This is primarily a coordination and analytics role. The Connections Officer in Procurement and Materials Management serves as the central link between the Connections (Access Programme) section, Procurement and Inventory & Stores functions, ensuring seamless coordination of all materials activities that support new connections.
Equally critical, the role carries a strong analytics mandate: the job holder is expected to interrogate data, generate insights and produce timely, decision-ready information on demand, stock, lead times and procurement progress. The overall objective is to ensure that the right materials are available in the right quantities, at the right location and at the right time to support timely execution of new connection works.
Key Results Areas
1.
Materials Planning: Develop and maintain a comprehensive materials plan for new connections, aligned with the department’s connection targets, project pipeline and service-level commitments.
2.
Procurement Coordination: Liaise with the Procurement team to track the progress of all procurements relating to new connections at every stage from requisition and sourcing through contracting, order placement and delivery and proactively escalate delays or risks.
3.
Inventory & Stores Coordination: Coordinate with the Inventory and Stores team on the readiness of contracts for delivery of materials, including call-offs, receipts, and onward distribution of materials to the sites where new connection works are to be executed.
4.
Data Analytics & Demand Planning: Lead the analytics agenda for new connection materials analysing consumption trends, stock positions, lead times, forecast accuracy and procurement performance, and translating these into clear, decision-ready dashboards and reports that support informed decision-making by management.
5.
Stakeholder Reporting: Prepare and share periodic status reports on materials availability, procurement progress and distribution to the Head of Connections and other key stakeholders.
6.
Continuous Improvement: Identify and recommend improvements to materials planning, coordination and distribution processes to reduce lead times, minimise stock-outs and optimise working capital tied up in inventory.
7.
Ensure inspection of materials and processes to verify compliance with approved standards, identify defects and ensure resolution.
8.
Assess supplier-related risks and develop contingency plans for critical materials and services.
9.
Any other duties as shall be assigned from time to time
JOB ELEMENTS AS PER THE EVALUATION FACTORS
Knowledge, Qualifications & Experience
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Education: A bachelor’s degree in business administration, Engineering, Quantitative Economics, Statistics, Mathematics, or a related field.
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Professional Membership: Membership of a recognized supply chain professional body such as the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) or the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) is an added advantage.
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Professional Certifications: Recognized certifications in supply chain management, for example Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP), Certified in Planning and Inventory Management (CPIM) or equivalent will be an added advantage.
Experience
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Five (5) to seven (7) years of relevant experience as a Materials Planner or Demand Planner within a multinational organisation.
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Demonstrable experience working within the power sector, particularly in an electricity distribution company.
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Hands-on experience with ERP or materials management systems e.g. SAP, Oracle.
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Advanced, practical working knowledge of Microsoft Excel and Power BI including the ability to build and maintain data models, dashboards and automated reports.
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Sound working knowledge of procurement and inventory management processes is vital including sourcing, contracting, call-offs, goods receipt, stock control and distribution.
Key Competences
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Strong analytical and data-handling skills (core to this role) ability to interrogate large datasets, identify trends, build models and translate insights into actionable materials plans and management reports.
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Strong coordination skills (core to this role) ability to align multiple stakeholders, track commitments and keep activities across Connections, Procurement and Stores moving in step.
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Planning and organisation ability to manage multiple priorities, schedules and deadlines simultaneously.
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Stakeholder management and communication — effective written and verbal communication with cross-functional teams and external suppliers.
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Attention to detail and accuracy particularly in data handling, reporting and record-keeping.
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Problem-solving and decision-making proactive in anticipating bottlenecks and resolving supply issues.
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Integrity and accountability high level of professional ethics in handling company resources and information.
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Teamwork and collaboration ability to work effectively across procurement, stores and operations functions.