Overview
The lowest purchase price does not always produce the best project outcome.
Cabo Norte welcomes experienced procurement leaders for potential opportunities with general contractors and specialist subcontractors delivering civil works, infrastructure and marine construction projects in the United Arab Emirates.
The purpose of this role is to lead procurement across the business, ensuring that projects secure the materials, equipment, services and subcontract packages they need on commercially sound terms.
You connect procurement decisions with construction programmes, technical requirements, cash flow and contractual obligations. Depending on the contractor, your remit may cover several projects, a business division or the wider organisation.
The principal challenge is balancing purchasing efficiency with delivery certainty, supplier capability and the consequences of a procurement decision on site.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop a procurement strategy aligned with the contractor’s project pipeline, delivery requirements and commercial priorities.
- Lead the procurement team and establish clear responsibilities, approval levels and reporting.
- Coordinate procurement schedules with engineering, planning and project delivery teams.
- Identify critical packages and long-lead items early enough to protect the construction programme.
- Establish supplier and subcontractor qualification processes covering capability, capacity, quality, safety and financial exposure.
- Oversee enquiries, quotation comparisons, negotiations and recommendations for award.
- Ensure that purchase orders and subcontract agreements reflect the agreed scope, interfaces, delivery requirements and commercial terms.
- Develop framework agreements where recurring demand supports a consistent purchasing approach.
- Monitor supplier performance and intervene when quality, production or delivery commitments are at risk.
- Work with commercial and legal specialists on contractual risk, securities, payment terms and disputes.
- Maintain visibility of procurement commitments, forecast expenditure and material risks.
- Support tender teams with current market intelligence, package strategies and credible supplier input.
Business And Technical Challenges
- Procuring against incomplete designs or changing quantities without creating avoidable commercial exposure.
- Securing specialist suppliers and subcontractors with sufficient capacity for the project programme.
- Managing long manufacturing lead times, shipping requirements and import dependencies.
- Comparing offers with different technical assumptions, exclusions and delivery obligations.
- Balancing group purchasing agreements with project-specific requirements.
- Responding to price volatility and supplier disruption.
- Keeping procurement commitments consistent with the contractor’s obligations to its client.
- Maintaining commercial discipline when urgent site requirements reduce negotiating options.
Required Experience
- Demonstrated procurement leadership experience within a general contractor, specialist subcontractor or comparable construction business.
- Experience procuring materials, equipment, services and subcontract packages for civil works, infrastructure or marine projects.
- Evidence of leading a procurement team and coordinating purchasing across multiple stakeholders.
- Strong negotiation skills supported by an understanding of construction delivery.
- Experience assessing supplier capability and managing performance after award.
- Working knowledge of procurement contracts, commercial terms and package interfaces.
- Ability to connect procurement schedules with engineering information and construction programmes.
- Experience establishing approval processes and maintaining transparent procurement reporting.
- Professional English communication skills.
Preferred Experience
- UAE or wider GCC construction procurement experience.
- Experience managing procurement across several concurrent projects.
- Exposure to international sourcing, logistics and customs requirements.
- Experience procuring specialist marine equipment, temporary works or major construction packages.
- Familiarity with design-and-build or other integrated delivery arrangements.
- Experience developing framework agreements and supplier relationships across a business.
- An engineering, supply chain, procurement or commercially relevant qualification.
- Experience improving procurement systems, data quality and reporting.
Leadership Profile
- Makes procurement priorities clear and connects them to project needs.
- Challenges price comparisons that overlook scope, quality or delivery risk.
- Builds productive relationships with project teams while maintaining commercial discipline.
- Gives suppliers clear expectations and addresses poor performance early.
- Develops the team’s negotiation skills and judgement.
- Maintains transparent recommendations, approvals and records.
- Takes accountability for procurement outcomes beyond the placement of an order.
Expected Outcomes
- Earlier visibility of critical packages and procurement risks.
- Purchasing decisions supported by clear technical and commercial comparisons.
- More reliable supplier and subcontractor delivery.
- Better alignment between procurement schedules and project programmes.
- Stronger control of commitments, payment terms and contractual exposure.
- A capable procurement team with consistent processes across projects.
- Supplier relationships that support delivery requirements and future opportunities.
Location And Eligibility
- Target location: United Arab Emirates.
- Sector scope: Civil works, infrastructure or marine construction, depending on the opportunity.
- Employer environment: General contractors and specialist subcontractors.
- Required language: Professional English.
- Travel: May include project visits, supplier meetings and manufacturing inspections; requirements depend on the role.
- Employment terms and work authorisation: To be confirmed for each specific opportunity.
How To Apply
Cabo Norte receives relevant candidatures throughout the year. Submit your CV with a brief overview of your procurement leadership experience, the construction sectors involved and the teams and package portfolios you have managed.
Please indicate your current location, availability and interest in UAE-based opportunities.
This listing supports ongoing candidate discussions and does not represent a currently confirmed client vacancy. Any specific employer, assignment and employment terms will be discussed with you before proceeding. Your profile will only be presented to an employer with your agreement.
About Cabo Norte
Cabo Norte is an executive search business focused on leadership and senior appointments across energy, water, marine, port, digital and industrial infrastructure.
Our focus spans the infrastructure lifecycle: strategy, engineering, project delivery, operations and asset optimisation. We look at the responsibilities candidates have held, the complexity they have managed and the outcomes they have delivered.