Head of Procurement

Head of Procurement Position SummaryThe Head of Procurement will lead and manage procurement activities across the organisation’s real estate development and construction portfolio, ensuring projects are supported by effective sourcing, tendering, contractor selection and commercial negotiation.The role will be responsible for managing the end-to-end procurement lifecycle across construction works, consultants, contractors, materials and associated services, ensuring the organisation achieves the right balance of cost, quality, programme and commercial value.Working closely with Development, Projects, Commercial, Finance and Legal teams, the Head of Procurement will manage procurement plans, lead major tenders and negotiations, develop strong contractor and supplier relationships, and ensure procurement activities are delivered in accordance with established policies, governance and business requirements.Key ResponsibilitiesProcurement Management & PlanningManage the procurement function and ensure procurement activities support the organisation’s real estate development and construction objectives.Develop and maintain procurement plans aligned with project programmes, budgets and delivery milestones.Work closely with Development, Projects, Commercial and other stakeholders to understand upcoming procurement requirements and priorities.Implement effective procurement processes covering sourcing, tendering, evaluation, negotiation, contracting and supplier management.Monitor procurement performance against agreed KPIs, project requirements and business objectives.Identify opportunities to improve procurement efficiency, reduce costs and enhance commercial outcomes.Support the continuous improvement of procurement policies, systems and procedures.Real Estate & Construction ProcurementLead procurement activities across real estate development, construction and capital projects.Manage the procurement of main contractors, subcontractors, consultants, professional services, construction materials, equipment and specialist packages.Work closely with project teams to establish appropriate procurement and tendering strategies for individual developments and construction packages.Manage procurement programmes to ensure tendering and contract awards are completed in line with project schedules.Maintain a strong understanding of the UAE construction and real estate market, including contractor capabilities, pricing trends and supply-chain conditions.Identify potential procurement and supply-chain risks that could impact project cost, quality or delivery.Tendering & Contractor SelectionManage the end-to-end tendering process including prequalification, RFQs, RFPs, tender issuance, evaluation, clarification, negotiation and recommendation for award.Manage contractor, consultant and supplier prequalification processes.Coordinate technical and commercial evaluations with relevant project stakeholders.Ensure tender processes are competitive, transparent and compliant with internal procurement requirements.Prepare procurement recommendations and supporting documentation for management approval.Maintain appropriate approved contractor and supplier databases.Commercial Negotiation & Cost ManagementLead commercial negotiations with contractors, consultants and suppliers to achieve competitive pricing and contractual terms.Review commercial proposals and challenge costs where appropriate.Identify opportunities for cost optimisation and value engineering in collaboration with project and commercial teams.Support negotiations relating to contract terms, variations and other commercial matters.Monitor procurement expenditure and commitments against approved budgets.Provide market intelligence and benchmarking to support commercial decision-making.Contractor & Supplier ManagementDevelop and maintain strong relationships with key contractors, consultants, suppliers and service providers.Monitor contractor and supplier performance across cost, quality, delivery, service and compliance.Conduct regular supplier and contractor performance reviews with relevant stakeholders.Address performance issues and support the resolution of procurement-related supplier disputes.Identify opportunities to improve supplier performance and develop strategic relationships with key partners.Maintain and regularly review preferred and approved supplier lists.Contract ManagementWork closely with Legal, Commercial and Project teams to ensure appropriate contracts are established following procurement awards.Review procurement-related commercial terms and contractual requirements.Ensure contractual documentation reflects agreed commercial terms and procurement outcomes.Support the management of contractor and supplier variations, claims and disputes where required.Ensure contracts and procurement awards comply with internal approval and delegation-of-authority requirements.Governance & ComplianceEnsure procurement activities comply with approved policies, procedures and governance requirements.Maintain appropriate documentation and approval records throughout the procurement process.Ensure procurement activities are conducted transparently and consistently.Support procurement audits and address any identified compliance or process gaps.Ensure relevant UAE regulatory, safety, quality and environmental requirements are considered throughout procurement activities.Stakeholder ManagementBuild strong working relationships with Development, Projects, Commercial, Engineering, Finance, Legal and other internal stakeholders.Act as the primary procurement point of contact for assigned development and construction projects.Work with project stakeholders to understand requirements and ensure procurement activities are delivered within agreed timelines.Develop strong external relationships with contractors, consultants, suppliers and other relevant market participants.Provide regular procurement updates, reporting and recommendations to senior management.Team ManagementManage and develop the procurement team, setting clear objectives and priorities.Allocate procurement activities across the team based on project requirements and workload.Provide coaching and guidance to team members across tendering, negotiation, supplier management and procurement processes.Monitor team performance and support the development of procurement capability.Promote a collaborative, commercially focused and high-performance working environment.Qualifications & ExperienceEducationBachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Engineering, Quantity Surveying, Construction Management or a related discipline.Professional procurement certification such as CIPS or equivalent.Experience15+ years of procurement experience, with significant exposure to the real estate development and/or construction sector.Experience managing procurement activities for real estate developments, construction projects or major capital projects.Strong experience procuring main contractors, consultants, construction packages, materials and project-related services.Demonstrable experience managing competitive tenders from prequalification through to contract award.Strong commercial negotiation experience with contractors, consultants and suppliers.Good understanding of the UAE real estate, construction and contracting market.Experience in contractor and supplier prequalification, evaluation and performance management.Good understanding of construction contracts, commercial terms, variations and procurement risk.Previous experience managing or supervising a procurement team.Experience gained within a real estate developer, property organisation, construction company or major project-led environment is highly desirable.Key Skills & CompetenciesReal estate and construction procurementTender and RFP managementContractor and consultant procurementCommercial negotiationSupplier and contractor managementContract managementCost optimisation and value engineeringProcurement planningProcurement governance and complianceStrong understanding of the UAE construction marketCommercial and financial awarenessStakeholder managementAnalytical and problem-solving skillsTeam leadershipStrong communication and negotiation skillsAbility to manage multiple procurement activities and project deadlines simultaneouslyLanguage RequirementsFluent English is essential.Arabic language capability is highly preferred.