Senior Procurement Specialist - Contracts

Driven to create unique home-grown food concepts that bring people together, the Independent Food Company is a UAE-based hospitality company with multiple concepts under its umbrella – SALT, Parker's, Grind, Somewhere, Public, Soil and Kumo.

We are presently seeking to hire a highly qualified Senior Procurement Specialist - Contracts who will be responsible for the end-to-end lifecycle of contractual agreements supporting the organization's expansion and operational needs. This role focuses on the strategic drafting, negotiation, and management of legal and commercial terms for high-value supplier agreements, service contracts, and project-based engagements. The primary objective is to safeguard the company's interests, ensure rigorous legal and commercial compliance, and optimize value through meticulous contract administration.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute strategic sourcing plans for all major service and vendor contracts. Manage the entire tendering process (RFI, RFQ, RFP) for high-value agreements, ensuring fairness and transparency.
• Lead complex commercial negotiations for new service providers, supply contracts, and long-term agreements, focusing on Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), liability terms, termination clauses, and payment structures.
• Collaborate closely with Legal, Operations, IT, and Finance teams to accurately define contract scope, technical specifications, and budgetary constraints, ensuring procurement aligns with project milestones.
• Conduct detailed financial analysis, value engineering, and risk assessments for all major contract awards, identifying opportunities for savings and mitigating supplier and legal risks.
• Evaluate, qualify, and manage a robust portfolio of local and international service providers and contractors, ensuring performance meets quality, safety, and delivery standards.
• Ensure all procurement processes and documentation adhere to internal governance, financial controls, and relevant local and international regulatory requirements.
• Monitor global and regional market trends for labor, services, and commercial law to inform and optimize future contract purchasing strategies.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in supply chain, Business, or Law or related is highly preferred.
• Minimum of 6–8 years in procurement and contract management. Experience in the UAE hospitality or F&B sector is essential.
• Expert knowledge of UAE contract law and commercial negotiations. Proven ability to manage high-value agreements and mitigate legal risks.