Director of Procurement Transformation & Excellence

Miral; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Miral in Abu Dhabi seeks a Director of Procurement Transformation & Excellence to lead the evolution of procurement and commercial capabilities, establishing a world-class operating model to drive growth and value.

Reporting to the Chief Commercial Officer, you will standardise processes, implement digital tools and AI-enabled capabilities, and build a future-ready organisation across Yas Island and beyond.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Procurement, Finance or related discipline.
• MBA or relevant postgraduate qualification is preferred.
• CIPS, CPSM, ISM or equivalent certification is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Own and execute the Group-wide Commercial and Procurement Transformation roadmap.
• Design and implement a unified operating model across Miral and Miral Experiences, standardising procurement, sourcing, contracting and commercial management.
• Redesign end-to-end processes, decision rights, governance and approval workflows to improve efficiency, consistency, control and stakeholder experience.
• Establish effective transformation governance, monitor delivery and benefits realisation, and address implementation or adoption risks before they affect outcomes.
• Assess commercial maturity and drive continuous improvement to ensure the function evolves in line with Miral’s growth and increasing portfolio complexity.
• Drive enterprise sourcing, demand optimisation and value engineering initiatives that deliver sustainable savings and improved commercial outcomes.
• Strengthen procurement planning, market analysis, supplier competition and negotiation disciplines across the commercial lifecycle.
• Implement robust benefits-tracking mechanisms to ensure negotiated value is converted into measurable financial and business impact.
• Work closely with the Digital Technology Department on the Commercial digital transformation roadmap, including the implementation and integration of procurement, sourcing, contract lifecycle and supplier management solutions.
• Prioritise and implement high-value AI applications across sourcing, contract review, spend analysis, demand forecasting, supplier intelligence and commercial decision-making.

Skills

Procurement transformation

Strategic sourcing

Category management

Digital transformation

AI enablement

Change leadership

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Procurement, Finance or related

MBA or relevant postgraduate qualification

CIPS, CPSM, ISM or equivalent certification preferred

Job description

Miral is the leading creator of immersive destinations and experiences in Abu Dhabi, that contributes to the growth of the leisure and entertainment industry and Abu Dhabi's economic diversification. It conceives, creates, operates, and manages immersive destinations and experiences that attract visitors from across the world to create unforgettable memories, accelerating the realisation of the Emirate's tourism vision and growth.

Responsible for the development and destination management of Yas Island and overseeing Saadiyat Island's Destination Management Strategy, Miral's portfolio of world-class assets incorporates entertainment, leisure, culture, sport, dining, retail, and hospitality experiences, aiming to deliver millions of memorable moments for residents and international guests alike. These include Ferrari World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi; Yas Waterworld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi (now includes 70+ rides and experiences following its expansion); Warner Bros. World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi; SeaWorld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi; The Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center Yas Island, Abu Dhabi; CLYMB Yas Island, Abu Dhabi; teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi; Yas Marina; and Yas Bay Waterfront, home to the UAE's largest indoor multi-purpose venue Etihad Arena, amongst others. Miral also has several projects being developed on Yas Island and across the emirate, including a Harry Potter-themed land within Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, and a Disney Theme Park Resort.

About the Role

The Director of Procurement Transformation & Excellence is responsible for shaping and leading the evolution of procurement and commercial capabilities across the Miral Group, establishing a world-class commercial operating model that enables growth, maximises value and supports Miral's long-term strategic ambitions.

Reporting directly to the Chief Commercial Officer and working closely with the Vice President Commercial at Miral Experiences, the role will drive the standardisation, modernisation and continuous improvement of procurement and commercial practices across the Group. Through the implementation of best-in-class governance, strategic sourcing frameworks, digital solutions, advanced analytics and AI-enabled capabilities, the role will transform how commercial decisions are made, how suppliers are managed and how value is created across the enterprise.

As a catalyst for change, the Director will build a future-ready commercial organization that leverages technology, data and market intelligence to enhance decision-making, strengthen capability, improve supplier performance and deliver sustainable commercial advantage. The role will play a critical part in ensuring the Group is equipped with the processes, systems and skills required to support Miral's continued growth, expanding portfolio and increasing operational complexity.

Commercial & Procurement Transformation

• Own and execute the Group-wide Commercial and Procurement Transformation roadmap, translating the future-state vision into defined initiatives, milestones, accountabilities and measurable outcomes.
• Design and implement a unified operating model across Miral and Miral Experiences, standardising procurement, sourcing, contracting and commercial management while accommodating genuine business-specific requirements.
• Redesign end-to-end processes, decision rights, governance and approval workflows to improve efficiency, consistency, control and stakeholder experience.
• Establish effective transformation governance, monitor delivery and benefits realisation, and address implementation or adoption risks before they affect outcomes.
• Assess commercial maturity and drive continuous improvement to ensure the function evolves in line with Miral’s growth and increasing portfolio complexity.

