Head of Procurement

Job Summary:

We are looking for a highly experienced Head of Procurement to lead and strengthen the procurement function of a growing organization in the energy, petroleum, and infrastructure sector.

This role will oversee end-to-end procurement across petroleum product sourcing, CAPEX, OPEX, logistics and haulage contracts, IT and technology, professional services, and corporate goods and services. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing procurement strategies, driving cost savings, managing supplier performance, strengthening governance, and ensuring all procurement activities are compliant, ethical, and aligned with business objectives.

This is a senior leadership role suited for a strategic procurement professional with strong commercial acumen, solid experience in regulated or asset-heavy industries, and the ability to lead procurement transformation across the organization.

Key Responsibilities:

Procurement Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and implement procurement strategies aligned with the company's operational, financial, and business goals.
• Lead the transformation of procurement from a transactional function into a strategic business partner.
• Establish procurement policies, processes, category management frameworks, supplier management standards, and governance controls.
• Work closely with Operations, Finance, Legal, Engineering, and other key business units to ensure effective procurement planning and execution.
• Present procurement performance, savings initiatives, risks, and recommendations to senior leadership.

Strategic Sourcing & Category Management

• Oversee procurement across major categories, including petroleum products, capital equipment, logistics, MRO, facilities, IT, professional services, marketing materials, and corporate services.
• Lead sourcing activities such as RFPs, RFQs, supplier evaluations, bid analysis, negotiations, and contract awards.
• Develop category strategies that improve cost efficiency, supply reliability, service quality, and business continuity.
• Establish long-term supply agreements and framework contracts for high-value and high-volume procurement categories.
• Track market trends, supplier developments, price movements, and regulatory changes that may impact procurement decisions.

Petroleum Product & Supply Procurement

• Lead or support procurement activities related to petroleum product sourcing, domestic supply agreements, import sourcing, product exchanges, and spot or term procurement.
• Maintain market intelligence on petroleum pricing, including relevant benchmarks, freight rates, and foreign exchange considerations.
• Coordinate with Finance on foreign exchange exposure, hedging considerations, and import-related procurement requirements.
• Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory requirements, quality documentation, and product standards.
• Identify alternative sources of supply to reduce risk and improve cost competitiveness.

CAPEX & Technical Procurement

• Lead procurement for capital expenditure projects, including terminal equipment, station infrastructure, fuel dispensers, storage tanks, tanker trucks, loading systems, pipeline equipment, and other technical assets.
• Collaborate with Engineering and Operations to ensure technical specifications are properly defined and aligned with project requirements.
• Manage local and international sourcing for technical equipment, including supplier qualification, commercial evaluation, and contract negotiation.
• Oversee the procurement lifecycle from sourcing and bidding to delivery, acceptance testing, warranty management, and supplier performance monitoring.
• Ensure equipment and project-related purchases are delivered on time, within budget, and according to required specifications.

Supplier Management & Vendor Accreditation

• Build and manage a vendor accreditation system across procurement categories.
• Assess suppliers based on capability, financial stability, compliance, safety standards, service quality, and ethical conduct.
• Implement supplier performance scorecards and conduct regular business reviews.
• Develop strategic supplier partnerships for critical categories to support innovation, supply security, and long-term value.
• Manage supplier performance issues, corrective actions, and dispute resolution in coordination with relevant teams.

Contract Management & Governance

• Oversee the full contract management lifecycle, including contract review, negotiation, execution, renewal, performance monitoring, and close-out.
• Work closely with Legal to develop and maintain procurement contract templates, service agreements, supply agreements, framework agreements, and purchase terms.
• Negotiate key commercial terms, including pricing, payment terms, delivery conditions, warranties, penalties, termination rights, and dispute resolution.
• Maintain proper contract records, expiry tracking, and procurement documentation.
• Ensure compliance with procurement policies, authority limits, audit requirements, and anti-bribery and anti-corruption standards.

Procurement Systems & Process Improvement

• Lead the improvement and digitalization of procurement processes, systems, and reporting tools.
• Oversee or support the use of ERP procurement modules, e-procurement platforms, contract management systems, and spend analytics tools.
• Build spend visibility through dashboards, category reports, savings tracking, and supplier performance reporting.
• Improve procure-to-pay processes in coordination with Finance, Operations, Supply Chain, and other stakeholders.
• Recommend technology solutions that improve procurement efficiency, transparency, and compliance.

People Leadership

• Lead, develop, and mentor the procurement team, including category managers, sourcing specialists, contract administrators, and supplier relationship professionals.
• Define team roles, responsibilities, performance expectations, and development plans.
• Promote a culture of accountability, integrity, commercial excellence, and continuous improvement.
• Support the professional development of team members through training and relevant procurement certifications.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, or a related field.
• MBA or Master's degree in Supply Chain Management is an advantage.
• Professional certification such as CIPS, CPPO, CPPM, CSCP, or equivalent is highly preferred.
• At least 12–18 years of progressive procurement and supply chain experience.
• Minimum of 5–7 years in a senior procurement leadership role, such as Head of Procurement, Procurement Director, Supply Chain Director, or similar.
• Experience in energy, petroleum, power utility, manufacturing, infrastructure, logistics, or other regulated and asset-heavy industries is strongly preferred.
• Strong background in strategic sourcing, category management, contract management, supplier management, and procurement governance.
• Experience handling high-value procurement categories such as petroleum products, industrial equipment, CAPEX projects, logistics and haulage, MRO, IT, professional services, and corporate services.
• Proven track record in delivering cost savings, cost avoidance, process improvements, and supplier performance improvements.
• Strong understanding of procurement compliance, audit trails, anti-bribery and anti-corruption standards, and conflict-of-interest management.
• Proficient in ERP procurement modules, e-procurement systems, spend analytics tools, and contract management platforms.
• Strong financial acumen, including total cost of ownership, CAPEX vs. OPEX analysis, working capital impact, foreign exchange considerations, and budget management.
• Excellent negotiation, stakeholder management, leadership, and executive communication skills.

Nice-to-Have:

• Experience leading procurement transformation or building a procurement function.
• Background in petroleum product sourcing, import sourcing, technical equipment procurement, or infrastructure-related procurement.
• Knowledge of petroleum pricing benchmarks, foreign exchange exposure, and regulatory requirements related to petroleum procurement.
• Experience with SAP MM/SRM or similar procurement systems.
• Exposure to sustainable procurement, supplier ESG screening, and responsible sourcing practices.
• Ability to work with senior leaders and cross-functional teams in a complex business environment.
• High level of integrity, sound judgment, and professionalism in managing supplier relationships and procurement decisions.

Compensation:

• Competitive executive compensation package
• Final offer will depend on experience, qualifications, and overall fit for the role.