Head, Procurement Job at Sahara Group

Sahara Group is a leading international energy and infrastructure conglomerate with operations in over 38 countries across Africa, Middle East, Europe and Asia. Spanning three decades, we have broken ground and challenged stereotypes across the global business landscape. The women and men who make up our organization are our strongest levers for growth.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Position: Head, Procurement

Job Identification: 381
Job Location: Victoria Island, Lagos
Employment Type: Full Time

Role Accountabilities
Strategic Procurement & Category Management:

• Develop, implement, and continuously optimize category strategies across direct and indirect spend categories (including fleet, CAPEX, services, IT, energy, and operations).
• Integrate AI and analytics for spend forecasting, risk profiling, and supplier segmentation.
• Apply Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), value engineering, and cost control frameworks to procurement planning.
• Incorporate ESG criteria and circular economy principles into category strategies and sourcing decisions.

Supplier Relationship & Global Sourcing:

• Drive supplier development programs to build robust local capacity and ensure alignment with international standards.
• Manage international procurement transactions including cross-border logistics, Incoterms, trade finance, and import documentation.
• Evaluate suppliers not just on cost, but on ESG scorecards, ethics compliance, sustainability credentials, and innovation partnerships.
• Apply digital tools for supplier onboarding, due diligence (including tax and legal compliance), and risk-based performance evaluations.

Contract, Risk & Compliance Management:

• Negotiate, draft, and manage commercial agreements with embedded risk mitigation clauses (e.g., force majeure, IP rights, ESG compliance, tax clauses).
• Ensure tax-efficient contracting in line with Nigeria’s VAT, WHT, Customs Duty and Transfer Pricing requirements.
• Enforce procurement ethics and anti-bribery protocols in line with Sahara’s governance and international standards (e.g. UNGC, ISO 20400).
• Leverage contract lifecycle management (CLM) software to monitor obligations, variations, and renewals.

Sustainable Procurement & ESG:

• Embed environmental and social sustainability goals into the supplier evaluation and selection process.
• Develop and report on sustainability-linked procurement KPIs (e.g., CO? reduction per unit purchased, green procurement ratio).
• Align procurement operations with SDGs and Sahara’s ESG strategy by fostering supplier circularity, waste reduction, and energy-efficient procurement choices.

Process Digitization & Procurement Transformation:

• Champion the automation of PR-PO-3Way Match workflows via ERP and e-Procurement platforms (e.g., SAP Ariba, Oracle, Coupa).
• Develop predictive dashboards using Power BI, Python/R, or Tableau to inform procurement decisions and highlight cost saving opportunities.
• Drive process maturity to align with ISO 9001, ISO 20400 (sustainable procurement), and CIPS Procurement Excellence models.

Cost Control, Value Engineering & Spend Analytics:

• Develop internal cost benchmarks and procurement indices for frequently purchased materials/services.
• Collaborate with engineering and operations to apply value analysis and VE to procurement of capital items and projects.
• Manage procurement budgets with zero-based costing techniques and scenario-based forecasting.

Team Leadership & Capability Building:

• Lead and mentor a high-performing procurement team equipped with future-ready skills in AI, ESG, analytics, and category expertise.
• Implement professional development plans using CIPS and international certifications to elevate internal capacity.
• Encourage cross-functional learning with legal, finance, tax, sustainability, engineering and operations functions.

Internal Stakeholder & Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Partner with Legal, Finance, Sustainability, and Business Units to align procurement plans with enterprise objectives.
• Provide strategic procurement advice and early involvement during project planning, budgeting, and contracting stages.
• Support tax teams with data for transfer pricing, customs documentation, and intercompany procurement flows.

Minimum Qualification & Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in supply chain management, Business, Engineering, Economics, or related fields.
• At least 7–10 years of progressive experience in procurement or supply chain management in a multinational or diversified conglomerate.
• MCIPS, CIPS Advanced Diploma or equivalent international certification (e.g., ISM, APICS, PMP, CSCP).
• Solid track record in international sourcing, logistics (air, sea, road), ESG implementation, and ERP-driven procurement operations.

Required Knowledge and Skill:

• Deep understanding of sourcing strategy, supplier markets, and digital procurement tools.
• Practical application of VE, TCO, and cost-modelling for direct and indirect procurement.
• Working knowledge of Nigerian and global tax rules (WHT, VAT, Customs, TP, etc.)
• Proficiency in Power BI, AI-powered sourcing platforms, and spend analytics tools
• Familiarity with ESG frameworks (SDGs, UNGC, ISO 20400, GRI) and supply chain compliance.
• Proficient in ERP (SAP, Oracle, Dynamics) and eProcurement tools for automation
• Strong business judgement with ability to balance cost, quality, risk, and innovation
• Expertise in drafting and interpreting commercial contracts and risk assessments
• Ability to manage cross-functional teams and international supplier relationships
• Strong grounding in procurement ethics, anti-bribery frameworks, and code of conduct.

Personality & Leadership Traits:

• Commercially astute and digitally fluent
• Highly organised, agile, and resilient under pressure
• Strategic thinker with ethical mindset
• Proactive leader and collaborative communicator
• Inquisitive, forward-looking, and innovation-oriented

Key Stakeholder Relationship:

• Engineering, Operations & Projects Teams
• Sustainability & ESG Office
• Finance, Legal, Tax and Audit Units
• Group Strategy, Risk & Internal Control
• International Suppliers & Regulatory Bodies.