Tupande Contract Management Specialists & Senior Specialist NGO Job One Acre Fund
One Acre Fund
Job description
NGO Jobs in Kenya, One Acre Fund Jobs. Contract Management Specialists & Senior Specialist providing senior procurement and commercial leadership across the full procurement lifecycle with accountability for contract management, requiring expert knowledge of contract law, commercial terms and FIDIC contracts, advanced commercial negotiation and contract drafting skills, and strong procurement and supply chain expertise, in an NGO environment, on-site role based in Kenya.
About the Role
The main purpose of this role is to provide senior procurement and commercial leadership across the full procurement lifecycle, with primary accountability for the Contract Management function. The role will structure and lead medium-complexity procurement projects, oversee contract portfolio performance and risk, and promote consistent commercial standards across Business Units. Working with minimal manager support, the Specialist will engage early with stakeholders to shape requirements and determine the appropriate sourcing approach. The role will lead supplier selection and commercial negotiations, then oversee contract performance and procure-to-pay delivery through close-out. The role will manage senior commercial escalations and lead the contract management team. While contract management remains the primary focus, the Specialist will operate as a procurement generalist and may lead other procurement categories or improvement work as organisational priorities change.
Responsibilities
Contract Management Leadership
- Own the Contract Management function, ensuring consistent standards, effective portfolio governance and sound commercial risk management.
- Lead and develop the contract management team, setting priorities and improving capacity through standardisation and appropriate digital tools.
Procurement and Commercial Delivery
- Structure and lead medium-complexity procurement work across categories from early planning through delivery and procure-to-pay completion.
- Lead supplier selection and commercial negotiations, recommending the best option within approved policies and budgets.
Capital and Complex Portfolio Oversight
- Provide early commercial leadership for capital investment and other complex procurement portfolios, improving commercial readiness and reducing delivery risk.
- Establish consistent controls for contract changes and claims, including warranties or performance security.
Contract and Supplier Performance
- Ensure contractual commitments remain aligned with supplier delivery and procure-to-pay execution.
- Hold suppliers accountable for agreed performance and lead the resolution of material commercial issues.
Stakeholder and Performance Leadership
- Represent Procurement independently, align senior stakeholders and manage complex commercial escalations.
- Use procurement and contract data to improve portfolio performance and lead organisation-wide process improvements.
People Management & Resourcing
- Directly manage three colleagues with accountability for team performance and portfolio delivery.
- Set priorities and allocate workload based on business demand and commercial risk.
- Own performance management and support the professional development of each team member.
- Support workforce planning and recruitment, while providing senior guidance on complex negotiations or contract disputes.
Career Growth and Development
We have a strong culture of constant learning and we invest in developing our people. You’ll have weekly check-ins with your manager, access to mentorship and training programs, and regular feedback on your performance. We hold career reviews every six months, and set aside time to discuss your aspirations and career goals. You’ll have the opportunity to shape a growing organization and build a rewarding long-term career.
Qualifications
Across all roles, these are the general qualifications we look for. For this role specifically, you will have:
Knowledge
Expert knowledge of contract law, commercial terms, FIDIC/construction/equipment contracts, CAPEX procurement, and procurement governance frameworks.
- Technical: Advanced commercial negotiation, contract drafting/redlining, contract portfolio risk analysis, project management, and AI contract tool utilization.
Skills
- Technical: Data analysis skills (i.e. Google Sheets, Statistical software like R), project and contract management
- Soft skills: Soft Skills: Executive communication, matrix team leadership, strategic decision-making, conflict resolution, and cross-functional stakeholder management.
- Procurement and Supply chain skills.