RLS - Head of Procurement and Contracts

Tanqeeb; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 450,000 - 650,000; Full time

Job summary

Rashid and Latifa Schools Establishment seeks a seasoned Procurement Leader to oversee RLSE procurement governance, supplier management and contract administration, ensuring value for money and compliance with budgets.

You will coordinate across academic, operational, facilities and finance teams, lead tender processes, monitor performance, and drive continuous improvement while safeguarding ethics and service continuity.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field is required.
• 6–8 years of procurement/sourcing experience.
• Experience in a supervisory or team lead role is preferred.
• Master’s degree or professional certification in procurement/supply chain is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Implement, maintain and improve RLSE’s procurement procedures and governance.
• Coordinate procurement planning across academic, operational, facilities, technology and corporate requirements.
• Provide procurement advice to leadership, budget owners and internal stakeholders on sourcing options and contract obligations.
• Establish transparent tendering, quotation, evaluation and award processes to ensure fairness and compliance.
• Lead supplier evaluation, due diligence and performance management including SLAs and KPIs.
• Coordinate with Finance for budget availability, cost control and reporting.
• Develop procurement dashboards and spend analysis for leadership decisions.
• Perform related duties as assigned by the Director of Organizational Enablement.

Skills

Procurement governance

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree preferred

Job description

Job description

About Rashid and Latifa Schools Establishment:

Established under Law No. (11) of 2022, Rashid and Latifa Schools (RLS) is a unified educational institution that brings together Latifa School for Girls (founded in 1982) and Rashid School for Boys (founded in 1986). Both schools were originally created by Royal Decree of the late Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, with the vision of delivering world-class education to Emiratis and expatriates alike. As two of Dubai’s oldest and most prestigious schools, RLS has educated generations of leaders and influential figures, including His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Media Council, Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Women’s Establishment, and Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture. Today, RLS continues this legacy as a modern, integrated institution, dedicated to nurturing excellence and preparing future generations of leaders.

A. Leadership and Strategic Responsibilities

• Implement, maintain and improve RLSE’s procurement procedures, sourcing model, supplier governance practices and contract management controls in alignment with organizational priorities and approved policies.
• Coordinate procurement planning across academic, operational, facilities, technology and corporate requirements to support timely sourcing, budget alignment, value for money and service continuity.
• Provide procurement advice to leadership, budget owners and internal stakeholders on sourcing options, supplier risks, commercial considerations, contract obligations and compliance requirements.
• Establish transparent tendering, quotation, evaluation, award and single-source processes that support fairness, accountability, documentation quality and appropriate segregation of duties.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal stakeholders, suppliers, contractors, consultants, auditors, legal advisors and government-related entities to support effective delivery of RLSE requirements.
• Promote a culture of ethical procurement, compliance, value creation, cost consciousness, supplier accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement across RLSE.

B. Specialised / Technical Responsibilities

• Oversee end-to-end procurement activities, including needs analysis, market research, supplier prequalification, RFQs/RFPs, tender documentation, bid receipt, evaluation coordination, award recommendations and purchase-order governance.
• Ensure procurement activities are conducted in accordance with RLSE procurement policies, approved budgets, authority matrix, delegated approvals, audit requirements and applicable government procurement expectations.
• Lead supplier evaluation, due diligence and performance management processes, including quality, cost, delivery, compliance, safeguarding, health and safety, service levels and contract deliverables.
• Coordinate with Finance to ensure budget availability, cost control, payment alignment, purchase requisition accuracy, commitment tracking and procurement reporting.
• Coordinate with Operations, Facilities, Digital Transformation, academic departments and school leadership to plan procurement timelines and minimize disruption to teaching, learning and operational services.
• Oversee contract administration activities, including contract registers, renewal timelines, warranty obligations, service-level tracking, variation documentation, supplier correspondence and escalation of contractual risks.
• Support negotiation of commercial terms, pricing, delivery schedules, service levels, warranties, penalties and contractual protections in coordination with Finance, Legal and relevant business owners.
• Maintain accurate procurement records, tender files, evaluation reports, approvals, supplier documentation, purchase orders, contract records and audit evidence.
• Identify procurement risks, conflicts of interest, supplier dependency, single-source concerns, delivery delays, cost variances and policy deviations, and ensure escalation matters with recommended mitigation actions.
• Develop procurement KPIs, dashboards, spend analysis, savings tracking, supplier performance reports and compliance updates for leadership review and decision-making.
• Lead procurement process improvement initiatives, including standard templates, service-level agreements, automation opportunities, vendor database improvements and stakeholder guidance materials.
• Perform any other related duties assigned by the Director of Organizational Enablement in line with RLSE’s strategies, priorities and approved procurement requirements.

C. WTW Leveling Inputs Reflected in the Role

• Know-how / Skills: Requires strong professional knowledge of sourcing, procurement governance, supplier management, contract administration, commercial analysis, negotiation support, budget coordination and stakeholder advisory.
• Problem solving / Complexity: Requires judgement in varied procurement matters involving stakeholder priorities, supplier risks, budget constraints, compliance requirements, audit expectations and service continuity considerations.
• Accountability / Impact: Accountable for assigned procurement governance activities, value-for-money support, supplier performance follow-up, contract administration, risk escalation and enabling timely delivery of goods and services across RLSE.

Qualifications

• 1- Bachelor’s degree in Procurement, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Finance, Commerce, Contract Management, Operations Management or a related field.
• 6–8 years of relevant experience in procurement, sourcing, contracts, supplier management or supply chain, including at least 2 years in a supervisory or team lead role, preferably within education, government, semi-government or a comparable institutional sector.
• 2- Master’s degree in a relevant field or professional certification in procurement, supply chain, contracts or project management is preferred.
• 5–7 years of relevant experience, including supervisory, team lead or senior specialist experience, where higher academic or professional qualifications are held.