Felix Kimanzi Samuel

FELIX KIMANZI SAMUEL CAREER OBJECTIVE Dynamic Procurement, Grants and Contracts Specialist with 10+ years of global experience managing life-cycle procurement, grants and regranting processes, and multi-million-dollar contracts under donor, regulatory, and corporate frameworks. Proven at leveraging digital platforms (Citrix Podio, Power BI & Microsoft 365) and AIready workflows to reduce cycle times, mitigate risk, and unlock cost savings. Seeking to amplify operational excellence and compliance in a remote-first, drive sustainable, climate-conscious procurement strategies that drive value for money, reduce environmental risk and enhance operational resilience. PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY • • • • • • • • Strategic Procurement & Grants Management: Expert in managing complex procurement and contracting processes for donor-funded projects (USAID, CDC, USDA, and private foundations) and grants management across multiple countries. Adept at drafting terms of reference, specifications, and solicitation documents and ensuring robust contract close-out and documentation. Life-Cycle Contract Oversight: Expert in monitoring current and past agreements, risk assessments, disputes management, and audit-ready documentation in compliance with internal policies, donor requirements, and external regulations. Digital Transformation & Systems Integration: Proven success implementing digitized procurement systems and dashboards (including Citrix Podio, Microsoft 365, SharePoint and ERP applications) to streamline processes, enhance supplier management, and support sustainable procurement practices. Automated approvals in Citrix Podio, slashing contract turnaround by 25% and elevating audit readiness to 100%. Vendor, Risk, & Stakeholder Management: Demonstrated ability to prequalify, manage, and negotiate with vendors while ensuring strict compliance with international standards and donor requirements. Known for cultivating strong relationships with internal teams and external partners to optimize procurement planning and delivery. Capacity Building & Operational Excellence: Experienced in leading multi-country teams, delivering targeted procurement training, and developing localized manuals, SOPs, and internal controls to reinforce transparency, continuous improvement, and readiness for internal and external audits. Compliance & Risk Mitigation: Lead due diligence checks on service providers and grantees; advise on process alignment, enforce legislative and policy requirements, and reduce compliance risks by up to 30%. Cross-functional Collaborator: embedded in Legal, IT, Finance, and program teams to resolve 95% of contract issues within desirable timelines, sustaining continuous operational flow. Remote Team Builder: Line-managed and mentored 10 direct reports across three countries, fostering an agile, high-trust culture and exceeding SLA targets by 15%. CORE COMPETENCIES • • • • • • • • Full-Lifecycle Procurement & Grants/Regranting Contracts Negotiation, Amendments & Close-Out E-Procurement Platforms & AI-Enabled Workflows Spend Analytics & Power BI Dashboarding Risk Assessment, Due Diligence & Audit Readiness Cost Optimization & Value-for-Money Strategies Cross-Functional Stakeholder Partnership Remote Team Leadership & Capacity Building 1 EDUCATION • • • Bachelor’s Degree in Education (2nd Class Honors, Upper Division) Moi University, Eldoret (2004 – 2008) Diploma in Purchasing and Supplies Management Kenya Institute of Management (2010 – 2011) Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education- Nzambani Secondary School -). WORK HISTORY Senior Procurement and Operations Officer Global Communities (USAID, USDA-funded projects in Kenya, Tanzania & Malawi) August 2017 – March 2025 • Full-Lifecycle Contract & Grant Management: Oversaw end-to-end procurement, contracting, and sub-award (regranting) processes for Kenya, Tanzania and Malawi. Drafting RFx/SOWs, negotiating T&Cs, managing amendments and close-outs to align with risk appetite and budget forecasts. • Procurement and Contracting Excellence: Led and managed end-to-end procurement cycles and multi-million-dollar contracting processes, ensuring full compliance with donor regulations, Global Communities’ policies, and government standards. • Systems & Digital Transformation: Implemented and optimized Citrix Podio as central contractand grants-management platform. Automated approval workflows and AI-enabled risk-flagging leading to 25% faster contract turnaround and 100% audit-ready documentation. • Compliance, Risk Mitigation & Due Diligence: Led due-diligence on 100+ suppliers and grantees, enforcing USAID, USDA, local regulatory, and internal policy requirements. Established a standardized vetting protocol that cut compliance incidents by 30% and strengthened quarterly audit outcomes. • Stakeholder Engagement & Strategic Negotiations: Served as a key point of contact for vendors, consultants, and internal teams; led contract negotiations, dispute resolution, and maintained rigorous vendor and grant management practices. • Cost Optimization & Process Improvement: Led Kaizen events and process mapping exercises to streamline procurement and regranting workflows, uncovering 15% in annual cost savings. Designed Power BI dashboards for spend analytics, supplier performance, and contract SLAs. • Team Leadership & Capacity Building: Line-managed a remote team of six procurement associates across three time zones. Developed and delivered virtual training on e-procurement systems, SOPs, and compliance best practices—improving team efficiency by 20% and SLA adherence by 15%. Key achievements: • • • • • • Championed the digitization of procurement workflows using Citrix Podio and Microsoft 