Purchasing & Contracts Manager

The Purchasing & Contracts Manager is responsible for leading MBZUAI’s university-wide procurement and contracting activities spanning technology, research, academic, and operational categories ensuring all goods, services, and works are sourced ethically, efficiently, and in full compliance with institutional and UAE public procurement standards. This role blends strategic category management, digital sourcing, and stakeholder partnership, delivering best value for money, technical quality, and service responsiveness. It also plays a central role in supporting MBZUAI’s digital and research ecosystem through technology and AI-related procurement, while maintaining robust oversight of all general purchasing activities. The Manager drives continuous improvement, supplier performance, and process transparency positioning procurement as a strategic enabler of innovation, academic excellence, and operational efficiency across the university.

Key Responsibilities

Procurement Leadership and Governance

• Lead the annual procurement planning process in coordination with Finance and all academic, research, and administrative units, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities.
• Oversee sourcing activities in full compliance with MBZUAI’s Procurement Policy, Delegation of Authority, and audit standards, maintaining fairness, transparency, and best value.
• Monitor procurement KPIs such as cycle times, vendor performance, savings, and policy compliance and provide regular performance reports to the Head of Procurement & Supply Chain.
• Ensure all procurement processes are traceable, auditable, and fully documented to support governance and accountability.
• Contribute to procurement policy updates that reflect evolving best practices and digital transformation trends.

Category Management and Strategic Sourcing

• Develop and execute integrated category strategies encompassing technology, research, and general goods and services to achieve cost efficiency and operational effectiveness.
• Manage sourcing for AI infrastructure, computing systems, software licensing, laboratory instrumentation, cloud services, and other specialized research and technology needs.
• Oversee procurement of general goods and services, including facilities, travel, academic materials, marketing, and professional services, ensuring service quality and compliance.
• Negotiate directly with OEMs, integrators, and service providers to secure competitive pricing and value-added terms using total cost of ownership (TCO) models and market benchmarking.
• Establish framework agreements and preferred vendor lists to streamline recurring institutional purchases and promote supplier reliability.

Contract and Risk Management

• Review, draft, and administer procurement contracts, ensuring legal clarity, enforceability, and alignment with institutional risk standards.
• Collaborate with Legal on contracts involving intellectual property, confidentiality, data protection, and liability clauses.
• Maintain a centralized contract repository with automated renewal alerts and compliance tracking mechanisms.
• Conduct periodic vendor performance and risk reviews to ensure adherence to KPIs, SLAs, and contract terms, with early intervention for potential issues.

Supplier Development and Sustainability

• Build and maintain long-term supplier relationships that advance MBZUAI’s research, digital transformation, and sustainability objectives.
• Use market intelligence and spend analytics to identify sourcing opportunities, cost efficiencies, and innovation partnerships.
• Implement supplier performance dashboards to track delivery, quality, and responsiveness.
• Promote sustainability, supplier diversity, and ethical sourcing across all procurement categories.

Systems, Automation, and Digital Enablement

• Lead the optimization of Oracle Fusion ERP procurement and contract modules, driving automation, transparency, and process efficiency.
• Champion adoption of e-tendering, vendor self-service portals, and digital contract management tools to improve user experience and compliance.
• Utilize analytics and dashboards to enhance spend visibility, performance tracking, and strategic decision-making.
• Support MBZUAI’s finance and procurement digital transformation roadmap through process standardization and continuous improvement.

Stakeholder Engagement and Service Delivery

• Serve as the principal procurement business partner for internal stakeholders, delivering responsive, transparent, and solutions-oriented service.
• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration with Finance, Research, IT, and administrative departments to ensure seamless procurement workflows.
• Anticipate institutional needs across academic, research, and operational areas and integrate them into proactive procurement plans.
• Resolve procurement escalations professionally, maintaining clear communication and stakeholder satisfaction.

Leadership and Capability Building

• Supervise, mentor, and evaluate procurement team members to ensure high technical competence, ethical standards, and service excellence.
• Develop staff capabilities in category management, negotiation, supplier intelligence, and compliance best practices.
• Foster a performance-driven culture emphasizing innovation, collaboration, and accountability.

Reporting and Continuous Improvement

• Prepare periodic management and governance reports detailing procurement performance, savings, compliance, and vendor outcomes.
• Review process maps to identify and eliminate bottlenecks, improving efficiency and turnaround time.
• Support institutional modernization and finance transformation projects through ongoing process enhancement initiatives

Academic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Computer Science, or Business Administration.
• Master’s degree or professional certification (CIPS, CPP, PMP, or equivalent) preferred.

Professional Experience Required

Essential:

• Minimum 8–10 years of procurement and contract management experience within higher education, research, or technology sectors.
• Proven track record managing both technical (IT, AI, research) and general procurement categories.
• Strong expertise in tendering, contract lifecycle management, and supplier performance evaluation.
• Proficiency in ERP systems (Oracle Fusion preferred) and e-procurement tools.

Preferred:

• Experience with public-sector procurement frameworks in the UAE.
• Exposure to sustainability, ESG, and digital sourcing initiatives.
• Experience implementing procurement analytics or supplier intelligence platforms.