Specialist - Procurement Inflight & Catering

Main Objective Of Role

Key Responsibilities

• Manages the full procurement lifecycle for inflight catering and related operational services including sourcing, tendering, evaluation, negotiation, award, implementation, and contract management to achieve cost efficiency, service quality, and operational continuity.
• Supports new route launches, network expansion, and operational changes by sourcing suitable catering solutions within required timelines.
• Monitors all incoming documentation related to contract performance and ensure all procurement and contractual actions comply with flydubai policies, aviation regulations, and applicable government requirements.
• Ensures all contracts, purchase orders, and award documentation are prepared accurately and issued on time to avoid operational disruption or delayed implementation.
• Negotiates commercial terms, pricing structures, service level agreements (SLAs), rebates, penalties, escalation clauses, and operational KPIs with suppliers to achieve best value for the company.
• Drives continuous improvement initiatives with suppliers to enhance service quality, food presentation, innovation, sustainability, and passenger experience.
• Maintain strong Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) practices with strategic and operational vendors across the network, ensuring effective management of supplier performance and contract compliance to support consistent service delivery, regulatory adherence, and uninterrupted availability of catering products and services.
• Develops contingency and backup supplier strategies to minimize operational risk and ensure business continuity during disruptions.
• Coordinate regular business reviews with caterers and suppliers to address performance gaps, monitor supplier performance and contract compliance, and implement corrective action plans.
• Monitors supplier capacity, operational readiness, and service continuity during peak operations, disruptions, and irregular operations.
• Guides and supports the procurement team in preparing comprehensive commercial and financial evaluations of supplier proposals for management approval and conducts spend analysis, budgeting support, cost modeling, savings tracking, and financial reporting across the inflight catering portfolio.
• Identifies and implements cost optimization opportunities while maintaining required product and service standards and supports invoice dispute resolution, pricing validation, and commercial reconciliation with suppliers and Finance teams.
• Acts as a key procurement focal point for inflight-related operational issues and supplier escalations.
• Coordinates closely with Inflight Services, Catering Operations, Finance, Quality Assurance, Legal, Flight Operations, Supply Chain, and external suppliers to ensure uninterrupted delivery of catering products and services while achieving commercial savings, service excellence, and operational efficiency in line with industry benchmarks.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree (3+ years)
• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Procurement, Business Administration, Hospitality Management.
• Fluent in English (other languages an advantage)
• Minimum 4 years of procurement experience, preferably within Airline inflight catering, Aviation services, Hospitality procurement, Food & Beverage sourcing.
• Years with qualifications: 7 - 9 years
• Procurement/Supply Chain Certification (CIPS or similar)

Competencies

• Customer Focus
• Teamwork
• Effective Communication
• Personal Accountability & Commitment to achieve
• Resilience & Flexibility (Can do attitude)
• Decision Making

• Inspiring & Developing Others

• Strategic Thinking
• Business Acumen

Isr Requirements