Assistant Director/Senior Assistant Director, Procurement Operations

We are seeking a seasoned procurement leader who combines strong operational discipline with strategic thinking. The ideal candidate is hands-on, commercially astute, customer-focused and capable of leading diverse procurement teams while partnering effectively with senior stakeholders. The candidate should possess a broad procurement background across multiple categories and be comfortable operating in a dynamic and complex higher education environment.

The incumbent is responsible for leading and overseeing the University's day-to-day procurement operations across all procurement categories particularly in Lab equipment and Consumables.

As a Procurement Lead, the incumbent will provide strategic and operational leadership to procurement teams, ensuring the efficient, compliant, and cost-effective acquisition of goods and services. The role is accountable for procurement governance, category management, stakeholder engagement, supplier relationship management, staff development, and continuous process improvement.

The incumbent will lead teams supporting academic, research and administrative units, drive procurement excellence, and ensure procurement activities are conducted in accordance with policies, regulatory requirements, and best practices.

Processes

• Perform thorough analysis of spending and partnership with stakeholders, and development of overall sourcing strategy/category management plan.
• Leading and embedding transformation projects, developing & deploying processes & systems, and proactively managing governance & compliance.
• Supplier Relationship Management: Pro-actively develops and manages key stakeholders and suppliers, develops relationships, establishes KPIs/SLAs and classification of vendors, performance tracking, and communicates feedback.
• Conduct market research, analyze industry trends and evolving technology to proactively identify supply base issues to minimize risk, protect continuity of supply, utilize emerging opportunities, and ensure appropriate goods/ services are being acquired at competitive prices.
• Manage complex Request for Proposals (RFPs), Requests for Quotation (RFQs), Requests for Information (RFIs) and drive the supplier negotiation process using lowest bid, lowest cost per quality point or best value analyses.
• Execute procurement tender process including development and spearhead of tender roadmap to meet NTU deliverables.
• Delivering regular updates to the management with detailed status reporting.

People

• Work collaboratively with suppliers and customers to identify and execute continuous cost and performance improvement strategies.
• Lead, oversee and manage the purchasing and strategic sourcing function in NTU including but not limited to daily management, leadership and support to team.
• Driving effective teamwork, collaboration, and close dialogue with all interfacing functions to ensure a seamless efficient approach to information exchange and process flows to other areas within the procurement function.

System

• Use purchasing tools such as spend analytics, e-sourcing, auctions and contract management while adhering to strategic sourcing standards/ policies.

Qualifications/Skills

• Minimum 10-12 years of relevant procurement experience.
• At least 5 years in a leadership role managing procurement teams.
• Experience in public sector, higher education, research institutions, healthcare, statutory boards or large complex organisations is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in strategic sourcing, contract management and procurement governance.

We regret to inform that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.