About the Role
We are seeking an outstanding Associate Director – Procurement to provide senior procurement leadership for assigned portfolios at the company. This role is essential in ensuring that all requirements are planned, sourced, contracted, and delivered in accordance with procurement policy, Delegation of Authority, approved budgets, agreed SLAs, and business priorities. As a member of the company family, you will play a key role in shaping the technology strategy and service delivery across leading educational institutions in Abu Dhabi.
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This role combines portfolio delivery, governance, stakeholder partnering, and commercial management, supporting procurement transformation through structured planning, framework agreements, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Responsibilities
Strategic Procurement Planning and Portfolio Delivery
- Develop, manage, and monitor procurement plans for assigned portfolios to anticipate requirements, reduce emergency purchasing, and improve operational readiness.
- Coordinate requirements across schools and HQ functions, ensuring clarity on confirmed needs, budgets, timelines, and approvals.
- Oversee complex capital and operational procurement programs including school expansions, specialized rooms, security, facilities, and technology initiatives.
- Monitor delivery status, risks, and blockers, escalating issues in a timely, solution-oriented manner.
Sourcing, Tendering, and Award Governance
- Lead RFQs, RFPs, bidder list recommendations, and negotiation processes for the assigned portfolio.
- Ensure that tender strategies and evaluation criteria are robust, proportionate, and compliant with standards.
- Validate specifications and challenge single-source requests as needed.
- Utilize standard templates and trackers for improved visibility and efficiency in tender processes.
Commercial Value, Framework Agreements, and Standardisation
- Drive cost savings through effective negotiations, demand consolidation, and stakeholder engagement.
- Identify high-spend categories and establish suitable framework agreements.
- Standardize specifications to optimize requirements and improve economies of scale.
- Support catalogue-based ordering and maintain approved reference catalogues.
Contract, PO, and Supplier Management
- Collaborate with legal, finance, and stakeholders to execute contracts and manage renewals and purchase orders.
- Ensure purchase orders formalize approved requirements and maintain compliance in supplier engagements.
- Escalate any issues related to contract execution or supplier delivery promptly.
Stakeholder Partnership and Communication
- Serve as a senior procurement partner to various functions including Education, Operations, and IT.
- Facilitate workshops with stakeholders to support scope definition and procurement alignment.
- Provide clear timelines and documentation requirements to assist end-users in progressing requests efficiently.
- Maintain professional engagement with suppliers throughout the tendering process.
Governance, Audit, Risk, and Process Improvement
- Ensure compliance with procurement policy, finance requirements, and audit expectations.
- Assign and monitor internal audit action plans, supporting evidence gathering and closure.
- Contribute to procurement risk registers, suggesting internal controls and policy improvements.
- Escalate significant risks and concerns promptly to maintain seamless operations.
Team Leadership, Reporting, and Transformation
- Manage and coach direct reports, ensuring quality outputs align with departmental standards.
- Prepare executive-ready summaries, reports, and dashboards for management.
- Utilize Oracle Fusion and digital tools to track procurement activities and performance metrics.
- Support procurement transformation initiatives, including reporting improvements and consistent practices across portfolios.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s Degree in a related field; Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) preferred.
- Recognized Procurement Qualification (e.g., CIPS) desirable.
Minimum Experience:
- At least 10 years of procurement experience in the region, preferably within education procurement.
Job Specific Knowledge & Skills
- Excellent communication skills, both written and oral; proficiency in English is essential, Arabic is an added value.
- In-depth knowledge of ERP systems, particularly Oracle Fusion.
- Strong stakeholder management abilities and advanced expertise in MS Office (PowerPoint, Excel).
- Proven track record in developing advanced procurement processes and attention to detail.
- Ability to manage multiple tasks under pressure and maintain high-quality outputs.
- Proactive and agile with excellent interpersonal skills.
What We Offer
We offer an attractive remuneration package and a future-focused learning model that emphasizes professional development, coaching, and training for both staff and students. Our commitment to a diverse and inclusive workplace aligns with our national development strategy, encouraging applications from UAE Nationals.
The company is dedicated to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, with decisions regarding appointments subject to satisfactory references and police clearance.
