Regional Procurement Supervisor

Cognita; Dubai; On-site; AED 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Cognita is a global family of over 90 schools across 21 countries, delivering high-quality education through local autonomy and a strong regional framework. The Regional Procurement Supervisor will optimise procurement across the Middle East, partnering with schools, vendors and internal teams to ensure timely delivery, policy compliance, and robust vendor relationships.

The role emphasizes contract administration, vendor onboarding, compliance, and SLA management to support smooth operations

Qualifications

• Proven procurement or supply chain experience across multiple sites.
• Strong organization, tracking, and multitasking abilities.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Knowledge of UAE procurement regulations and best practices.

Responsibilities

• Manage and process school procurement requests regionally.
• Maintain regional procurement tracker and monitor deliveries.
• Ensure compliance with policies, UAE regulations, and ethics.
• Oversee vendor onboarding, due diligence, contracts, and performance.
• Collaborate with finance, operations, and academics to align goals.
• Establish and monitor SLAs; report on SLA compliance.

Skills

Procurement

Supply chain

Stakeholder mgmt

Vendor relations

ERP systems

Regulatory knowledge

Education

CIPS/CPM certification

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. The successful candidate will support efficient and compliant procurement practices across the region while contributing to the smooth operation of our schools and business units.

Key Responsibilities

ProcurementOperations:

• Manageand process purchase requirements for schools within the region.
• Maintainand update the regional procurement tracker to reflect purchase status.
• Monitortimely delivery of goods and services to schools.
• Ensureall procurement activities comply with company policies, UAE regulations,and ethical standards.
• Overseevendor onboarding, due diligence, contract administration, and performanceevaluation.
• Maintainthe approved vendor list and explore new supply sources.
• Collaboratewith internal stakeholders (finance, operations, academic departments) toalign procurement with organizational goals.
• Participatein purchase order close-out activities and maintain completedocumentation.
• Liaisewith vendors to resolve operational issues and ensure smooth delivery.

Compliance& Documentation

• Coordinatethe collection, verification, and archiving of compliance documents forprocurement transactions and vendor onboarding.
• Conductannual compliance reviews and maintain accurate vendor documentation.
• Maintaincontracts database for all managed vendors.
• Supportinternal and external audits by providing procurement records.
• Ensureadherence to Health, Safety, Environment, and Security (HSES) policies.
• Provideguidance on procurement processes and mitigate operational, financial, andreputational risks.

ServiceLevel Agreements (SLAs)

• Establishand monitor clear SLAs for procurement processes, including requisitionturnaround, vendor onboarding, compliance checks, and delivery schedules.
• Trackprocurement activities against SLAs using ERP systems (e.g., NetSuite) andregional trackers.
• CommunicateSLA expectations and progress to schools, departments, and vendors.
• AddressSLA deviations and implement corrective actions to maintain performancestandards.
• Prepareregular SLA compliance reports for management review.

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
• 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

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced procurement professional to join a growing organisation and play a key role in supporting schools across the Middle East region.

Cognita is committed to safeguarding the welfare of children and young people and expects the same from its employees. All new staff will be subject to detailed and enhanced pre-employment clearance, including identity checks, criminal background checks for all countries lived in, qualification checks, employment checks to include an exploration of any gaps in employment, and satisfactory reference checks for all employment in the last 10 year" s.