Senior Sourcing Manager

Independent Food Company; Dubai; On-site; AED 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food industry firm is seeking a Strategic Sourcing Manager to optimize supply chain processes. The ideal candidate will manage sourcing strategies for raw materials and collaborate with various teams for procurement. Candidates should possess 7-10 years of sourcing experience in food or FMCG, alongside strong negotiation and communication skills. This role is essential for cost management and supplier innovation.

Qualifications

• 7-10 years of experience in strategic sourcing within the food industry or FMCG sector.
• Proven track record in supplier negotiation and cost management.
• Familiarity with food safety standards like HACCP, BRC, SQF.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement strategic sourcing plans.
• Conduct market analysis to identify sourcing opportunities.
• Lead supplier negotiations and maintain supplier relationships.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams and monitor supplier performance.
• Drive cost reduction initiatives and present reports on sourcing activities.

Skills

Negotiation skills

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management or related field

Tools

ERP tools (Ariba, Oracle)

Procurement software

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Job Overview / Summary:

The Strategic Sourcing Manager will be responsible for developing and executing sourcing strategies to optimize the supply chain for raw materials, ingredients, packaging, and services within the food industry. This role requires a strong understanding of the food sector, supplier markets, cost drivers, and quality standards. The manager will collaborate cross-functionally to ensure cost-effective procurement, risk mitigation, and supplier innovation aligned with company goals.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement strategic sourcing plans for key categories including raw materials, commodities, ingredients, packaging, and indirect materials, with cost reduction and cash release targets.

• Conduct market analysis and supplier research to identify sourcing opportunities, risks, and innovations in the food supply chain.

• Lead supplier negotiations to secure favorable terms, including pricing, quality, delivery, and sustainability commitments.

• Establish and maintain strong relationships with existing strategic suppliers to ensure continuity and improvement.

• Collaborate with Quality Assurance & Control teams, Operations, Chefs, and Regulatory teams to align sourcing strategies with product specifications, compliance requirements and market constraints.

• Monitor supplier performance & relationship using KPIs and implement corrective actions where necessary.

• Drive cost reduction initiatives and value engineering projects without compromising quality and safety standards.

• Prepare and present regular reports on sourcing activities, savings, and market trends to higher management.

• Develop suppliers’ innovation capabilities across the region – work on regionalizing our supply base

• Support sustainability and corporate social responsibility goals by integrating environmentally responsible sourcing practices.

• Keep up to date with food industry trends, regulations, and innovations impacting sourcing decisions.

• Contribute to INDPT employee development & engagement through on boarding them in all transformational projects and breakthrough process

• Led Procurement Business Continuity Process across key countries like the U.A.E and K.S.A

OTHER DUTIES

Regular attendance in conformance with the standards which may be established by the company from time to time is essential to the successful performance of this position.

Due to the cyclical nature of the hospitality industry, employees may be required to work varying schedules to reflect the business needs of the organization.

QUALIFICATIONS

TECHNICAL SKILLS:

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, Business Administration, Food Science, or related field.

• Minimum 7-10 years of experience in strategic sourcing or procurement within the food industry and / or more generally within the FMCG sector.

• Strong knowledge of food ingredients, raw materials sourcing, packaging, and related supply markets.

• Proven track record in supplier negotiation, cost management, and contract development.

• Familiarity with food safety standards (e.g., HACCP, BRC, SQF) and regulatory compliance are an advantage.

• Proficient in procurement software and Microsoft Office Suite.

• Proficient in ERP (Ariba, Oracle,….) and e-procurement tools

• Language: Perfect English, additional language is a plus

SOFT SKILLS:

• Excellent analytical, communication, and project management skills.

• Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams.

• Drive For Results

• Strategic Agility

• Business Acumen

• Comfort around Higher Management

• Dealing with Ambiguity

• Motivating others