Procurement Category Lead - Automotive

AlFuttaim; Dubai; Sur place; AED 350 000 - 650 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

Al-Futtaim is seeking an experienced Procurement Category Lead to manage strategic sourcing and category management initiatives across its automotive business units in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The role focuses on developing procurement strategies for direct and indirect spend, improving supplier performance, and driving cost optimization in alignment with business objectives.

With 7–10 years in procurement, the candidate will oversee Source-to-Contract activities, lead commercial

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree is required.
• Master's degree is preferred.
• CIPS qualification or equivalent is desirable.

Responsabilités

• Develop and implement automotive procurement category strategies across spend.
• Lead Source-to-Contract processes and supplier negotiations.
• Monitor supplier performance and drive improvements.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to align procurement with business goals.

Connaissances

Strategic procurement

Automotive category management

Supplier relationship management

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Procurement project management

Formation

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree preferred

CIPS qualification desirable

Outils

Should-cost modelling

Value chain mapping

Total cost of ownership analysis

Description du poste

Procurement Category Lead - Automotive Job Snapshot - Role: Procurement Category Lead - Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates - Industry: Automotive - Function: Purchasing - Experience: 7-10 years - Job Type: Full Time - Work Arrangement: On-site

Al-Futtaim is seeking an experienced Procurement Category Lead to manage strategic sourcing and category management initiatives across its automotive business units in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The position is responsible for developing and implementing procurement strategies covering both direct and indirect spend, improving supplier performance, optimizing costs, and ensuring procurement activities support wider business objectives. The Procurement Category Lead will oversee Source-to-Contract activities, lead commercial negotiations, manage strategic supplier relationships, and collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders to deliver measurable procurement outcomes. The role also involves procurement project management, supplier performance monitoring, compliance oversight, and team development. The successful candidate will bring 7-10 years of procurement experience, with a focus on automotive category management, and demonstrate strong commercial judgment, supplier management expertise, and the ability to influence business decisions.

Job Details

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

Key Responsibilities

Automotive Category Strategy

• Develop and implement comprehensive procurement category strategies for direct and indirect automotive spend.
• Align category objectives with business priorities, operational requirements, and organizational procurement goals.
• Analyze category expenditure, market conditions, supplier capabilities, and sourcing opportunities.
• Conduct scenario planning to evaluate alternative procurement approaches and commercial outcomes.
• Apply total cost of ownership (TCO) analysis to assess the full financial impact of procurement decisions.
• Use should-cost modelling and value chain mapping to identify cost optimization opportunities.
• Establish measurable procurement objectives and monitor progress against agreed targets.
• Identify opportunities to improve sourcing efficiency and deliver sustainable commercial value.

Demand Management and Procurement Planning

• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to understand purchasing requirements across automotive business units.
• Align procurement strategies with current and anticipated business needs.
• Identify cost-effective sourcing approaches that support operational objectives.
• Establish preferred supplier arrangements to improve commercial terms and resource utilization.
• Evaluate opportunities to consolidate procurement requirements and optimize the supplier base.
• Develop and maintain a procurement project pipeline aligned with business priorities.
• Coordinate sourcing plans with relevant stakeholders to support timely procurement execution.

Strategic Sourcing and Supplier Selection

• Lead the Source-to-Contract process across assigned automotive procurement categories.
• Identify and evaluate potential suppliers based on business and category requirements.
• Manage supplier selection activities and support informed sourcing decisions.
• Lead commercial negotiations to achieve competitive terms and appropriate value.
• Apply structured procurement methods when evaluating supplier proposals.
• Ensure sourcing decisions consider cost, quality, delivery requirements, and supplier capabilities.
• Maintain alignment with applicable procurement policies and approval procedures.

Supplier Relationship Management

• Establish and maintain productive relationships with strategic automotive suppliers.
• Manage supplier relationships throughout the relevant procurement lifecycle.
• Monitor supplier performance against agreed delivery, quality, and responsiveness targets.
• Identify supplier performance issues and coordinate appropriate improvement actions.
• Work with suppliers and internal stakeholders to strengthen service reliability and commercial outcomes.
• Evaluate opportunities to improve supplier effectiveness and long-term business value.
• Support consistent supplier management practices across relevant categories.

