Director - Purchasing

About Red Sea Coastal Trading Company

Red Sea Coastal Trading Company operates as a specialized supply chain and logistics subsidiary of Red Sea Global. Positioned at the center of Saudi Arabia’s leading regenerative tourism ventures, it ensures seamless transportation, procurement support, inventory oversight, warehousing, and last-mile logistics to remote Red Sea coastal locations and beyond. The subsidiary prioritizes efficiency, reliability, and environmental stewardship to align with the broader goals of sustainability, operational excellence, and creating local value within Red Sea Global’s portfolio.

Role Overview

The Director of Purchasing plays a crucial leadership role under the guidance of the Senior Director – Strategic Procurement & Category Management. This position is responsible for translating corporate category strategies into actionable purchasing, sourcing, and supplier management activities focused on categories including food and beverage, operating supplies and equipment (OS&E), consumables, services, and others. The role aims to optimize costs, maintain supply continuity, enhance quality, improve supplier performance, mitigate risks, and uphold governance standards by collaborating cross-functionally with operations, finance, legal, commercial, and other stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist in rolling out a centralized purchasing and category management approach that aligns with corporate business priorities and expansion plans.
• Develop sourcing plans and manage supplier and contract-related activities consistent with approved category strategies.
• Oversee purchasing execution across assigned categories to guarantee cost efficiency, regulatory compliance, and prompt delivery to operations.
• Perform comprehensive spend analyses, demand assessments, market research, supplier evaluations, and identify sourcing opportunities to bolster category strategies.
• Lead and manage end-to-end sourcing events including RFx processes, tendering, supplier evaluation and negotiations within delegated authorities ensuring transparency and business value.
• Prepare detailed sourcing proposals, commercial analysis, and contract recommendations for executive approval.
• Foster and monitor supplier relationships and performance metrics including costs, service levels, lead times, compliance, quality, and sustainability standards.
• Collaborate with internal teams to challenge demand, refine specifications, consolidate needs, and promote standardized procurement channels.
• Support initiatives around supplier segmentation, development, rationalization, corrective measures, and continuous performance enhancements.
• Identify and escalate risks relating to supply, commercial contracts, operations, and compliance; assist in devising mitigation strategies to safeguard business continuity.
• Ensure compliance with procurement policies, authority limits, ethical sourcing rules, supplier onboarding, and documentation standards.
• Maintain insightful procurement dashboards and reports tracking savings, cost avoidance, contract coverage, supplier performance, compliance, working capital, and risk indicators.
• Coach and guide purchasing team members daily to build commercial skills, accountability, service quality, and continuous improvement culture.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain and logistics, business administration, engineering, or a related discipline.
• Advanced credentials such as an MBA, master’s degree, or professional certifications (e.g., CIPS, CPSM, CSCP, ISM) are advantageous.
• Between 10 to 15+ years of progressively responsible roles in purchasing, procurement, strategic sourcing, or category management.
• Demonstrated experience in managing sourcing processes, supplier negotiations, contractual implementations, and performance management within complex operational settings.
• Experience in overseeing category plans for sectors including food and beverage, OS&E, consumables, services, trading, distribution, FMCG, hospitality, or retail.
• A strong record of achieving cost savings, avoiding unnecessary expenditure, improving service delivery, ensuring compliance, and enhancing supplier performance outcomes.