Head of Procurement

Procurement Strategy and Delivery PlanningSupport Director of Operations in translating corporate and delivery requirements into sourcing strategies aligned with development timelines, operational requirements, approved budgets, and stakeholder expectationsPartner closely with Account Leads and other operational departments to understand requirements and ensure procurement activities support overall project delivery objectivesLead planning of procurement activities required to establish Account projects, covering design, construction, fit out, technology, operations, staffing support services, curriculum providers, and specialist educational requirementsContribute to development of scalable procurement approaches that can support multiple across different stages of design, build, launch, and operationsAct as primary procurement liaison between Account and Central Procurement, ensuring procurement activities align with enterprise policies, governance requirements, delegated authorities, and approved processesProcurement Execution and Supplier ManagementLead end-to-end procurement processes, incl. market engagement, procurement documentation, sourcing, due diligence, tendering, evaluation, negotiation, contract award, and supplier onboardingMonitor supplier performance and contract compliance, identifying risks, issues, and opportunities for improvement and escalating significant matters through appropriate governance channelsProactively manage contract management and administration, ensuring contractual obligations, deliverables, payments, and renewals/terminations are effectively managed and communicated throughout contract lifecycleManage strategic supplier relationships, promoting high standards of quality, service delivery, responsiveness, and value for moneyCoordinate procurement dependencies across multiple workstreams to help maintain delivery schedules and operational readiness milestonesTechnology-Enabled Procurement EnhancementSupport continuous improvement initiatives that strengthen procurement capability, processes, and stakeholder experience across portfolioContribute to development of procurement policies and procedures, reporting, dashboards, and management information to support leadership oversight and decision-makingLeverage market intelligence, supplier insights, and spend analysis to identify opportunities for operational improvement and enhanced value engineeringPromote use of digital procurement platforms, data analytics, and AI-enabled tools to improve procurement effectiveness and decision-makingQualificationsBachelor’s Degree (B.A.) or equivalent in Business Administration or a relevant disciplineMaster’s degree in a relevant discipline preferredExperience10+ years of progressive work experience in procurement, of which a minimum 4 years were spent in a Senior Manager role or higherMinimum of 5 years of experience working in procurement in the UAEDemonstrated experience supporting operational readiness and launch of complex entities (e.g., schools, healthcare, large facilities, or multi-site operations)Experience managing multi-stakeholder environments, incl. external and internalCIPS certified or working towards certificationPreferredExperience working in or with government entities and public sector organizations preferredExperience working in high-quality K-12 school environments preferred