Supply Chain Planning & Logistics Lead

Company Overview

Jaza is focused on helping power Sub-Saharan Africa through solar-powered retail hubs that charge batteries used by customers to run their homes. Since 2022, the company has completed more than 4 million battery swaps and has given roughly 225,000 people access to clean, affordable energy.

The organization also hires women from the local communities, referred to as Jaza Stars, to operate the service. This approach is designed to build leadership, entrepreneurship, and economic opportunity within the communities it serves.

Role Overview

The Supply Chain Planning & Logistics Lead will own the full supply chain flow, covering forecasting, procurement, supplier coordination, and logistics execution. The position is critical to the company’s rapid expansion, ensuring that materials, equipment, and assets arrive on time, meet safety and quality expectations, and are secured at the right cost.

The successful candidate should be highly organized, attentive to detail, and an effective communicator with strong knowledge of supply chain planning and management.

Key Responsibilities

Supply Chain Planning

• Build and refresh demand forecasts that match project schedules and business growth plans.
• Design and implement supply chain approaches that can scale and adapt as the business expands.
• Work closely with project, engineering, and operations teams to align planning across functions.
• Prepare recurring and ad hoc supply chain reports on a weekly, monthly, quarterly, and other needed basis.

Procurement Management

• Manage procurement for local purchases of equipment and materials essential to growth and operations.
• Identify, evaluate, and manage vendors and suppliers to support Jaza’s strategic goals.
• Guide staff and vendors on ordering and purchasing procedures so transactions follow established practices.
• Ensure all purchased goods and services comply with Jaza procurement policies.
• Develop and sustain strong supplier relationships to support dependable sourcing.
• Negotiate pricing, contracts, and delivery terms to balance cost and quality.
• Keep purchasing records, files, and documents such as RFPs and vendor files up to date to support documentation and compliance.

Logistics and Distribution

• Coordinate inbound and outbound shipments with freight partners and manage transport, warehousing, and distribution to keep deliveries on schedule.
• Improve routes, shipping methods, and inventory storage to lower costs and shorten lead times.
• Handle customs, clearance, and other compliance steps for international shipments when needed.
• Maintain accurate shipment documentation, including customs paperwork and bills of lading, and resolve delivery issues or delays.
• Work with warehouse teams to keep inventory and stock records accurate.

Vendor and Stakeholder Management

• Assess and onboard suppliers while ensuring they meet safety, quality, and sustainability expectations.
• Track vendor performance and support continuous improvement efforts.

Data and Analytics

• Use data to monitor KPIs such as lead times, inventory levels, procurement cycle times, and overall supply chain performance.
• Spot supply risks and create mitigation plans to reduce disruption.
• Review requisitions, purchase history, reconciliations, purchase orders, inventories, and similar records to ensure the process is complete and accurate.

Process Improvement and Automation

• Partner with software teams to create scalable processes and systems that support fast growth.
• Use technology to streamline procurement and logistics workflows.

Compliance and Risk Management

• Make sure supply chain operations meet environmental, safety, and regulatory requirements.
• Create contingency plans to manage potential supply disruptions.
• Understand Tanzania’s regulatory requirements for importing goods and sourcing local services.

Performance Indicators

• Hubs-to-Build
• CAPEX per Site
• Inventory Accuracy
• Import Costs
• OTIF

Qualifications and Competencies

The role calls for someone with deep knowledge of supply chain management, procurement practices, and principles. The ideal applicant should bring strong analytical and problem-solving ability, leadership capability, excellent relationship-building skills, and the judgment needed to operate under Jaza’s Code of Conduct and Anti-Bribery Policy.

Additional strengths include the ability to collaborate across functions and job levels, manage deadlines effectively, communicate ideas clearly in writing and speaking, and prioritize multiple tasks in a fast-moving environment. A strong history of maintaining effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders is important, along with the ability to work independently, collaborate when needed, and use IT tools for presentations, analysis, and online research.

Compliance Expectations

This role requires strict adherence to ethical standards, the company Code of Conduct, and the Anti-Bribery Policy, along with a practical understanding of regulatory requirements related to importation and locally sourced services in Tanzania.

KPIs

• Hubs-to-Build
• CAPEX per Site
• Inventory Accuracy
• Import Costs
• OTIF