Procurement Zone Director

Opportunity Description

**Reporting Lines:**  
This position reports hierarchically to the MEA Chief Operating Officer and functionally to the DGI Procurement Manager.

### **Primary Responsibilities:**  
This role requires expertise in procurement operations, including the development and execution of procurement strategies, negotiating contracts, and ensuring the cost-effective purchasing of goods and services while upholding the highest standards of quality and compliance. The position focuses on procurement for subsystems such as Track Works, Catenary, Depot Equipment, and Power Supply.

Additionally, the role demands strong project management and communication skills to drive procurement activities in collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders during project implementation.

---

### **Main Activities:**  
- Manage the local procurement and logistics team (approximately 10 people).  
- Develop and implement procurement and logistics procedures for the MEA region.  
- Oversee the digitalization of all procurement documentation.  
- Monitor the overall procurement schedule to meet project requirements effectively.  
- Supervise project reports and prepare corporate-level reporting documentation.  
- Collaborate with the Contract Manager to create and refine procurement documents and templates.  
- Ensure the timely and accurate performance of daily procurement activities by the purchasing team.  
- Organize Purchase Launch Meetings (PLM) for each package.  
- Maintain up-to-date procurement schedules in coordination with subsystem managers.  
- Issue and follow up on RFQs (Requests for Quotations).  
- Manage clarifications and ensure their timely resolution.  
- Oversee vendor prequalification and qualification, including ensuring compliance checks, where necessary.  
- Prepare and review Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) documents.  
- Issue/review recommendations for purchase orders exceeding €2 million.  
- Support and/or coordinate final contract negotiations.  
- Draft and issue contracts.  
- Oversee and manage local logistics operations.  
- Ensure, in collaboration with the Project Procurement Manager, Procurement Manager, and project teams, the implementation of robust purchase order follow-up processes, including expediting and inspection.  
- Mobilize the necessary resources, organization, and processes to achieve procurement objectives.  
- Conduct market analysis to ensure competitive and cost-effective purchasing strategies while staying informed about market trends and anticipating structural changes.  
- Represent Colas Rail MEA in Group Purchasing Department initiatives.  
- Manage the onboarding, training, and professional development of team members, as well as identify and nurture high-potential employees.

### **Reporting Responsibilities:**  
- Provide regular reports on procurement activities and analyze savings performance, ensuring updates via monitoring tools and reporting to the hierarchy and stakeholders involved in the purchasing process.  
- Maintain and update procurement tracking tools and performance indicators.  
- Contribute to project reviews (REX Projects).  
- Ensure timely and accurate reporting of potential delivery delays or cost claims by vendors that may affect project timelines or budgets.

### **Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR):**  
- Ensure compliance with ethics, health, safety, and environmental policies.  
- Promptly report any concerning situations encountered while carrying out responsibilities to the appropriate management levels to safeguard both personal and organizational interests.

Skills Needed

- Proactive and forward-thinking approach.  
- Ability to demonstrate strong rigor and organizational skills.  
- Excellent negotiation capabilities.  
- Effective and clear communicator.  
- Strong leadership qualities.  
- Self-reliant and capable of working independently.  
- Expertise in managing supplier contracts.  
- Skilled in delegation and task distribution.  
- Possesses an analytical mindset.

Qualifications/Experience required

**Qualifications and Required Experience**  
- Master’s degree in Engineering with a specialization in Purchasing.  
- Proficiency in both French and English is essential.  
- A minimum of 15 years of professional experience is required.