Manager Procurement - IT

Role Overview

Manager Procurement - IT at Du, managing procurement activities across IT and commercial categories with an annual spend of approximately AED 100M.

Role Purpose

Ensure that procurement outcomes within assigned categories of spend are conducted according to Du's Procurement Policy and Corporate Governance in an ethical, transparent, and fair manner, realizing best value for money for Du.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Category Management

• Support Category sourcing strategy development and ensure that sourcing strategies set out by Management are followed by the department to deliver desired results.
• Analyze supply base, category market conditions, stakeholder requirements, pricing trends, and competitive benchmarking to determine appropriate sourcing strategies.
• Deliver category management services, including strategic sourcing, process improvement, risk management, supplier performance management, and continuous cost and performance improvement.
• Demonstrate category management expertise in one or more of the following: IT (Professional Services, Application Development and Application Maintenance, Support and Maintenance contracts, Outsourcing services, Managed Services) and Network.

Contract & Commercial Negotiations

• Lead tender (RFP/RFQ) negotiations to ensure successful completion and negotiate best value for money.
• Lead contract negotiations to ensure successful completion and ensure sourcing projects meet budget targets.
• Structure, negotiate, and manage service and supply agreements with suppliers, including complex long-term strategic agreements, short-term transactional agreements, and project-based agreements.
• Ensure that all legal and contractual matters from a commercial perspective are addressed efficiently and in a timely manner.

Sourcing & Procurement Operations

• Track RFP's and RFQ's against agreed timelines while optimizing sourcing activities timelines.
• Ensure that proposals are obtained from vendors on time through digital procurement platforms.
• Review standard PO's, blanket PO's, consignment PO's, and contract PO's and ensure data integrity is preserved.
• Responsible for category management and commercial contracts related activities within Commercial Procurement categories of spend (mainly Outsourced Managed Services and General Corporate procurement categories).
• Develop and implement cost savings and value creation projects across professional services categories.
• Manage and report savings and validate monthly ERP reports ensuring that individual targets are met.
• Establish and evaluate performance dashboard and metrics for professional services, support and maintenance, and managed services categories (including FLM).

Supplier & Performance Management

• Assess major suppliers' performance and prepare reports to management.
• Build, maintain, and strengthen positive relations with internal customers based on support and advice.
• Improve business units' satisfaction by conducting satisfaction surveys after each RFP.

Reporting & Monitoring

• Report savings and validate monthly ERP reports ensuring that individual targets are met.
• Provide Management with weekly reports on RFP's progress, category spend, savings, and performance against KPI's.

Stakeholder Management & Engagement

• Organize periodic meetings with internal stakeholders to understand and agree on way forward for relevant category sourcing requirements.
• Proactively engage, influence, and collaborate with IT, Network, Finance, Legal, Quality, and Service Operations teams to ensure alignment on business objectives and project plans.
• Drive stakeholder engagement within IT, Professional Services, Service Operations, FLM, Finance, Legal, and other relevant departments.
• Share and educate internal customers about any amendment of procurement policy and procedures.

Compliance & Governance

• Ensure compliance with purchasing policies and procedures, business code of conduct, ethical practices, and adherence to relevant laws and regulations.
• Participate in internal audit activities by providing necessary information to internal auditors.

Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum Bachelor degree in Business, Law, Economics, Finance, Engineering, or related discipline.
• Minimum 5-7 years of procurement and sourcing experience.
• Experience in telecommunications is a plus.
• Any Procurement related certification is a plus.
• In-depth knowledge of key commercial elements and pricing structures of supplier's contracts.
• Knowledge of contract laws and complete understanding of Corporate Terms and Conditions.
• Demonstrated knowledge of procurement systems, processes, and procedures.
• Good knowledge of ERP systems (Oracle).

Skills & Competencies

• Think strategically (Level 3 of 5).
• Achieve tangible results (Level 3 of 5).
• Lead breakthrough change (Level 3 of 5).
• Exceed customer expectations (Level 3 of 5).
• Nurture, inspire, and motivate (Level 3 of 5).
• Target win-win outcomes (Level 3 of 5).
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Analytical skills.
• Numerical and problem-solving skills.
• Proven excellence in professional services contract language, contract negotiation, contract management, conflict resolution, and customer service skills.
• Demonstrated project management and execution skills with ability to manage multiple large complex projects with competing priorities and timelines.
• Strong organizational skills, including the ability to plan, implement, and execute procurement strategies.
• Ability to quickly analyze data, as well as extrapolate and communicate insights.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills—reading, writing, and listening.
• Excellent verbal and written English; preferably Arabic.

Additional Information

• No direct reports; no team management responsibility.
• Financial dimensions: approximately AED 100M spend per annum.