365, leading to streamlined supplier data management and enhanced contractual oversight across Kenya, Tanzania, and Malawi. Built and maintained procurement trackers and SharePoint dashboards to monitor contract milestones, budgets, deliverables, and KPIs; delivered monthly reports that drove a 15% improvement in on-time procurements. Coordinated development of annual procurement plans and delivered tailored training for teams across Kenya, Tanzania, and Malawi resulting in a 20% improvement in donor compliance and better risk mitigation protocols. In a region characterized by diverse regulatory landscapes, I navigated complex procurement challenges by implementing robust internal controls, resulting in a 30% decrease in compliance risks and significantly improved audit outcomes. Developed localized manuals and SOPs that increased compliance with USAID and USDA donor regulations by 40%, enhancing transparency and value-for-money across all procurement activities. Maintained 100% on-time delivery of contractual obligations and zero audit findings for seven consecutive years. 2 Procurement Officer Global Communities, Kenya (USAID, USDA & CDC-funded projects) February 2013 – July 2017 • Strategic Procurement & Contract Management: Developed and executed comprehensive procurement plans for multi-donor projects overseeing the entire cycle from drafting specifications and preparing solicitation documents (RFPs, RFQs, RFAs), conducting rigorous bid evaluations, to negotiating terms, finalizing contracts including amendments and managing timely close-out. • Value-Driven Vendor and Supplier Management: Implemented robust supplier assessment and negotiation strategies that secured goods, equipment, and services at optimal cost while mitigating risks. Maintained clear and proactive communication with senior management to ensure all procurement activities met statutory and donor regulations. • High-Impact Donor Project Support: Delivered specialized procurement support for critical initiatives, such as facilitating the sourcing of blood testing equipment for a CDC-funded Kenya National Blood Transfusion project. • Capacity Building & Compliance Optimization: Conducted targeted training sessions and capacity-building workshops for procurement teams, local partners, and civil society organizations. These initiatives enhanced compliance with procurement protocols, digital records management, and internal controls preparing teams for seamless internal and external audits. • Integrated Programmatic & Risk Management: Actively participated in program planning, budgeting, and security briefings, contributing to the development of contingency plans and risk mitigation strategies. Partnered with Legal and Finance to triage non-standard agreements, perform contract risk assessments, and finalize documents—resolving 90% of issues within 48 hours and aligning all commitments to risk appetite. • Stakeholder Coordination & Process Enhancement: Facilitated effective multi-stakeholder coordination by liaising with internal teams and external partners to streamline procurement operations. Collaborated with program teams to forecast needs and align procurement plans with project budgets expediting critical deliveries. Key achievements: • Developed standardized solicitation templates and evaluation criteria, cutting RFP-to-award cycle times by 20% and ensuring 100% compliance with USAID, USDA, and CDC regulations. • Implemented robust supplier assessment protocols and led strategic negotiations that realized a 15% cost reduction while decreasing vendor disputes by 10%, all in strict adherence to USAID, USDA, and CDC regulations. • Collaborated with program teams to forecast needs and align procurement plans with project budgets—expediting critical deliveries (e.g., CDC-funded blood testing equipment) and improving turnaround by 25%. • Designed, trained and mentored 50+ staff and partner representatives on grants-management systems, SOPs, and compliance best practices, boosting audit readiness by 30% and system adoption to 100%. • Championed process improvements—automated workflows, digital record-keeping, and lean-5S practices that uncovered efficiency gains equivalent to 10% of annual spend. • Led due-diligence and prequalification of 100+ vendors and sub-grantees, instituting a risk-based vetting protocol that reduced supplier non-conformances by 30%. Procurement and Logistics Officer Global Communities – Food Security & Seed System Program, Kenya (USAID & OFDA-funded) September 2011 – January 2013 • Full lifecycle Procurement, Grants and Sub-awards Management: Drafted RFQs, RFPs, negotiated terms, executed 100+ contracts and regrant agreements in compliance with USAID & OFDA policies and internal procedures. 3 • Sub-awards Engagement & Capacity Building: Delivered targeted training sessions and support to sub-awards, enhancing compliance with organizational and USAID procurement policies. This initiative strengthened internal controls, improved audit readiness, and ensured seamless integration with multi-donor operational requirements. • Contract Management & Risk Mitigation: Reviewed and finalized contract/grant documentation in collaboration with Legal and Finance. Conducted risk assessments and triaged non-standard clauses, resolving 90% of issues within 48 hours. Performed due diligence on 50+ service providers and grantees, enforcing vendor prequalification protocols and reducing compliance incidents by 25%. • Integrated Logistics Coordination: Coordinated integrated logistics for field operations— optimizing transport, travel, and accommodation to ensure seamless, cost-effective support for program teams across multiple regions. • Efficient Inventory & Asset Control: Implemented regular inventory