Assistant Category Manager - Procurement

Al Ghurair; Dubai; On-site; AED 180,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

Al Ghurair seeks an experienced Assistant Category Manager to support strategic sourcing, category procurement and supplier management activities in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The role emphasizes managing category-specific purchasing requirements, evaluating supplier performance and negotiating commercial agreements to improve procurement efficiency.

The successful candidate will bring a strong engineering background, extensive procurement and contract management experience, and the ability to

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering.
• Minimum of 10 years of professional experience in procurement, contract management and category management.
• Strong understanding of strategic sourcing, purchasing procedures and supplier evaluation.
• Experience managing supplier negotiations, procurement contracts and category‑related purchasing requirements.
• Knowledge of procurement spend analysis and commercial evaluation processes.
• Ability to coordinate technical and commercial procurement activities involving multiple internal departments and external suppliers.

Responsibilities

• Align category procurement activities and sourcing strategies with the company's business objectives and long-term operational requirements.
• Develop annual plans for strategic Long-Term Purchase Agreements (LTPAs) for identified procurement categories.
• Engage with key suppliers and internal stakeholders to review supplier performance and procurement priorities.
• Conduct market research to identify potential suppliers and monitor industry developments.
• Assess market trends and implications for supplier selection and procurement costs.
• Ensure procurement activities comply with legal requirements and company procedures.
• Review spend analysis and savings reports to evaluate sourcing effectiveness and identify cost optimization opportunities.
• Obtain a minimum of three competitive quotations for RF items and evaluate quotations consistently.
• Coordinate technical assessments of proposed materials with project and design teams.
• Negotiate pricing, technical specs, and contractual terms with suppliers.
• Coordinate submission of supplier documentation for review and approval.
• Follow up with suppliers and stakeholders to complete procurement activities on time.
• Collect and distribute contracts to suppliers and the Contracts and Commercial Department.

Skills

Category management

Vendor management

Negotiation

Procurement spend analysis

Contract management

Strategic sourcing

ERP systems

MS Office

Power BI

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

Power BI

ERP systems

MS Office

Job description

Assistant Category Manager - Procurement Job Snapshot - Role: Assistant Category Manager - Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates - Industry: Purchasing Procurement - Function: Purchasing - Experience: Minimum 10 years of procurement, contract and category management experience - Job Type: Full Time - Work Arrangement: On-site

Al Ghurair is seeking an experienced Assistant Category Manager to support strategic sourcing, category procurement and supplier management activities in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The role focuses on managing category‑specific purchasing requirements, evaluating supplier performance, negotiating commercial agreements and identifying opportunities to improve procurement efficiency and cost effectiveness. The Assistant Category Manager will work closely with business units, project teams, design departments and commercial stakeholders to ensure procurement activities meet technical specifications, contractual requirements and project schedules. The position also involves supplier market research, spend analysis, long‑term purchasing arrangements and procurement performance monitoring. The successful candidate will bring a strong engineering background, extensive procurement and contract management experience, and the ability to make commercially sound decisions while maintaining compliance with established procurement procedures.

Job Details

- Country: United Arab Emirates - City: Dubai - Industry: Purchasing Procurement - Function: Purchasing - Salary: Not disclosed - Gender: No Preference - Candidate Nationality: Not specified - Job Type: Full Time - Work Arrangement: On-site

Strategic Procurement Responsibilities

• Align category procurement activities and sourcing strategies with the company 's business objectives and long-term operational requirements.
• Develop annual plans for establishing strategic Long-Term Purchase Agreements (LTPAs) covering identified procurement categories and targeted items.
• Engage with key suppliers and internal stakeholders to review supplier performance, commercial expectations and procurement priorities.
• Conduct market research to identify potential suppliers, evaluate sourcing alternatives and monitor relevant industry developments.
• Assess emerging market trends and their implications for supplier selection, purchasing decisions and procurement costs.
• Ensure procurement activities comply with applicable legal requirements, regulatory obligations and established company procedures.
• Review procurement spend analysis and savings reports through available dashboards to evaluate sourcing effectiveness and identify cost optimization opportunities.

