply Chain Management, or a related field.
  • Minimum five (5) years of international experience in procurement and logistics in the field of development aid, preferably in agricultural or food processing machinery.
  • Minimum five (5) years of experience in the field of mechanical engineering and automation, ideally in food processing.
  • Proven strong knowledge of HVAC, generators, pumps, and civil construction materials as well as mechanical engineering principles and production processes.
  • Demonstratable experience in shipping, logistics, and commissioning of machinery.
  • Proficiency in procurement software, ERP systems, and Microsoft Office Suite.
  • Strong negotiation, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
  • Familiarity with international and local procurement practices and standards (e.g., FIDIC, UN, World Bank, or donor-funded project procurement rules is a plus).
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

 

Desirable Competencies:

• • Technical understanding of engineering drawings and specifications.
  • Certification in procurement/supply chain (e.g., CIPS, PMP-Procurement, or equivalent).
  • Experience working on donor-funded infrastructure projects (e.g., World Bank, USAID, AfDB, etc.).
  • Strong interpersonal skills to build and maintain relationships with internal teams and external vendors.