Buying Specialist Region IMEEA

Role purpose

Portfolio procurement and sourcing

• Establish the annual portfolio budget and deliver value through sourcing and optimization initiatives.
• Analyze spend, identify cost drivers, research markets and trends, and incorporate risks and opportunities into category strategies.
• Develop should-cost, supplier-offer, and total-cost/value models to identify savings and optimization opportunities.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to understand requirements and develop sourcing strategies.
• Advise line management on market conditions and cost-optimal asset deployment in line with contracts.
• Lead supplier and stakeholder idea-generation workshops and drive initiatives to results.

Supplier and contract management

• Develop relationships with incumbent and potential suppliers; conduct negotiations under group purchasing processes and the six-step sourcing methodology.
• Negotiate contracts, pricing, and SLAs, and work with operations on agreements, contract clauses, and vendor accountability.
• Monitor contractual value and supplier performance, report deviations, and take appropriate action.
• Own portfolio costs, performance, supplier relationships, systems, compliance, documentation, communications, and stakeholder mapping.
• Develop category playbooks, supplier relationship programs, supplier performance measures, and scorecards; support local and global initiatives and standards.
• Provide input to wider procurement strategy and deliver work on time in a fast-paced environment.

Profile and qualifications

• 7–10 years in procurement, operations, or commercial work in container terminals, ports, shipping, or logistics is preferred.
• Expert spoken and written English communication skills; French or Arabic is an advantage.
• Strong knowledge of ports and terminals operations and liner shipping operations.
• Experience in negotiations, category management, and supplier relationship management.
• Project management capability; able to manage ambiguity in a dynamic, complex environment.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills; able to build models and draw insights from large datasets.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication, including influencing without authority and conflict resolution.
• Finance knowledge for interpreting P&L accounts and company financial statements; legal knowledge related to commercial contracts and concessions.
• Attention to detail, data-based decision-making, proactive and structured approach, and creativity.
• Strong Microsoft Office skills, especially Excel and PowerPoint; Power BI or Excel dashboard knowledge is an advantage.
• Ability to travel internationally in line with business requirements.