Chief Procurement Officer

Confidential Company; Sharjah; On-site; AED 600,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Confidential Company is seeking a hands‑on Chief Procurement Officer to lead procurement and supply chain across GCC projects. You will secure materials and services at optimal cost, quality and schedule, while driving margin and tender competitiveness.

You will work with project directors, vendor CEOs and the board on strategy and risk mitigation. The role requires 15–20+ years in construction/EPC procurement, with 7–10+ years in senior leadership and a proven GCC delivery track record in the

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Supply Chain or Business; Master/MBA preferred.
• 15 to 20+ years of procurement experience in construction/EPC; 7–10+ years in senior leadership.
• Proven GCC experience: 10+ years in UAE or Gulf region delivering large projects.
• Hands-on experience with building, infrastructure, O&G, power, utilities or industrial mega-projects.
• Deep knowledge of FIDIC contracts and subcontract structures.
• Track record of delivering measurable savings and managing supply risk on USD 500M+ projects.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute procurement and supply chain strategy across projects and regions.
• Sit on the executive committee; influence bid/no-bid decisions and risk assessment.
• Build and lead procurement organization across head office and sites; drive governance.
• Lead strategic sourcing, negotiations, and supplier management for major packages.

Skills

Strategic leadership

GCC experience

Negotiation

Category management

Supply chain strategy

Budget control

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Business

MBA preferred

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Role Purpose

The Chief Procurement Officer owns the company's entire procurement and supply chain function across all projects and regions. The role is accountable for securing materials, equipment, subcontract packages and services at the right cost, quality, schedule and risk position, and for turning procurement into a measurable contributor to project margin and tender competitiveness.

We need a hands‑on leader who has delivered large construction and infrastructure projects in the GCC, understands how the regional supply market actually works, and can sit equally comfortably with a project director on site, a vendor’s CEO in a negotiation and the board in a strategy session.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy and Leadership

• Define and execute the procurement and supply chain strategy aligned with the company’s business plan, project pipeline and margin targets.
• Sit on the executive committee and contribute to bid/no‑bid decisions, tender strategy and risk assessment from a cost and supply‑market perspective.
• Build, lead and develop a high‑performing procurement organization across head office and project sites, including succession planning and nationalisation targets.
• Set the operating model, delegation of authority and governance framework for all purchasing and subcontracting activity.

Tendering and Estimating Support

• Provide market‑tested pricing, supplier inputs and long‑lead item intelligence during the bid stage, so tenders are competitive and not exposed to unrecoverable escalation.
• Secure early supplier commitments, price validity and framework pricing for critical packages ahead of award.
• Advise on commodity, currency and inflation risk, and on appropriate price adjustment and risk allocation clauses.

Category Management and Sourcing

• Own category strategies for major spend areas, such as structural steel and rebar, cement and concrete, MEP and HVAC equipment, electrical and instrumentation, piping and valves, cables, façade, lifts, finishing materials and plant.
• Lead strategic sourcing, including global and regional sourcing, FAT/inspection regimes and approved vendor lists.
• Lead negotiation of high‑value purchase orders, framework agreements and long‑term supply agreements.

Subcontract Management

• Oversee subcontract strategy, prequalification, tendering, contract award and administration for all trade and specialist packages.
• Ensure subcontract terms are back‑to‑back with the main contract (FIDIC and other standard forms), covering variations, delay, liquidated damages, retention, payment terms and claims.
• Work with Contracts, Legal and Project teams to manage subcontractor performance, disputes and final accounts.

Project Delivery and Supply Chain

• Work with project directors to build procurement plans that protect the programme, covering expediting, logistics, customs clearance, warehousing and site delivery.
• Monitor supplier performance, delivery and quality, and intervene early on critical‑path risks.

Cost, Margin and Financial Control

• Deliver procurement savings and cost avoidance against baseline budgets, and report them transparently to Finance and the executive team.
• Manage payment terms, supplier credit, advance payment guarantees, performance bonds and letters of credit in coordination with Treasury.
• Track and report spend visibility, commitments against budget and forecast cost to complete.

Digital and Process Excellence

• Lead adoption of e‑procurement, vendor management and spend analytics tools, integrated with ERP and project controls.
• Standardise procurement processes, templates and approval workflows across the group.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Civil, Mechanical, Electrical or Industrial), Supply Chain or Business. A Master’s degree or MBA is preferred.
• 15 to 20+ years of procurement experience in construction or EPC, of which at least 7 to 10 years in senior leadership (Head of Procurement, Procurement Director, VP or equivalent).
• Proven GCC experience: at least 10 years working in the region, with first‑hand delivery of large projects in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait or Bahrain.
• Hands‑on experience procuring for building, infrastructure, oil and gas, power and utilities, or industrial projects, including giga‑project or mega‑project environments.
• Deep working knowledge of FIDIC contract forms and subcontract structures.
• Demonstrated record of delivering measurable savings, protecting programme and managing supply risk on projects over USD 500M.
• Strong network of regional and international suppliers, manufacturers and subcontractors.
• Experience supporting tenders and negotiating with clients, consultants and project management consultants (PMCs).