IT & Research Procurement Lead

King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM); Saudi Arabia; On-site; SAR 180,000 - 360,000; Full time

Job summary

King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) in Saudi Arabia seeks an experienced procurement professional to translate IT & Research category strategy into prioritized sourcing plans, forecasts and pipelines aligned with budgets and timelines.

The role oversees category buyers, ensures governance, and coordinates with IT, research and academic stakeholders, while driving continuous improvement and data governance in Oracle Fusion.

Qualifications

• Academic qualifications include a Bachelor's degree in Procurement, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Engineering, or equivalent.
• CIPS / CSCP certification is a plus.
• Professional Experience 5–8 years in Category Management, Strategic Sourcing, or Procurement.
• Experience procuring IT, technology, research & laboratory equipment and consumables, software, or related categories.
• Experience supervising, coaching or providing quality oversight to procurement staff is advantageous.
• Prior experience in University, Government, or large institutional procurement environments is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Translate the IT & Research category strategy into prioritised sourcing plans, demand forecasts and activity pipelines aligned with approved budgets, project timelines and stakeholder requirements.
• Maintain category intelligence on demand, supply markets, technology trends, vendor capability, risk and total cost of ownership; identify opportunities to standardise specifications, aggregate demand and improve value.
• Supervise end-to-end sourcing activities undertaken by Category Buyers, including PR review, sourcing route selection, pre-qualification, RFx development, bidder management, commercial evaluation, negotiation, award recommendation and purchase order or contract handover.
• Review sourcing packs for completeness, commercial robustness, procedural compliance and appropriate approvals before submission to the relevant governance forum.
• Allocate work, set priorities and coach Category Buyers to ensure responsive service, consistent quality, accurate records and adherence to agreed SLAs.
• Review workload, cycle time, sourcing pipeline and exceptions; resolve operational issues and escalate capacity, commercial or control risks to the Director.
• Act as the operational procurement partner to IT, research, academic and technical stakeholders, clarifying requirements, timelines, specifications and evaluation approaches.
• Coordinate with Vendor Management and Contract Management on supplier eligibility, performance information, contractual risks and post-award handover.
• Maintain accurate sourcing, pipeline, savings and compliance data in Oracle and approved trackers; provide timely category performance updates to the Director.
• Identify and implement practical improvements to sourcing tools, templates, work practices and stakeholder engagement.

Skills

Category Strategy Deployment

Strategic Sourcing

Commercial Negotiation

Technology and Research Procurement

Demand Forecasting

Team Supervision

Stakeholder Collaboration

Supplier Performance Management

Documentation & Governance

Analytical Skills

Attention to Detail

Oracle Fusion

Education

Bachelor's degree in Procurement, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Engineering, or equivalent

Tools

Oracle Fusion

Job description

King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) in Saudi Arabia seeks an experienced procurement professional to translate IT & Research category strategy into prioritized sourcing plans, forecasts and pipelines aligned with budgets and timelines.

The role oversees category buyers, ensures governance, and coordinates with IT, research and academic stakeholders, while driving continuous improvement and data governance in Oracle Fusion.