Category Sourcing and Purchasing Operations

• Manage category-specific sourcing requirements in coordination with project teams and relevant business departments.
• Obtain a minimum of three competitive quotations from prospective suppliers to support procurement evaluations.
• Prepare Preliminary Cost Comparison (CC) sheets for RF items, ensuring that supplier quotations are evaluated consistently.
• Coordinate with project and design teams to complete technical assessments of proposed materials, products and supplier submissions.
• Negotiate with suppliers regarding pricing, technical specifications, contractual conditions and commercial terms.
• Ensure negotiated procurement arrangements remain aligned with approved technical and project requirements.
• Coordinate the submission of supplier technical documentation for review and approval by Operations or the relevant client.
• Follow up with suppliers and internal stakeholders to support timely completion of procurement activities.
• Collect approved and signed contracts and distribute the required copies to suppliers and the Contracts and Commercial (C&C) Department for record‑keeping.

Supplier Management and Stakeholder Coordination

• Work closely with business units, project representatives, design teams and the C&C Department to finalize contract documentation and support contract execution.
• Coordinate with the PSSC team on electronic auction processes, supplier onboarding and vendor‑related procurement activities.
• Facilitate the collection and review of supplier performance feedback from relevant internal stakeholders.
• Support the Category Manager in conducting annual vendor performance assessments.
• Assist in identifying supplier performance gaps and coordinating appropriate corrective actions.
• Maintain effective communication with suppliers and internal departments to resolve procurement‑related issues and support operational requirements.

In‑Country Value and Procurement Compliance

• Review and monitor In‑Country Value (ICV) information through the Procure Lens system for suppliers within the relevant procurement category.
• Verify that major vendors supplying critical procurement items maintain valid ICV certificates.
• Coordinate the collection of current ICV documentation from suppliers and follow up on expired certificates.
• Ensure vendor certification information and related procurement records are updated accurately.
• Support compliance with internal procurement controls, contract documentation requirements and applicable regulatory obligations.

Procurement Performance and Process Improvement

• Monitor the Procure Lens Dashboard to assess procurement activities against established Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
• Track purchasing progress and identify activities that may affect agreed procurement timelines.
• Review spend patterns, procurement savings and supplier performance information to identify opportunities for operational improvement.
• Maintain accurate contract registers, purchasing records, order documentation and procurement activity logs.
• Support transparent procurement processes through consistent documentation and record management.
• Recommend improvements to sourcing coordination, supplier engagement and procurement workflows based on available performance information.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor 's degree in Engineering.
• Minimum of 10 years of professional experience in procurement, contract management and category management.
• Strong understanding of strategic sourcing, purchasing procedures and supplier evaluation.
• Experience managing supplier negotiations, procurement contracts and category‑related purchasing requirements.
• Knowledge of procurement spend analysis and commercial evaluation processes.
• Ability to coordinate technical and commercial procurement activities involving multiple internal departments and external suppliers.

Required Knowledge and Skills

Category and Vendor Management - Strong knowledge of category management principles, supplier sourcing and vendor performance evaluation. - Ability to assess supplier capabilities, review quotations and support commercially effective purchasing decisions. - Understanding of long‑term procurement agreements and supplier relationship management. Contracts and Commercial Negotiation - Practical knowledge of contract management, procurement documentation and commercial terms. - Strong negotiation and decision‑making skills. - Ability to coordinate contract reviews and approvals with technical, commercial and operational stakeholders. Procurement Systems and Reporting - Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications. - Working knowledge of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. - Experience with procurement spend analysis and reporting. - Knowledge of Power BI for reviewing and analyzing procurement information. - Ability to work with procurement dashboards and maintain accurate purchasing and supplier records.

Professional Competencies

• Strong analytical and commercial judgement when evaluating procurement options.
• Effective communication and coordination skills for working with suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Good organizational skills and attention to detail when handling contracts, quotations and procurement records.
• Ability to manage competing procurement priorities while meeting established timelines.
• A proactive approach to supplier performance monitoring, cost optimization and procurement process improvement.

About Al Ghurair

Al Ghurair is a diversified business group based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Its business activities span multiple sectors, including foods and resources, properties, construction, energy, mobility and ventures. The group has a longstanding presence in the UAE and operates across a range of industries that require effective commercial coordination, supplier relationships and operational management.