Procurement Manager, Emerging Technology and Digital Innovation Procurement

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is seeking a Procurement Manager for Emerging Technology and Digital Innovation to support its fast-paced technology sourcing needs. This remote role, open to candidates based in Jordan, Lebanon, Kenya, Pakistan, and Germany, focuses on early-stage digital innovations, pilots, proofs of concept, and emerging tools. The Procurement Manager will execute sourcing activities, conduct market intelligence, ensure compliance with procurement policies, and build frameworks for technology pilots and trials. This hands-on position requires close collaboration with cross-functional teams to facilitate quick decision-making while maintaining necessary documentation, risk assessments, and donor compliance.

Key Responsibilities

- Provide hands-on sourcing support for pilots, trials, SaaS, emerging vendors, and digital innovation initiatives, aligned with IT category strategy.
- Conduct market scans and intelligence on emerging technology vendors, pricing models, and innovation categories.
- Support requirements gathering, supplier identification, RFI/RFQ/RFP preparation, evaluation, award recommendations, and contract finalization.
- Develop and maintain lightweight procurement frameworks for pilots, trials, and proofs of concept, including checklists, approval checkpoints, and documentation standards.
- Coordinate vendor due diligence and risk assessments covering cybersecurity, data protection, legal, financial viability, and operational risks.
- Support sourcing and procurement of AI-enabled tools, ensuring adherence to IRC’s AI risk assessment and governance requirements.
- Maintain visibility over emerging technology tools and vendors, tracking status, contract details, and approved use cases.
- Assist with commercial negotiations, contract reviews, and renewals, ensuring inclusion of data protection, confidentiality, intellectual property, and AI-specific clauses where applicable.
- Provide practical procurement support to stakeholders, facilitating compliance and reducing shadow IT and unmanaged technology spend.
- Track procurement pipelines, pilot outcomes, compliance issues, and recommend continuous improvements to sourcing frameworks and processes.
- Collaborate with internal teams including IT, Legal, Information Security, Finance, and program staff, as well as external vendors and industry peers.

Required Qualifications

- Bachelor’s degree in procurement, supply chain, business administration, IT, engineering, law, or related field; equivalent experience considered.
- 5 to 7 years of procurement, sourcing, contract management, or vendor management experience, with at least 3 years in IT procurement or related technology categories (SaaS, cloud services, cybersecurity, data platforms).
- Experience supporting pilots, trials, proofs of concept, and early-stage technology procurement.
- Proven ability to coordinate vendor due diligence and risk reviews across multiple domains including cybersecurity, data protection, and financial risk.
- Strong understanding of technology procurement risks such as data protection, intellectual property, vendor lock-in, and third-party risk.
- Ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams including IT, Legal, Information Security, Data Protection, and Finance.
- Demonstrated capacity to work quickly while maintaining compliance, controls, and documentation standards.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with strong stakeholder service orientation.
- Experience working in NGOs, donor-funded organizations, humanitarian agencies, UN agencies, or complex global organizations.
- Knowledge of donor compliance requirements such as USAID/BHA, FCDO, ECHO, EU, UN agencies, or private foundations.

Preferred Qualifications and Benefits

- Professional procurement certification such as CIPS, CPSM, or equivalent (completed or in progress).
- Working knowledge of Arabic, French, or Spanish is an advantage.
- Flexible remote working environment with occasional travel (up to 10%) domestically and internationally.
- Opportunity to contribute to a leading humanitarian organization committed to restoring safety, dignity, and hope to millions affected by conflict and disaster.
- Employment on a local contract basis with salary aligned to local scales in the candidate’s country of residence.

The IRC is committed to professional standards including integrity, service, equality, and accountability. The organization promotes a safe and inclusive work environment and enforces policies on safeguarding, conflict of interest, fiscal integrity, and protection from retaliation. This role offers a unique chance to support innovative technology procurement that enables IRC’s mission to deliver lasting impact worldwide.