Humanitarian Procurement Specialist I, Cuba

CRS JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Summary

You will support procurement activities in support of humanitarian operations in Cuba, ensuring timely, compliant, and context-appropriate sourcing of goods and services in support of the delivery of high-quality programming to the poor and vulnerable. Your knowledge and experience will allow you to coordinate the quality and efficiency of procurement activities to ensure stewardship, integrity, transparency, and accountability. Your role will require close coordination with the Cuba program team, an understanding of the operating constraints related to Cuba, and the ability to support practical procurement approaches that balance speed, compliance, and operational feasibility.

Roles and Key Responsibilities

• Execute fully compliant procurement processes in line with CRS policies, procedures, and donor requirements. 
• Support procurement planning by gathering requirements, market information, and pricing data, for Cuba-related procurement needs and flagging constraints or risks that may affect sourcing. 
• Execute or support end-to-end procurement processes, including solicitation preparation, supplier sourcing, bid evaluation support, and documentation. 
• Coordinate closely with procurement, program, logistics, and finance teams to track procurement actions, monitor progress, escalate issues, impacting delivery. 
• Proactively communicate with suppliers to monitor order status, resolve issues, and support contract execution. 
• Verify that goods and services delivered meet required specifications, quantities, timelines, and cost expectations, and follow up on any discrepancies. 
• Maintain accurate and complete procurement documentation to ensure audit readiness and compliance. 
• Support supplier identification, market research, market engagement, and due diligence processes for suppliers relevant to Cuba operations. 
• Provide basic procurement support and guidance to internal stakeholders. 
• Support procurement reporting and maintain accurate data in ERP systems (e.g., Insight).

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration or other relevant degree.
• Minimum of two to five years work experience in procurement or purchasing, preferably with an international organization.
• Good knowledge of various donor procurement regulations (e.g. Department of State)
• Knowledge of international and national procurement regulations and local market conditions in the US, Latin America, and Caribbean region.
• Understanding of contract terms, and ability to successfully complete purchase orders against specifications.
• Proficient in MS Office package (Outlook, Teams Excel, Word, PowerPoint). Experience with Enterprise Resource Management (ERP) systems highly desirable.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional certification a plus

Required Languages

• English and Spanish required (fluency in both written and spoken).

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Good planning and coordination skills and ability to prioritize competing priorities effectively
• Good analytical skills with ability to make sound day-to-day decisions and escalate more complex issues as needed 
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented with focus on meeting stakeholder needs
• High attention to detail and commitment to accuracy in documentation and processes
• Ethical conduct in accordance with recognized professional and organizational codes of ethics
• Good negotiation, communication, and relationship management skills

Travel

• Be willing and able to travel up to 30% to CRS and vendor locations in the US, Caribbean, and Latin America

Supervisory Responsibilities

None

Key Working Relationships

Internal and External stakeholders

Disclaimer

This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

Agency Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

• Personal Accountability – Consistently takes responsibility for one’s own actions. 
• Acts with Integrity - Consistently models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission.  Is considered honest.
• Builds and Maintains Trust - Shows consistency between words and actions.
• Collaborates with Others – Works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
• Open to Learn – Seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things.

Agency Leadership Competencies:

• Lead Change – Continually looks for ways to improve the agency through a culture of agility, openness, and innovation.
• Develops and Recognizes Others – Builds the capacity of staff to reach their full potential and enhance team and agency performance.
• Strategic Mindset – Understands role in translating, communicating, and implementing agency strategy and team priorities.