reconciliations and maintained precise asset records, reinforcing accountability and facilitating efficient asset management in support of digitized record keeping. • Enhancing Policy Compliance & Digital Transformation: Streamlined VAT exemption processes and provided IT-related support and training, advancing digital system integration and procurement policy compliance in line with evolving digital transformation initiatives. Key achievements: • Implemented a streamlined evaluation framework that reduced bid review and vendor selection times by 30%, ensuring faster contract finalization and enhanced compliance with USAID & OFDA standards. • Led rigorous due-diligence on 60+ suppliers and grantees; established a risk-based vetting protocol that cut policy exceptions by 30% and accelerated award approvals by 35%. • Built a SharePoint-based grants and contracts dashboard to track 50+ active awards in real time. This reduced tracking errors by 40% and boosted on-schedule deliverables to 98%. • Designed and delivered hands-on training on e-procurement platforms and compliance SOPs for 25+ sub-awardee organizations—driving system adoption from 0 to 100% and lifting audit-readiness scores to 95%. • Streamlined VAT-exemption and asset-control workflows with updated SOPs and digitized forms— halved processing steps and increased reconciliation accuracy to 99.9%. • Partnered with Program and Finance to forecast budgets, analyze variances, and implement corrective actions—maintaining procurement spend within a 2% variance and uncovering 10% in operational efficiencies. Warehouse and Logistics Administrator Intern Del Monte Kenya Ltd July 2010 – December 2010 • Document & Compliance Management: Coordinated export authorization documentation including customs entry forms, MSS levy, BOL, and food management certifications to achieve 100% regulatory compliance, enabling uninterrupted shipment clearances for over 50 consignments monthly. • Inventory Control & Data Reconciliation: Participated in daily cycle counts and performed reconciliations between system and physical records to achieve zero stock adjustments and significant inventory accuracy. • Performance & KPI Monitoring: Assisted in filling KPI boards for the logistics, procurement, and warehouse teams. This helped in assessing the efficiency of departmental processes and monitoring operational performance across departments. • Dispatch Coordination & Timely Delivery: Optimized dispatch coordination by liaising with carriers and internal teams to streamline loading schedules—ensuring a 98% on-time delivery rate and reinforcing seamless supply-chain workflows. • Production Planning & Supply Chain Optimization: Actively contributed to daily production planning by advising on procurement needs and expediting orders, which increased local and regional order fulfillment speed by 20% and reduced overall supply lead times. 4 Co-operative Bank of Kenya IPO Clerk October 2008 – December 2008 • • • Document Verification & Compliance: Processed and verified share application forms with meticulous attention to detail to ensure 100% compliance with bank and regulatory standards. Client Advisory & Stakeholder Engagement: Facilitated several informational sessions that increased client understanding and confidence, reinforcing the bank’s reputation for transparent and client-focused service. Data Management & Electronic Processing: Efficiently handled CDSC data input and coordinated CDS account opening, showcasing my proficiency with data management and IT systems. TRAININGS AND CERTIFICATIONS • • • • • • • • USAID Rules and Regulations for Grants and Cooperative Agreements – Humentum (2024) Supply Chain Transformation – Strathmore University Business School (2022) Finance for Non-Finance Managers – Strathmore University Business School (2021) Procurement and Logistics – Disaster Ready (2020) Ethics Training (2020) Effective Negotiation Skills and Tools (2019) Citrix Podio Training – Digitized Procurement System (2018) VAT Management Training (2012) SKILLS & LANGUAGES • Technical & Systems Proficiency: Expertise in e-procurement and grants-management platforms (Citrix Podio and SharePoint), AI-enabled workflow tools, Power BI, Excel, and Google Workspace. • Full-Life-Cycle Procurement & Contract Management: Deep knowledge of RFx processes, vendor due diligence, risk-based sourcing, negotiation, amendments, and close-out. • Data Analytics & Reporting: Expertise in designing and maintaining real-time dashboards for spend analysis, contract KPIs, risk flags, and operational metrics. • Compliance, Audit Readiness & Risk Mitigation: Experienced in SOPs development and implementation, conducting due-diligence checks, and enforcing donor, legal, and regulatory requirements to sustain 100% audit-ready documentation. • Negotiation & Relationship Management: Skilled at structuring commercial agreements, resolving disputes, and building high-trust partnerships with internal functions and external stakeholders. • Cross-Functional Collaboration: Proven ability to partner with Legal, Finance, IT, and program teams to align contracting and grants workflows with organisational objectives and timelines. • Remote Team Leadership & Workforce Planning: Skilled at staff management and mentorship in a remote-first environment; adept with Zoom, MS Teams, setting KPIs, and fostering inclusive, highperformance cultures. • Communication & Influence: Exceptional written and verbal skills, able to translate complex procurement and contract concepts for non-operations audiences and drive stakeholder buy-in. • Languages: Fluent in English and Swahili. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS & CERTIFICATIONS • Member, Kenya Institute of Supplies Management (KISM) 5