Procurement Compliance and Governance

• Ensure procurement activities comply with established company policies, approved budgets, and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Monitor procurement practices and identify potential compliance concerns.
• Coordinate corrective actions when deviations from procurement requirements are identified.
• Support appropriate governance throughout sourcing, negotiation, and supplier management activities.
• Maintain attention to commercial accountability and responsible procurement decision-making.
• Contribute to consistent procurement standards across participating business units.

Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration

• Build effective relationships with stakeholders across automotive operations and supporting functions.
• Engage business teams to understand operational priorities and procurement expectations.
• Influence sourcing and procurement decisions through clear analysis and commercially sound recommendations.
• Establish cross-functional Stakeholder Committees to strengthen coordination and decision-making.
• Facilitate collaboration between business units on shared procurement priorities.
• Balance differing stakeholder requirements while maintaining alignment with organizational objectives.
• Apply sound stakeholder judgment when managing complex discussions and competing business interests.

Procurement Project Management

• Plan and manage procurement projects with defined objectives, responsibilities, and timelines.
• Coordinate sourcing activities and relevant project resources.
• Monitor project progress and address issues affecting procurement deliverables.
• Support the effective implementation of category strategies and sourcing initiatives.
• Identify opportunities to improve procurement processes and operational efficiency.
• Drive organizational change associated with procurement improvements.
• Maintain clear communication with stakeholders throughout procurement projects.

Team Leadership and Development

• Provide direction and support to team members involved in category management and sourcing activities.
• Encourage effective collaboration and consistent procurement practices.
• Support the development of commercial, analytical, and supplier management capabilities.
• Drive talent development initiatives within the procurement team.
• Ensure 100% completion of individual development plans for team members.
• Promote accountability for procurement objectives and team performance.

Required Skills and Competencies

• Strong expertise in strategic procurement and automotive category management.
• Comprehensive understanding of direct and indirect spend management.
• Advanced total cost analysis and commercial evaluation skills.
• Knowledge of total cost of ownership, should-cost modelling, and value chain mapping.
• Strong supplier relationship management and negotiation capabilities.
• Experience managing supplier performance and procurement lifecycles.
• Understanding of Source-to-Contract processes and strategic sourcing methods.
• Ability to develop and implement effective category strategies.
• Strong procurement project management skills.
• Knowledge of procurement compliance, governance, and budget requirements.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and influencing abilities.
• Ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams and senior stakeholders.
• Strong analytical thinking and commercial decision-making skills.
• Ability to lead procurement improvements and support organizational change.
• Effective team leadership and professional development capabilities.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor 's degree is required.
• Master 's degree is preferred.
• CIPS qualification or an equivalent professional procurement credential is highly desirable.
• 7-10 years of procurement experience, with a focus on automotive category management.
• Demonstrated expertise in automotive procurement strategy development.
• Strong experience in total cost analysis and supplier lifecycle management.
• Practical experience in strategic sourcing, supplier negotiations, and procurement project delivery.
• Ability to manage stakeholder relationships and influence procurement decisions.
• Experience supporting cost optimization, compliance, and supplier performance objectives.

Performance Priorities

• Development and successful implementation of automotive category strategies.
• Achievement of measurable procurement cost reductions.
• Effective management of direct and indirect sourcing requirements.
• Compliance with procurement policies, budgets, and regulatory obligations.
• Improved supplier performance against delivery, quality, and responsiveness targets.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and satisfaction.
• Effective execution of procurement projects and sourcing initiatives.
• Completion of individual development plans for team members.

About Al-Futtaim

Established in the 1930s as a trading business, Al-Futtaim Group has grown into a diversified, privately held regional organization headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The Group operates across five major divisions: automotive, financial services, real estate, retail, and healthcare. With more than 35,000 employees across over 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, Al-Futtaim partners with more than 200 internationally recognized brands. The organization combines entrepreneurship with a strong customer focus, continually adapting its products and services to meet evolving market needs. Al-Futtaim 's values of Respect, Excellence, Collaboration, and Integrity guide its business relationships, operations, and commitment to customers.