Role Purpose

• To own the end-to-end international procurement and freight lifecycle. You will be fully accountable for global supplier sourcing, international shipping coordination, local customs clearing, and securing critical tax/duty exemptions from government regulatory bodies (EPRA, KRA, and National Treasury), ensuring all cargo is delivered safely, legally, and cost-effectively to the warehouse.

Key Responsibilities

Global Sourcing & Supplier Management

• Actively research, identify, and vet reliable international manufacturers and suppliers for solar panels, inverters, water pumps, batteries, and balance-of-system components.
• Negotiate competitive pricing, favorable payment terms, warranties, and shipping terms (Incoterms) with international vendors.
• Initiate, track, and manage international purchase orders (POs), ensuring technical specifications align with engineering team requirements.

Import Compliance & Regulatory Approvals

• Lead the process of securing technical and import approvals and solar equipment exemptions from the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA).
• Formulate, submit, and track duty/VAT exemption applications through the National Treasury and Ministry of Energy for renewable energy projects.
• Timely initiate and process Import Declaration Forms (IDFs) via the Kentrade system to prevent shipping delays.
• Ensure absolute compliance with all Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) customs regulations, harmonized system (HS) codes, and tariff classifications.

International Freight & Forwarding Coordination

• Manage relationships with international sea and air freight forwarders, optimizing shipping routes, consolidating cargo where possible, and minimizing transit times.
• Verify and compile all critical import documentation, including Bills of Lading (B/L), Air Waybills (AWB), Commercial Invoices, Packing Lists, and Certificates of Conformity (CoC) via PVOC partners like SGS, Bureau Veritas, or Intertek.

Local Clearing, Transport & Warehouse Delivery

• Direct and monitor the activities of contracted local clearing and forwarding agents at the Port of Mombasa and ICD Embakasi to ensure rapid cargo clearance (minimizing demurrage and storage charges).
• Coordinate reliable local transportation companies to safely move cleared cargo from the port/depot directly to the central Nairobi warehouse.
• Oversee the offloading process at the warehouse, ensuring physical inventory matches the commercial packing lists, and document any damages or discrepancies for insurance claims.

Qualification and Experience

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Logistics, International Trade, or a related field.
• Professional certifications (e.g., CIPS, KISM) are highly desirable.

Experience

• Minimum of 4–6 yearsof direct experience in international procurement and clearing in Kenya.
• Direct experience importing solar energy equipment, electrical hardware, or technical engineering components is a massive advantage.

System Proficiency

• Hands-on experience with the Single Window System (Kentrade), iCMS (KRA), and enterprise resource planning software (experience with Zoho Inventory/Zoho Creator or similar ERPs is highly valued).

Key Competencies

• Proven track record of successfully navigating and securing clearances from EPRA, KRA, and the National Treasury.
• In-depth knowledge of international shipping laws, Incoterms (2020), marine cargo insurance, and freight rate structuring.
• Resilience to unblock shipping bottlenecks at the port or with customs officers proactively.
• Ability to manage dozens of shipping files simultaneously without losing track of crucial dates, documents, or exemption certificates.