Strategic Sourcing & Category Excellence

• Establish and embed a Group-wide strategic sourcing and category management framework across priority areas of spend.
• Lead the development of category strategies that consolidate demand, leverage Group purchasing power and balance cost, quality, service, innovation and risk.
• Drive enterprise sourcing, demand optimisation and value engineering initiatives that deliver sustainable savings and improved commercial outcomes.
• Strengthen procurement planning, market analysis, supplier competition and negotiation disciplines across the commercial lifecycle.
• Implement robust benefits-tracking mechanisms to ensure negotiated value is converted into measurable financial and business impact.

Digital Transformation & AI Enablement

• Work closely with the Digital Technology Department on the Commercial digital transformation roadmap, including the implementation and integration of procurement, sourcing, contract lifecycle and supplier management solutions.
• Prioritise and implement high-value AI applications across sourcing, contract review, spend analysis, demand forecasting, supplier intelligence and commercial decision-making.
• Redesign and automate commercial processes to reduce manual effort, strengthen controls, improve data quality and accelerate delivery.
• Establish trusted commercial data, common definitions and integrated analytics that provide a reliable basis for reporting and decision-making.
• Drive business adoption and value realisation from technology investments, ensuring new solutions are embedded into everyday ways of working.

Commercial Governance & Performance

• Design and implement Group-wide commercial policies, governance frameworks, controls and delegated authorities, with clear accountability across procurement, contracting and commercial management.
• Establish an enterprise performance framework covering value delivery, sourcing effectiveness, process efficiency, compliance, supplier performance and transformation benefits.
• Develop executive dashboards and decision-ready reporting that provide clear visibility of commercial performance, risks, opportunities and value realisation.
• Monitor adherence to commercial standards and controls, addressing recurring gaps and ensuring corrective actions are implemented and sustained.
• Provide the Chief Commercial Officer and senior leadership with objective insights and recommendations that strengthen commercial decisions and enterprise performance.
• Establish and embed a Group-wide supplier segmentation, performance and relationship management framework based on business criticality, spend, risk and strategic value.
• Define supplier performance standards and governance forums, holding strategic suppliers accountable for quality, service, cost, innovation and contractual delivery.
• Strengthen supplier competition, market access and resilience while reducing dependency and risk across critical categories.
• Develop strategic supplier relationships that provide access to innovation, specialist expertise and value beyond transactional cost savings.
• Integrate supplier risk, performance and value assessment throughout the procurement and contract lifecycle, ensuring underperformance is addressed decisively.

Capability Building & Change Leadership

• Establish and implement the Group Commercial Excellence framework, defining capability standards, role expectations, career pathways and measures of functional maturity.
• Own the people and change agenda for the transformation, building stakeholder commitment and embedding new processes, systems and ways of working across the Group.
• Identify capability gaps and implement targeted development across strategic sourcing, category management, negotiation, contract management, commercial analytics, digital tools and AI.
• Build digital fluency and data confidence across Commercial and Procurement teams, enabling employees to apply technology and AI effectively in their work.
• Establish coaching, knowledge-sharing and change‑champion networks that reinforce adoption, accountability and continuous improvement.
• Foster a culture in which Commercial operates as a strategic business partner, combining commercial rigor, innovation and enterprise thinking to deliver sustainable value.

Academic Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Finance, Engineering or a related discipline from a recognised institution. MBA or relevant postgraduate qualification in Business Administration, Supply Chain, Procurement, Finance, Strategy or Organisational Transformation is preferred.
• CIPS, CPSM, ISM or equivalent professional procurement, commercial or supply chain certification is strongly preferred.
• Minimum 15 years of progressive experience in procurement, commercial management, supply chain, business transformation or operational excellence, including significant leadership experience within complex, multi‑business organisations.
• Demonstrated experience leading enterprise-wide procurement, commercial or operating model transformation programmes that delivered measurable improvements in performance, efficiency, governance and value creation.
• Proven track record designing and implementing best‑in‑class procurement, strategic sourcing, category management, supplier management and commercial governance frameworks.
• Significant experience leading digital transformation initiatives, including the implementation of procurement, sourcing, contract management and commercial performance technologies.
• Demonstrated success driving large-scale organisational change, embedding new ways of working and building adoption across diverse stakeholder groups.
• Experience developing high‑performing commercial organisations through capability building, process optimisation and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, with the ability to translate commercial strategies into measurable business outcomes and sustainable enterprise value.
• Experience within entertainment, tourism, aviation, hospitality, development, infrastructure or other asset‑intensive industries is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to influence executive stakeholders and lead cross‑functional transformation initiatives at an enterprise level.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, stakeholder management and executive presentation skills.
• Fluency in English is required. Arabic language capability would be advantageous.