Position Title : Senior Associate – Contracts & Procurement (Senior Finance Associate)

Position Status: Full-time

Vacancies: 1

Supervisor(s): Senior Finance Director

Location: This position is in-person and is based in Washington, D.C. and employees must be based in or near Washington, D.C. for the tenure of their employment.

Salary: $72,000 annually. Salary scales are determined by a Collective Bargaining Agreement. Partners Global offers a competitive salary and benefits package.

This position is covered under a Collective Bargaining Agreement between Partners Global and the Office and Professional Employees International Union, Local 2, AFL-CIO.

ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND:

Partners Global (previously Partners for Democratic Change), established in 1989, is an international, non-governmental organization committed to building sustainable capacity to advance democratic institutions, civil society, and a culture of peaceful change and conflict management worldwide. Partners Global specializes in organizational development and social entrepreneurship, having provided the seed capital and technical assistance to establish 21 independent, local Centers around the world.

Partners Global adheres to the values of participatory decision-making, collaboration, and consensus-building as the fundamentals of an inclusive, democratic society; and we promote the application of these skills in all aspects of our work. The Partners Global team includes process and technical experts, facilitators, and trainers who apply those collaborative skills to achieve concrete results in technical areas such as rule of law development, women’s empowerment, security sector reform, and natural resource management. Our network of local Centers is renowned for undertaking cutting edge work and applying our process expertise to convene disparate parties to jointly tackle some of the most complex development challenges.

POSITION OVERVIEW 

Partners Global is seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented Senior Associate – Contracts & Procurement (Senior Associate) The Senior Associate will play a critical role in the procurement process by overseeing the entire contract lifecycle, ensuring that contracts are properly negotiated, executed, and managed. The successful candidate will work closely with cross-functional teams, vendors, and suppliers to develop and implement effective procurement strategies, ensuring compliance with company policies and regulations. The ideal candidate will have strong analytical skills, excellent attention to detail, and the ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment
The role requires a high level of integrity and discretion in handling confidential information, and professionalism in dealing with leaders (both internal and external to Partners ) is important, as is the ability to be flexible and change direction seamlessly. The successful candidate will be able to complete complex tasks and projects quickly with little guidance, react with appropriate urgency to situations, and take on varied and exciting new projects and learn new skills.

This position represents an excellent opportunity for an individual—who is eager to learn and work hard—to broaden their perspective on international development and nonprofit financial management.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Reporting to the Senior Director of Finance, the Senior Associate will work under intermittent supervision and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• With support of the Senior Director, manage the entire contract lifecycle, including drafting, negotiating, and executing contracts with vendors and suppliers.
• Collaborate with internal departments, program, finance, and operations, to develop procurement strategies and ensure compliance with PartnersGlobal policies and procedures.
• Conduct thorough market research to identify potential vendors and suppliers, evaluate their capabilities, and negotiate favorable terms and conditions.
• Review and analyze contract terms, identifying potential risks, discrepancies, and opportunities for cost savings or process improvements.
• Monitor contract performance and compliance, ensuring that all parties fulfill their obligations and contractual requirements.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date contract records and documentation, including contract changes, renewals, and amendments.
• Resolve any contractual disputes or issues that may arise, working closely with stakeholders to find mutually beneficial solutions.
• Stay up to date with donor terms, regulations, and best practices in procurement and contracts management, identifying opportunities for improvement and implementing changes as needed.
• Ensure procurement activities comply with organizational policies, procedures, and relevant regulations.
• Manage the end-to-end procurement process, from purchase requisition to order placement and receipt of goods or services.
• Prepare reports and provide insights on procurement activities, including spending trends, supplier performance, and cost-saving initiatives.
• Coordinate with finance and accounting teams to ensure accurate and timely processing of invoices and payments to vendors.
• Assist in developing and implementing procurement policies and procedures to ensure transparency, fairness, and compliance with regulatory requirements.

Other Duties: Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Key Performance Indicators

• Strong understanding of procurement principles, contract law, and contract management.

• Outstanding organizational skills and high attention to detail; outstanding written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to manage ambiguity and multiple priorities inherent in an entrepreneurial environment.
• Strong writing and communication skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a keen attention to detail Ability to self-direct and prioritize among competing goals and to initiate process improvements.
• Flexibility and willingness to contribute, when necessary, on projects within the department
• Strong achievement orientation with exceptional time management skills and demonstrated ability to multitask.
• Strong work ethic coupled with an enthusiastic and passionate approach to one’s work.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required Experience

• 2-4 years of related experience working in peacebuilding and international development, nonprofits, and/or general administration.
• Accounting skills and experience in general ledger, journal entries, payroll, cash/bank management.

• High-level proficiency in Excel and Microsoft Office Suite, including calendar management tools.

Preferred Experience

• Experience working in a contract and procurement management role at a USG-funded NGO.
• Experience grants and contracts management, procurement process, compliance, or related roles, with a strong understanding of financial management and donor regulations and reporting requirements.
• Demonstrated knowledge and competency in 2 CFR 200 Cost Principles

Core Competencies

• Excellent oral and writing skills with ability to express complex ideas clearly.
• Ability to analyze, organize, problem-solve, manage, and prioritize work.
• High level of interpersonal skills and cultural sensitivity to effectively interact with U.S. and foreign national staff and civil society, government, and the private sector actors; and
• Proven team player with the skills and ability to form positive relations with colleagues.

Education and Language

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Finance, Accounting, or a related field; and/or equivalent experience.
• Full professional fluency in written and spoken English; Spoken and written proficiency in French, Spanish, or Arabic considered a plus.

Other Requirements:

• Candidates Must reside within commuting distance from our Washington, DC headquarters.
• The position requires a minimum of two (2) days per week in-office, the remainder of work week remote.

Partners Global is an EEO Employer

At Partners Global, we have a clear vision: to be the place where a diverse mix of talented people want to come, to stay and do their best work. Diversity is more than a commitment at Partners Global—it is the foundation of what we do. We are fully focused on equality and believe deeply in diversity of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national origin and all the other fascinating characteristics that make us different. As an equal opportunity employer, Partners Global recruits, employs, trains, compensates and promotes regardless of race, color, age, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, HIV/AIDS status, political affiliations or belief, pregnancy, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Please contact our Director of Human Resources & Talent Management, Edith Kardouni, at ekardouni@partnersglobal.org for assistance. We welcome the opportunity to discuss accommodation of your disability and ensure fairness in our hiring process.