School Feeding Quality Assurance and Commodity Specialist - San Salvador and San Miguel, El Salvador

SUMMARY
Counterpart International, alongside a diverse consortium of local partners and in collaboration with the Government of El Salvador, implements the Nourish & Flourish program, a McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program in El Salvador funded by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). This is a five-year initiative that aims to reach over 44,000 students in the Departments of San Miguel and Morazán by providing nutritious school meals, supporting infrastructure rehabilitation, empowering local communities to decentralize school feeding, boosting local food production, and strengthening economies.
The School Feeding Quality Assurance and Commodity Specialist will play a key role in ensuring that all commodities are managed in compliance with Counterpart and USG regulations and procedures. This position will directly oversee the warehouse officer and manage relationships with vendors, including forwarding agents, surveyors, and transporters, ensuring adherence to donor requirements, internal policies, and overall program objectives.
This position reports directly to the Chief of Party (COP) and collaborates closely with the Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP), and HQ-global programs as needed.
This is a full-time position based in San Salvador with travels to San Miguel where the warehouse and local team is located. Join us in making a lasting difference in the lives of children and their communities!

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Port

• Participate in the receipt of commodities at the port and provide daily updates to the COP.
• Review survey reports covering each shipment of commodities, compare results with warehouse receipt figures, and report discrepancies to the COP within three days of submission by the Independent Surveyor.
• Prepare certificates of foreign receipt for each shipment by quantity.
• Ensure that short-landing and other certificates are obtained from the relevant authorities and prepare draft responses for submission to the COP.

Warehouse

• Ensure the availability of adequate space, pallets for stacking, containers and bags for reconditioning, and trucks for logistics as needed.
• Ensure adequate security and sufficient labor are available at the warehouse for commodity receipt and discharge operations.
• Coordinate with local Carriers representative with clearing and transportation companies to ensure adequate truck provision for the transportation of commodities.
• Ensure that warehouses are managed in compliance with USG Regulation (1599) guidelines.
• Ensure warehouse personnel adhere to the First In First Out (FIFO) principle.
• Inspect warehouses monthly, examine stock cards and warehouse ledgers, and ensure all receipts, transfers, and dispatches are accurately recorded and kept current.
• Ensure the reconditioning of commodities is done in compliance with commodity management principles and that reports of all reconditioning activities are submitted to the COP.
• Ensure that warehouse personnel inspect equipment including scales, pallets, and all facilities to ensure they are in good condition and the roof is free of leakage.
• Review all inventory, distribution, and loss reports prepared by warehouse personnel and schools, and report discrepancies to the COP.
• Inform the COP when commodities considered unfit require inspection and certification by relevant authorities.
• Work with the COP and Program Manager to prepare disposal requests for unfit commodities and related communications in accordance with regulations and prepare draft correspondence to USDA.
• Maintain the filing system and all shipping files, including Bills of Lading, PL numbers, survey reports, and other required documentation.
• Update all records and ledgers, including the Master Commodity Ledger, Shipping Ledger, and Loss and Claims Ledger.
• Verify and ensure that payment requests for labor and invoices for transporters are complete and submitted in a timely manner.
• Inspect the monthly physical inventory, analyze reports, and take necessary action to improve warehouse activities.
• Prepare monthly Excel ledger commodity reports for submission to HQ.
• Initiate the drafting of accurate and timely quarterly Donor Monitoring and Commodity Reporting system components, including but not limited to: Commodity Status Reports (CSR), Recipient Status Reports (RSR), and Loss Status Reports (LSR) for submission to the COP.
• Assist in preparing the commodity section of the semiannual performance reports to USDA.
• Prepare and follow up on all necessary claims against third parties.
• Manage the acquisition, storage, and transportation of all project inventory, goods, and materials.
• Work with the COP and Warehouse Officer to develop a warehouse work plan and ensure smooth warehouse operations.
• Work with SPO to prepare pipeline analyses and call forward of commodities.

School

• Perform quality checks, review purchase orders, and prepare commodities and materials for school delivery.
• Support the MEL Manager in resolving cases related to food monitoring.
• Ensure proper distribution and transportation of commodities to schools.
• Ensure timely arrival of commodities at each school to prevent disruption in meal distribution.
• Ensure participating schools have necessary facilities, equipment, and training to receive and store commodities while adhering to USDA hygiene and storage standards.

General

• Receive and respond to requests and visits from internal and external auditors, donors, and headquarters staff, as needed.
• Effectively manage and supervise staff, monitor team dynamics, support staff well-being, provide coaching, and complete performance management for direct reports.
• Carry out any other tasks as required by the COP.

QUALIFICATIONS:
Required:
• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, Logistics Management, Statistics, social sciences, or another related field.
• Five (5) years working experience in the Management of Food commodities and warehouses, preferably with an international or local NGO, including at least two years of supervisory experience.
• Basic knowledge of USDA regulations pertaining to school feeding and commodities tracking accounting and reporting.
• Experience managing USG commodities or internal management of commodities.
• Experience in Program planning, implementation and reporting.
• Ability to handle conflicting tasks; to prioritize and deliver high quality performance on a regular basis and in a timely manner
• Independent thinker, ability to identify potential problems and offer solutions
• Proven knowledge of U.S. Government rules, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Excellent organizational, analytical, oral, and written communications skills.
• Demonstrated supervisory and leadership skills.
• Have a good ability to manage relationships with diverse people; an ability to work well alone and in a team environment.

Preferred:
• Master’s degree in Logistics, business administration, or another related field.
• Prior experience in food importation, specifically under USDA McGovern-Dole Food for Education or similar programs; demonstrated knowledge of USG regulations 2 CFR 200 and 7 CFR 1599.
• Full proficiency in English.