Pharmacy Category Manager

I. Position SummaryResponsible for end-to-end procurement and category management for the pharmaceutical and health product segment at Keemart. The scope includes over-the-counter (OTC) medications, prescription drugs (managed in full compliance with regulatory requirements), health and nutritional supplements, personal care products, and medical devices/related supplies.Operating within the regulatory frameworks of the SFDA, MOH, and UAE MOHAP, the role involves building a pharmaceutical supply chain tailored for "on-demand retail." This entails establishing connections with manufacturers and primary distributors, while also supporting the replenishment requirements of "dark stores" (micro-fulfillment centers)—characterized by high-frequency, small-batch orders that demand rapid turnaround times.II. Key Responsibilities1. Category & Sourcing StrategyDevelop a procurement framework for pharmaceutical and health-related categories, with tiered management across segments such as OTC, health supplements, medical devices, personal care, and maternal & infant health.Formulate a tiered supplier strategy:Direct sourcing from manufacturers (pharmaceutical companies or authorized agents).Engagement with primary distributors.Utilization of emergency distribution channels (e.g., replenishment via forward-deployed warehouses).Establish a category ROI model, incorporating metrics such as gross margin, inventory turnover, sell-through rates, out-of-stock rates, and losses due to product expiration.2. Supplier Management & NegotiationExpand and maintain a supplier database compliant with SFDA/MOHAP regulations, including the verification of qualifications, authorization chains, and product registration certificates.Lead RFP/RFQ processes, negotiating terms such as pricing, rebates, payment cycles, return/exchange policies, management of near-expiry stock, and exclusive supply arrangements.Implement a supplier tiering system and define Service Level Agreements (SLAs) covering metrics like On-Time In-Full (OTIF) delivery rates, damage rates, and compliance/contractual breach rates.Manage dual-sourcing or backup supply sources to prevent stockouts (with a particular focus on cold-chain products and items under restricted distribution).