Opening job vacancies: Senior Category Specialist

Department: Strategic Procurement – (Plant Services Category, Plant Materials and MRO category, CCP & Business Support category or Projects & TA category).

Company Industry: Chemical Industry

Company – Country: Chemical Company – Qatar

Job Placement: Direct HireView Job

JOB PURPOSE / OBJECTIVE:

• Execute the category procurement strategy by conducting strategic sourcing initiatives, managing supplier relationships, implementing best practices for procurement activities, negotiating framework agreements and handling Contract Administration (post award) process. Lead collaboration efforts with end users and suppliers to identify cost saving initiatives or levers for category procurement. Handle high-value purchase orders not under framework agreement. Conduct risk management assessment for the complete L2 category. Lead efforts of handling all relevant / complex claims & disputes and discrepancies in contracts’ Terms & Conditions.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Overarching activities
• Develop technical and commercial expertise in procurement category, define clear category spend and preferred supplier policies and implement category strategy ensuring compliance with applicable policies and procedures.
• Handle relevant claims and disputes and coordinate discrepancies in contracts’ terms and conditions with suppliers. Lead the discussions of all relevant / complex claims and disputes of the L2 category
• Conduct category risk management, identify potential risks and develop mitigation plans for the category.
• Build and update service masters1 (ie. including new items, clarify end users doubts regarding masters’ usage…).
• Support monitoring and reporting of KPIs and generation of improvement actions.
• Be responsible for the Enterprise Risk and Compliance process (as Risk Champion) for the complete L2 category, support Internal and External Audit exercises and all other responsibilities as assigned by the Category Head.
• Train and assist category specialists in their tasks.
  Category strategy execution
• Continuously analyse and evaluate internal factors (technical and services requirements) and external factors (supply market dynamics) to derive inputs for category management.
• Assist in the development of short-, mid-, and long-term demand forecasts for relevant products and services in close cooperation with end-users, Finance, and Strategic Procurement teams.
• Contribute to long-term forecasts and predictions by providing market insights (e.g., market trends and cost information).
   Provide in-depth category knowledge while assisting in the development of category strategies and category plans in close alignment with stakeholders based on supply and demand power in respective categories supported by the Head of Strategic Procurement.
   Recommend the right levers for each sub-category to extract maximum value from the procurement spend, also covering non-commercial levers like specification improvement and partnerships.
   Execute category strategies of managed L3 categories2 as per category annual plan (incl. development of framework agreements, re-negotiation of contract prices, study of initiatives, etc.).
   Conduct category risk management, identify potential and develop mitigation plans with support from Category Head.
   Contribute to achieving the critical success factors and KPIs in the long- term supply agreements, as well as support development of Category Management Objectives.
  Strategic sourcing
   Conduct sourcing projects (incl. preparation and review of consistent RFP’s, negotiating pricing and terms, drafting and management of contracts, management of supplier relationships, etc.). Engage stakeholders and required cross-functional resources.
   Develop supplier portfolios for strategic sourcing initiatives based on supply market research and detailed supplier profiling that match Q-Chem requirements and goals.
   Monitor supply markets and agreements to ensure sustainable capture of benefits from strategic sourcing initiatives.
   Manage high value tenders and other souring initiatives ensuring compliance with all procedures, policies, and legal requirements.
   Conduct supplier selection process in close cooperation with all involved stakeholders according to policies and procedures.
   Develop contracts and contract templates for L4 categories3 with support from legal department or legal consulting firms.
   Develop negotiation strategies and conduct contract negotiations in line with policies and procedures.
   Integrate new suppliers in operations and manage transition of suppliers.
   Monitor supply markets and agreements to ensure sustainable capture of benefits from strategic sourcing initiatives.
   Provide visibility on strategic sourcing progress to end users.
  Supplier management and Contracts Administration
   Define base requirements and supplier qualification criteria.
   Draft Supplier Relationship Management plans for all suppliers.
   Conduct supplier relationship management following guidelines provided by the Head of Strategic Procurement.
   Develop strategic relationship with suppliers.
   Conduct vendor relationship management initiatives (e.g., vendor driven innovation, cost reduction initiatives).
   Conduct performance evaluation of vendors to identify measures for continuous performance improvement
  (define performance criteria, KPIs, set target levels, measure performance, provide feedback, develop suppliers).
   Maintain risk register & basic data on Contractor performance to facilitate day-to-day decision making.
   Facilitate communication between Q-Chem and suppliers. Act as an escalation point and aid in resolving supplier performance issues.
   Coordinate discrepancies in contracts’ terms and conditions within managed L3 categories.
   Lead the discussion of all relevant / complex claims & disputes and assist Category Specialist when solving discrepancies in contracts’ Terms & Conditions of the L2 category.
   Conduct the Contracts Administration (post award) process, including variation, claim, dispute, etc.
• Development
   Stay open to feedback and act diligently on areas for development.
   Take full advantage of offered trainings.
   Participate in knowledge retention plan by sharing, transferring, and documenting the important practices and activities.
• Policies, Systems, Processes and Procedures
   Contribute to the identification of opportunities for continuous improvement of departmental systems, policies, processes, and practices considering ‘international leading practices’ to improve productivity and operational efficiency.
   Provide critical input to support the development of the department’s systems, policies, processes, and procedures to meet business requirements.
   Prepare supporting documents for Tender Committee, as required.
   Approve the award of contracts / agreements / purchases within defined economic value for
• Category Specialists (as per TOFA limits).
   Maintain high level of compliance to Company Code of Conduct, Regulations, Policies, Procedures and Standards.
   Be responsible for the Enterprise Risk Management and Compliance processes (as Risk Champion) for the complete L2 category.
   Organize category team meetings with Category Head, end users and other Q-Chem SMEs as needed.
• Quality, Health, Security, Safety and Environment
   Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and relevant quality, health, safety, security, and environmental procedures and controls across the section to guarantee employee safety and delivery of high-quality products/services.
  Reporting
   Provide transparency to management on progress of tenders and other strategic sourcing events.
   Prepare reports in a timely and accurate manner to meet department requirements, policies, and standards.
• Qatarization
   Contribute to the development of Qatari employees.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

Education Required: (Qualification1 / Discipline): Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Supply chain or related business degrees.
Preferred (Qualification1 / Discipline): Bachelor’s degree in Engineering and / or post graduate qualification in Contract Management or Project Management.
Experience Required: (Years2 / Job Level3 / Industry): 5-7 years multi-disciplinary experience, of which at least 3 years should be in an Oil & Gas or Petrochemical industry or major industrial structures in Procurement activities, with 2-3 years in Strategic procurement
Preferred (Years2 / Job Level3 / Industry): 7-10 years multi-disciplinary experience, of which 6 years of experience in O&G/Petrochemicals industry at a specialist/professional level in Strategic procurement.
Other Job Specific Requirements and/or Vocational Accreditations
 [Preferred] International certifications CIPS, CSCP, SCMA, ISM or other supply chain designations
 SAP (incl. SAP Ariba)

MS Office Applications
 Negotiation Skills
 Strong Communication Skills
 Conflict Management
Languages
Required (Language / Level4): English – proficient
Preferred (Language / Level4): Arabic – working knowledge
Reference:
(1) Qualifications: High School, Higher National Diploma, 3-year Diploma, Bachelor, Masters
(2) Years: Up to 3 years, 3-5 years, 5-7 years, 7-10 years, 10+ years, and 15+ years
(3) Job Level: Staff, Analyst, Specialist, Supervisor, Mid-Management, Senior Management, Executive
(4) Language Level: Basic, Working Knowledge, Proficient