Regional Procurement Supervisor

Cognita Schools; Dubai; On-site; AED 140,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

Cognita Schools is seeking a Regional Procurement Supervisor to lead and optimise procurement across the Middle East, ensuring timely delivery and policy compliance. You will build strong vendor relationships, manage onboarding, contracts, and SLAs, and work closely with schools, finance, and operations to align procurement with regional goals.

The role requires proven procurement or supply chain experience, excellent organisation and communication skills, and the ability to manage multiple

Qualifications

• Proven experience in procurement or supply chain management.
• Strong organisational, tracking, and multitasking skills.
• 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.
• Strong attention to detail and record-keeping.

Responsibilities

• Manage and optimise procurement activities across the Middle East region.
• Coordinate vendor onboarding, compliance, contract administration, and SLAs.
• Maintain procurement trackers and ERP systems for performance.
• Collaborate with schools, vendors, and internal stakeholders.
• Ensure compliance with UAE regulations and HSES policies.

Skills

Procurement experience

Stakeholder management

Organisational skills

Vendor management

Documentation & compliance

Education

Procurement-related qualification (CIPS/CPM)

Tools

NetSuite ERP

Job description

Cognita is a global family of over 90 schools across 21 countries, with more than 100,000 students, 22,000 colleagues, 14 curricula and 9 languages of instruction. Our strength lies in our diversity. There is no single model of a Cognita school because education is inherently local. When families choose a school, they are making a deeply personal and community-based decision, and our schools reflect this. What unites us is a shared ambition to deliver consistently high-quality education, alongside an exceptional experience for students and parents. We define this clearly through group-wide standards that articulate what “great” looks like, while allowing schools the freedom to express their local identity. We have recently launched a new vision and strategic plan. It is ambitious and sets a clear direction for the years ahead.

Job Overview

The Regional Procurement Supervisor will manage and optimise procurement activities across the Middle East region, ensuring the timely delivery of goods and services, compliance with company policies, and the development of strong vendor relationships. Working closely with schools, vendors, and internal stakeholders, the role will oversee procurement operations, vendor onboarding, compliance documentation, contract administration, and service level performance.

Key Responsibilities

Procurement Operations

• 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 all 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 (finance, operations, academic departments) to align procurement with organizational goals.
• Participate in purchase order close-out activities and maintain complete documentation.
• Liaise with vendors to resolve operational issues and ensure smooth delivery.

Compliance & Documentation

• Coordinate the collection, verification, and archiving of compliance documents for procurement transactions and vendor onboarding.
• Conduct annual compliance reviews and maintain accurate vendor documentation.
• Maintain contracts database for all managed vendors.
• Support internal and external audits by providing procurement records.
• Ensure adherence to Health, Safety, Environment, and Security (HSES) policies.
• Provide guidance on procurement processes and mitigate operational, financial, and reputational risks.

Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

• Establish and monitor clear SLAs for procurement processes, including requisition turnaround, vendor onboarding, compliance checks, and delivery schedules.
• Track procurement activities against SLAs using ERP systems (e.g., NetSuite) and regional trackers.
• Communicate SLA expectations and progress to schools, departments, and vendors.
• Address SLA deviations and implement corrective actions to maintain performance standards.
• Prepare regular SLA compliance reports for management review.

Essential: What We're Looking For

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

Desirable

• Professional qualification in Procurement, Supply Chain, or Business Administration (e.g. CIPS, CPM, or equivalent).
• Experience using ERP systems, ideally NetSuite.
• Experience supporting procurement activities across multiple sites or regions.
• Knowledge of UAE procurement regulations and best practices.
• Experience monitoring service level agreements (SLAs) and supplier performance.