Procurement Development Manager/Lead SAP Ariba Optimization📣 Job Ad

About the Role

KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology) is seeking a Procurement Development Manager/Lead, SAP Ariba Optimization for a full-time position in Thuwal, Makkah, Saudi Arabia. This role is dedicated to advancing the procurement and supply chain department by focusing on the optimization and continuous improvement of the SAP Ariba system. The position drives process innovations, operational efficiencies, and automation, ensuring the implementation of industry best practices and standard system solutions.

System Optimization and Process Enhancement

The Procurement Development Lead acts as a key expert in SAP Ariba, collaborating closely with the systems team to enhance functionalities and streamline operations.

• Act as a Subject Matter Expert for SAP Ariba, leading strategic initiatives to enhance system capabilities across key functionalities, including e-bidding, supplier performance monitoring, vendor registration documentation, and procurement reporting and data analytics.
• Collaborate with the systems development team to identify, design, and implement new features and optimizations in SAP Ariba, ensuring user-friendly and efficient procurement processes.
• Drive continuous process improvement initiatives within the procurement and supply chain department to streamline operations and enhance operational efficiencies.
• Analyze current procurement workflows to identify limitations, inefficiencies, and areas for automation, leading to optimized procurement processes.

Risk Management and Compliance

This role is responsible for establishing and maintaining robust risk management practices within the procurement framework.

• Develop and implement robust risk management strategies within the procurement framework, ensuring compliance with organizational policies and best practices.
• Monitor procurement activities to identify and assess potential risks, ensuring timely escalation of high-impact issues to senior management as needed.

Stakeholder Engagement and Training

The position involves active engagement with various departments to ensure procurement processes align with business needs and to facilitate effective system utilization.

• Engage with stakeholders across departments to gather requirements and feedback on procurement processes and the use of SAP Ariba, ensuring continuous alignment with business needs.
• Design and deliver targeted training programs for procurement and customer teams (requesters) to enhance their understanding and utilization of the SAP Ariba system.

Strategic Procurement Excellence

The Procurement Development Lead contributes to the strategic direction of procurement, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and value creation.

• Foster a culture of excellence in procurement practices by sharing best practices, methodologies, and continuous improvement strategies with the procurement team and other key stakeholders.
• Contribute to the development of procurement strategies that align with organizational objectives, drive value, and adhere to industry standards.
• Achieve targets and sustainable value for the organization through effective implementation and optimization of procurement processes in SAP Ariba.

Qualifications and Experience

Candidates for this role should possess specific experience and a strong background in SAP Ariba.

• A minimum of 5 to 10 years of relevant experience is required.
• Demonstrated experience in SAP Ariba System Optimization is essential for this vacancy.