About the Organization
GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) is a German development agency operating in Ethiopia, working on topics such as governance, migration, peace, security, and gender.
Job Summary
The Head of Procurement and Contracting will lead the Procurement & Contract Unit of the Social Transformation Cluster, ensuring timely and high-quality procurement and contract management in line with GIZ and donor requirements.
Key Responsibilities
Lead, develop and technically supervise the Procurement & Contract Unit of the Social Transformation Cluster in line with GIZ and other donor requirements
Ensure the timely and high-quality preparation of service and financing contracts in full compliance with GIZ’s procurement rules and regulations
Act as a proactive internal service provider to project teams by providing strategic advice on procurement strategies, contract modalities and implementation arrangements
Coordinate closely with stakeholders in the GIZ country office, headquarters, and within the Social Transformation Cluster to ensure a smooth delivery of procured services
Support the assessment of partner capacities and eligibility for financing arrangements
Own and continuously improve procurement workflows within the Social Transformation Cluster, with a strong focus on standardization, service orientation and transparency
Design, maintain, and further develop cluster-internal procurement-related systems and data structures, including contract databases, monitoring and reporting tools
Drive capacity building within the Procurement & Contract Unit and the Social Transformation Cluster
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree (or higher) in business administration, management, finance, law, or a related field
A minimum of five years of professional experience in the management of procurement and goods and services at central office level or comparable organizational levels
Fluency in English (oral and written)
Required Skills and Competencies
Proven hands-on experience in end-to-end procurement and contract management in compliance with institutional and donor regulations, including planning, amendments, and contract closure
Solid experience in coordinating complex procurement processes with multiple stakeholders, including international procurement requirements (e.g. customs, tax, imports)
Demonstrated ability to advise technical teams and managers on procurement strategies, contract modalities, financing options (including grants), and risk mitigation
Strong experience working with procurement software and digital procurement workflows
Experience in contributing to process optimization, digitalization, and continuous improvement initiatives
Leadership experience (technical and/or disciplinary), combined with strong capacity-building skills in supporting teams and partners on procurement policies, systems, and tools
A proactive, pragmatic, solution-oriented mindset with a strong sense of ownership for both service quality and continuous improvement
International professional or academic experience is considered an asset
Development-oriented
Ability to develop long-term influence strategies based on program evidence
Strong coordination and networking skills
Business Development
Communication