How to apply for Academic Expert (SME) – Procurement KPI Framework

About Humanitarian Logistics Cooperative (Hulo)

Hulo is the first European Cooperative Society in the humanitarian sector, uniting 19 major NGOs like ACTED, IRC, and Save the Children to pool logistics and supply chain resources. Working here means directly strengthening the efficiency and impact of global humanitarian aid through collaboration and innovation.

About the role

As the Academic Expert (SME) for the Procurement KPI Framework, you will lead the design and validation of a standardized performance measurement system for humanitarian procurement. Your work will enable hulo’s member organizations and partners like WFP and NRC to benchmark, compare, and improve procurement performance across global operations.

A typical day

A typical day might involve reviewing draft KPI definitions, facilitating a virtual workshop with procurement leads from member organizations, and analyzing feedback to refine metrics. You’ll balance independent research with collaborative problem-solving to ensure the framework is both robust and widely accepted.

Who Humanitarian Logistics Cooperative (Hulo) is looking for

• Advanced degree (PhD preferred) in supply chain management, procurement, or a related field, with a strong publication record in performance measurement.
• Proven experience developing KPI frameworks for large, multi-stakeholder organizations, ideally in humanitarian or development contexts.
• Deep understanding of humanitarian procurement principles, including donor compliance, localisation, and sustainability.
• Excellent facilitation and consensus-building skills to engage diverse stakeholders across 19 member organizations and external partners.

Tips for this application

• Explicitly reference the ToR number HULO-HQ-PROC-2026-004 in your application to show attention to detail.
• Highlight any previous work with humanitarian procurement consortia or collaborative initiatives, as hulo values experience in collective action.
• Demonstrate familiarity with hulo’s member organizations and their procurement challenges in your cover letter or proposal.
• Provide concrete examples of KPI frameworks you have developed, including metrics, data collection methods, and validation processes.
• Emphasize your ability to work remotely and asynchronously with stakeholders across multiple time zones, as this is a remote consultancy.

What to cover in your cover letter

['Your expertise in designing procurement KPI frameworks that balance academic rigor with practical applicability in humanitarian settings.', 'Experience collaborating with multi-stakeholder groups, particularly NGOs or international organizations, to achieve consensus on performance metrics.', 'Understanding of the humanitarian procurement landscape, including key challenges like local sourcing, donor regulations, and supply chain resilience.', 'Your motivation to contribute to hulo’s mission of improving aid impact through shared logistics and procurement excellence.']

Research before applying

• Study hulo’s structure, mission, and the roles of its 19 member organizations to understand the collaborative context.
• Review the Global Humanitarian Procurement Collaboration and Performance Initiative and any existing procurement KPI efforts in the sector.
• Research WFP and NRC’s procurement performance frameworks, as they co-lead the initiative with hulo.
• Understand the humanitarian procurement landscape, including key donors (e.g., ECHO, USAID) and their compliance requirements.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How would you approach developing a KPI framework that accommodates the diverse procurement contexts of hulo’s 19 member organizations?
• What key performance indicators do you consider essential for humanitarian procurement, and how would you measure them?
• Describe a time you had to build consensus among stakeholders with conflicting priorities on a measurement initiative.
• How would you ensure the KPI framework aligns with donor requirements and humanitarian principles like localisation?
• What strategies would you use to validate and pilot the framework across different member organizations?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Submitting a generic academic CV without tailoring it to humanitarian procurement and collaborative frameworks.
• Focusing solely on theoretical knowledge without demonstrating practical application in complex organizational settings.
• Ignoring the multi-stakeholder nature of the role and failing to address how you would engage hulo’s diverse members.