Regional Procurement Lead - Middle East

Cognita; United Arab Emirates; On-site; AED 300,000 - 540,000; Full time

Job summary

Cognita, a global network of schools, seeks a Regional Procurement Supervisor to lead procurement activities across the Middle East. You will manage school purchases, oversee vendor onboarding and compliance, and ensure timely delivery of goods and services while aligning with corporate policies.

You will coordinate with finance, operations, and academic teams, maintain vendor records, and drive SLA performance using NetSuite.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in procurement or supply chain management.
• Strong organisational and multitasking abilities.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities.
• Experience managing vendor relationships and procurement processes.
• Familiarity with compliance documentation and contract administration.

Responsibilities

• Manage and process purchase requirements for schools within the region.
• Maintain and update the regional procurement tracker to reflect purchase status.
• Monitor timely delivery of goods and services to schools.
• Ensure procurement activities comply with company policies, UAE regulations, and ethical standards.
• Oversee vendor onboarding, due diligence, contract administration, and performance evaluation.
• Maintain the approved vendor list and explore new supply sources.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to align procurement with organizational goals.
• Participate in PO close-out activities and maintain documentation.
• Liaise with vendors to resolve operational issues and ensure smooth delivery.
• Coordinate collection, verification, and archiving of compliance documents for procurement transactions and vendor onboarding.
• Conduct annual compliance reviews and maintain vendor documentation.
• Maintain contracts database for all managed vendors.
• Support audits by providing procurement records.
• Ensure adherence to HSES policies.
• Provide guidance on procurement processes and mitigate risks.
• Establish and monitor SLAs for procurement processes.
• Track procurement activities against SLAs using ERP systems and regional trackers.
• Communicate SLA expectations and progress to schools, departments, and vendors.
• Address SLA deviations and implement corrective actions.
• Prepare regular SLA compliance reports for management.

Skills

Procurement experience

Vendor management

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Independent worker

Education

Procurement/Supply Chain degree

CIPS/CPM certification

Tools

NetSuite

Job description

Cognita, a global network of schools, seeks a Regional Procurement Supervisor to lead procurement activities across the Middle East. You will manage school purchases, oversee vendor onboarding and compliance, and ensure timely delivery of goods and services while aligning with corporate policies.

You will coordinate with finance, operations, and academic teams, maintain vendor records, and drive SLA performance using NetSuite.