Senior Sourcing Manager - IT/Technology Category

About the role

The Senior Sourcing Manager acts as the interface with stakeholders, delivering both their service requirements and those of Procurement. The role leads and manages high-spend and crucial category sourcing activities in a timely, cost-effective way, meeting group standards and department objectives. It covers the IT/technology category, including software licensing, cloud contracts, outsourcing and hardware.

Key responsibilities

• Drive strategic category sourcing, including risk analysis and mitigation, and coordinate activities to achieve the lowest total cost of acquisition while meeting quality and timeline expectations.
• Build relationships with internal stakeholders, clarify and negotiate scope of work, and communicate procurement strategies and policies.
• Ensure full compliance of sourcing activities with internal policies and procedures.
• Create and run RFIs, RFPs and RFQs on the corporate e-sourcing platform, and prepare detailed pre-negotiation plans, negotiations and post-negotiation follow-up.
• Build cost models and purchase price analyses, then negotiate best cost, terms and conditions with shortlisted vendors.
• Prepare and implement supplier contracts, evaluate terms with Legal and the business unit, and monitor supplier performance with quarterly vendor reviews.
• Analyze procurement spend, supplier and supply markets, and set up external benchmarking and gap analysis.
• Manage and coach sourcing specialists and procurement executives, allocate projects and ensure compliance with Group procurement processes.

Required profile

• Graduate in any discipline, preferably Finance or Engineering; MBA preferred.
• Minimum 7 years' experience in a similar role within a procurement function.
• Experience in the UAE and in a centralized procurement model preferred.
• Proven people management experience, including direct management of sourcing specialists and analysts.

Required skills

• Detailed technical understanding of the assigned commodity, including software licensing and SaaS models, cloud/hyperscaler contracts (AWS, Azure, GCP), IT outsourcing, hardware and telecom services, and cybersecurity clauses.
• Strong project management, negotiation, analytical and market-understanding skills.
• Direct experience managing the IT/technology category.
• ERP experience is a must, preferably Oracle or JD Edwards; SAP Ariba sourcing is desired.