Regional Procurement Contracts Manager, Middle East & Africa

Airbus; Dubai; On-site; AED 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading aerospace firm in Dubai is seeking a Regional Procurement Contracts Manager to shape the regional procurement landscape. This role requires 8–10 years of experience in contracts, ideally in the aviation industry, with a strong focus on compliance and relationship management. The ideal candidate will possess a bachelor's degree and relevant contract management qualifications, and will engage in both operational and strategic activities within the procurement team.

Qualifications

• 8–10 years of experience in contracts, preferable in aviation.
• Experience in procurement or legal fields.
• Project Management Certification is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Deliver contract-management expertise and support.
• Implement contract-management engagement adapted to local needs.
• Negotiate critical local and global contracts.

Skills

Contract management

Negotiation

Ability to work across international boundaries and cultures

Project management

Attention to detail

Fluency in English

Fluency in Arabic

Fluency in French

Education

Bachelor's degree in business administration, management, legal or related field

Qualification in contracts

Tools

Word or equivalent

Google Workspace

eProc SAP Click n Buy

Job description

Airbus Africa & Middle East context. At Airbus Africa and Middle East we operate at the heart of one of the worlds most diverse and fast‑growing regions. With all three Airbus divisions – Commercial Aircraft, Helicopters and Defense & Space – integrated and all support functions under the same organisation we offer an unmatched environment for collaboration, learning and career growth.

Our 3,000 employees representing 50 nationalities support 60 countries across a region with a combined GDP of $6 trillion and 13 Airbus affiliates. This gives us global‑scale impact with a strong regional presence, making roles here strategic, dynamic and full of opportunities.

Airbus Africa & Middle East Regional Procurement Office

You will be part of the team of Airbus Africa & Middle East Regional Procurement Office (RPO). The RPO mission is to act as a business enabler to the regional growth by contractualising all general procurement activities, defining the Airbus regional procurement strategy, developing the regional supply‑chain footprint, contributing to sales campaigns, securing compliance and promoting the Airbus brand in the region while maximising procurement value across all divisions aligned with commodities.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Head of the Regional Procurement Office (RPO) Africa and Middle East (AME) and to the Head of Regional Procurement Contracts (functionally), the Regional Procurement Contracts Manager shapes the regional procurement contract landscape delivering specialist contract negotiation support to the local AME RPO teams, delivering best‑in‑class contractual expertise, guidance, standards, policies and negotiation support to the AME RPO. Thus enabling the AME Region to grow and operate in a compliant and efficient contractual environment. The Regional Procurement Contracts Manager interfaces with multiple procurement teams as well as with legal and other interfacing functions (e.g. Finance, HR, Customer Services, Sales, Security) and divisions contributing to the growth and local empowerment of the extended procurement team in the region.

Primary Responsibilities

1) Operational activities (60%) – Delivering contract‑management expertise and support to the AME RPO.

• Support the HO RPO AME and HO Regional Procurement Contracts in implementing a contract‑management engagement adapted to local needs and cultures, while remaining consistent worldwide.
• In close cooperation with the Procurement Contract Governance team (PYCG), establish contract templates and policies tailored to regional needs.
• In close cooperation with the Procurement Contracts teams (PYCx) and the procurement commodities, negotiate and support critical/strategic local and global contract negotiations.
• Create and deliver awareness sessions to the RPO community across all divisions on contractual matters using new material and tailored content based on existing PYC material adapted to regional needs.
• Report on procurement contractual activities in the region, delivering appropriate KPIs and other means.
• Support the other RPOs as required.

2) Regional Contract Management excellence, growth and empowerment (40%) – Championing the deployment of robust and efficient contract‑management practices within the region, securing sustainable local contractual knowledge and stakeholder recognition of the executed transformation.

• Leverage the cross‑region view on supplier contract negotiation to optimise conditions for Airbus, aligning regularly with the PYCx teams and the other regional procurement contract managers in other RPOs as required.
• Contribute to maximising efficiency within the overall regional procurement contracts community.
• Ensure proactive management of the relationship with internal business partners, including local commodities, legal support functions and other business units as required.
• Contribute to an environment that drives positive change in mindset and/or culture, aiming for a performance‑oriented organisation based on robust and efficient contract‑management principles continually evolving with a synergistic way of working based on best practices.
• Contribute to the wider procurement contracts transformation initiative.

Education

• Required: A bachelor's degree in business administration, management, legal or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Qualification in contracts. Having a qualification in procurement or supply‑chain management is a plus.

Experience

• Required: 8–10 years of experience in contracts and ideally in procurement or legal fields, preferably in the aviation industry.

Licensure/Certifications

• Project Management Certification is desirable.
• Any quality certifications are desirable.

Knowledge, Skills & Demonstrated Capabilities

• Contract management
• Negotiation
• Ability to work across international boundaries and cultures
• Project management
• Ability and flexibility to absorb new issues
• Attention to detail; ability to be structured and organised
• Highly desirable
  • Knowledge of UAE commercial and contractual law
  • UAE free‑zone contracting expertise
  • Airworthiness‑related items contractual expertise (e.g. contract negotiation of MRO‑related activities)
  • Experience negotiating or sourcing in the Middle East

Communication Skills

• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent people and stakeholder management, including influencing and negotiating skills.
• Ability to adapt communication level and style to interact and manage at all levels including senior leadership in the region.
• Fluency in English, written and verbal, is mandatory.
• Fluency in Arabic and/or French is highly desirable.

Technical Systems Proficiency

• Word (or equivalent), Google Workspace. Knowledge of eProc SAP Click n Buy is a plus.

Decision‑Making Complexity

• Validate procurement contracts prior to their signature by region management up to and including the HO AME RPO, covering combined spends amounting to dozens of millions of dollars.
• Arbitrate between multiple priorities from different internal customers.
• Make contractual decisions with long‑term business impact autonomously.

This job requires awareness of potential compliance risks and a commitment to act with integrity as the foundation for the company’s success, reputation and sustainable growth.

Company

Airbus Africa and Middle East FZE

Employment Type

Permanent

Experience Level

Professional

Job Family

Sourcing, Buying and Ordering

By submitting your CV or application you consent to Airbus using and storing information about you for monitoring purposes relating to your application or future employment. This information will only be used by Airbus. Airbus is committed to achieving workforce diversity and creating an inclusive working environment. We welcome all applications irrespective of social and cultural background, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation or religious belief. Airbus is and always has been committed to equal opportunities for all. As such we will never ask for any type of monetary exchange in the framework of a recruitment process. Any impersonation of Airbus to do so should be reported to the relevant authorities. At Airbus we support you to work, connect and collaborate more easily and flexibly. Wherever possible we foster flexible working arrangements to stimulate innovative thinking.

Required Experience

Manager