Principal Supply Chain Advisor, Permanent, Fixed term (3 years)

Role summary

Principal Supply Chain Advisor, Permanent, Fixed term (3 years) is a full-time role at HELP Logistics in Nairobi, Nairobi County, Kenya (hybrid). Posted 2026-08-14. Experience level: 10+.

Job title

Principal Supply Chain Advisor, Permanent, Fixed term (3 years)

Company

HELP Logistics

Location

Nairobi, Nairobi County, Kenya

Work arrangement

hybrid

Employment type

full-time

Category

Logistics & Warehousing

Experience level

10+

Date posted

2026-08-14

Job description

Your mission

1.) Role Overview

Field

Details

Job Title

Principal Supply Chain Advisor

Job Family and Level

Professional (P) - P5

Location

Nairobi, Kenya

Office

East, Southern Africa

Reports To

Regional Director

Direct Reports

Supply Chain Advisors

Contract

Permanent, fixed-term (3 years)

Start Date

1 June 2026

Role Purpose

You will serve as the principal technical authority for HELP Logistics' Kenya office and East & Southern Africa region, setting the standard for supply chain methodology and advisory excellence. Reporting to the Regional Director, you will have line management responsibility for all supply chain advisors and analysts in Kenya. Your primary accountability is establishing technical rigor and building a high-performing advisory team: you will set methodology standards, build frameworks and tools, coach staff at all levels, and ensure deliverables meet HELP's quality threshold before partner submission. You will lead strategically significant advisory engagements personally, contribute to HELP's global methodology, and represent the organization as a technical authority in sector forums. This is a senior technical leadership role that advises the Regional Director to ensure advisory quality is maintained across the portfolio.

What You'll Do

Technical Authority and Standards

Set and enforce technical standards for supply chain methodology, analysis, and deliverable quality across the East & Southern Africa portfolio

Approve methodology choices and exceptions on complex engagements

Review and approve all technical deliverables before partner submission

Develop and curate reusable frameworks, tools, templates, and case studies that raise the regional technical baseline

Provide technical quality assurance across all engagements, identifying gaps and driving continuous improvement

Contribute to HELP's global methodology and technical standards through collaboration with other regions

Thought Leadership and External Representation

Represent HELP Logistics as a technical authority in sector forums, conferences, and technical working groups

Publish case studies, develop intellectual property, or contribute to sector knowledge that advances HELP's reputation

Build relationships with technical counterparts in UN agencies, NGOs, academic institutions, and government bodies

Serve as the go-to expert for complex supply chain challenges in humanitarian and development contexts

You will decide: Methodology choices and exceptions, technical standards, deliverable quality approval, analytical approaches, team workload allocation, and performance assessments for supply chain professionals

You will escalate: Budget approvals, procurement decisions, contracting approvals, and high-risk operational or reputational issues to the Regional Director

Your profile

What You'll Bring

Required

Master's degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Industrial Engineering, Operations Research, or a related field

Minimum 10 years in supply chain consulting, operations, or technical advisory roles, including at least 3 years in team leadership, with a portfolio of impactful work

Evidence of thought leadership: publications, methodology development, conference presentations, or recognized technical contributions in supply chain or humanitarian logistics

Demonstrated experience building technical capability in teams or organizations with significant development needs

Established methodology frameworks and a track record of raising technical standards in advisory or consulting environments

Client-facing advisory experience in at least two relevant domains such as health systems, humanitarian logistics, food systems, or digital optimization

Experience managing and developing technical professionals, including performance management and structured coaching

Fluency in English & Kiswahili

Preferred

Doctoral degree or equivalent depth of expertise in a relevant technical field

APICS/ASCM, Lean Six Sigma, or similar technical certifications

Existing relationships with UN agencies, major humanitarian organizations, or development partners in East or Southern Africa

Experience with Salesforce, QuickBooks, Personio, or comparable systems </li