Category Cluster Director - Drilling

ASMO is a groundbreaking joint venture between DHL and Aramco. Inheriting DHL’s logistics excellence and Aramco’s extensive supply chain ecosystem, we are here to set a new benchmark and redefine the procurement and supply chain landscape, enabling growth.

ASMO aims to be operational in 2025 and provide reliable end-to-end integrated procurement and supply chain services for companies across the industrial, energy, chemical, and petrochemical sectors. Our focus customers in the short term will be Saudi Aramco and its Affiliates. In the long term, all the industrial sectors within Saudi Arabia aim to reach the MENA region.

Objective:

The role holder is responsible for leading, managing, automating, and digitizing all procurement activities taking ownership of the procurement process for the Drilling Category Cluster, ensuring service delivery in a cost-effective manner in line with the stated strategy and defined service level agreements. The role holder shall carry out his duties in accordance with the stipulated business plan and policies and procedures.

General Responsibilities:

• Contribute to the development and execution of the Department short to mid-term strategic plan to ensure alignment with the Department’s strategic priorities, and the corporate goals.
• Contribute to the development of annual business plans for the assigned areas of responsibility to support the achievement of financial and strategic objectives.
• Monitor, control and report key performance indicators related to the Department to track performance and recommend corrective actions
• Identify the needs of products and services for drilling operations within ASMO and accordingly develop a case for raising a purchasing request.
• Create a purchasing request ensuring it is evaluated and classified according to value (e.g., risk, financial) and assigned to buyers by means of the tenders processing.
• Support the Finance function by giving clear price roadmap/trends to prepare the budget.
• Define the cost drivers of the Drilling Category Cluster and follow its implications to ensure full consideration and awareness of cost.
• Anticipates changes in ASMO needs and market conditions to define sourcing strategies.
• Develop business cases, including needs for cross-functional resources, timeframe and targets.
• Attend exhibition and expos nationally and internationally to increase procurement sourcing pool for chemicals-related operations.
• Liaise with Legal function to ensure full coverage of legal-related matters in contractual agreements and ensure scope-coverage is clearly outlined.
• Ensure alignment between suppliers and contracts ensuring ASMO is safeguarded from potential contract breaches.
• Implementing e-sourcing tools to automate the supplier selection and negotiation process, improving efficiency in supplier relationship management.
• Develop vendor performance KPIs and ensure tracking and reporting of vendor KPIs and identifying of gaps in vendor performance.
• Ensure linking contractual incentives as well as penalties to vendor performance indicators and support in monitoring adherence to agreed performance indicators.
• Develop an end-to-end purchase-to-pay process map to be automated by Technology function.
• Liaise with Technology function to automate the Drilling Category Cluster procurement process from requisition to payment, including purchase orders, approvals, and invoice processing, to reduce manual intervention.
• Lead discussions for purchasing requirements, project specifications, and linkage with drilling operations with sector management and suppliers.
• Drive the digital transformation of procurement processes, leveraging automation, data analytics, and emerging technologies to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and support the specific needs of drilling operations.
• Implement and manage supplier portals that enable automated ordering, invoice processing, and communication with suppliers, reducing administrative overhead.
• Manage the activities of direct reports to ensure that all work is carried out in an efficient manner, in line with the annual business plans, policies and procedures.
• Manage the performance management process by setting annual objectives, and developing staff through mentoring, coaching and constructive feedback.
• Identify employees’ training and developmental needs and in conjunction with Human Resources Department bridge the knowledge gaps to ensure continuous progression, and high-level of competence within the team.
• Contribute to defining an optimum structure for the Department, to ensure smooth workflow of operational processes and optimal utilisation of resources.
• Provide input into the preparation and consolidation of the Department’s budget, monitor financial performance during the year and identify areas of unsatisfactory performance (if any), and recommend mitigating actions.
• Identify and manage implementation of change initiatives on systems, processes and practices considering ‘international leading practices’, and/or other changes in the business environment.
• Recommend improvements to departmental procedures, and ensure implementation of policies, procedures, systems, and controls covering the assigned areas of responsibility so that all activities meet ASMO’s standards, compliance, and regulatory requirements, align to business requirements, and increase operational efficiency.
• Identify opportunities for the continuous improvement of systems, processes and practices considering ‘international leading practices’, in order to increase operational effectiveness.
• Present regular and ad-hoc management reports related to the function, provide recommendations to the Senior Director Category Management on new opportunities, highlight critical issues and challenges, and provide strategic insight to ensure effective decision-making.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in degree in Business Administration or Economics or Supply Chain / Logistics or equivalent is required from a recognized and accredited university is required.
• Master’s degree in Business Administration or Economics or Supply Chain / Logistics or equivalent from a recognized and accredited university is preferred.
• Professional certification in Six Sigma/Lean Management.
• Recognized Supply Chain certifications such as Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) is preferred.