Vacancy at Amadeus Group for a Purchasing Leader

Amadeus Group - Way back in 1987, Amadeus was created to solve a common problem shared by airlines; how to sell seats more easily, more internationally and more cost effectively. Amadeus created the solution. It was about innovation. We evolved creating new systems and developing new solutions. We’re one of the world’s 15 largest software companies and we are growing, making travel, tourism and hospitality more rewarding for people and business everywhere. 1.3 billion passengers boarded, 595 million bookings processed, €700 million invested in R&D…This is Amadeus and that was just in 2016. We are recruiting to fill the position below:   Job Title: Purchasing Leader Location: Lagos Job Description

• Reporting into the Corporate Purchasing Senior Manager, in this role you will manage and oversee the procurement and purchasing process of all the Amadeus companies and sites in the Africa area in alignment with the Group Purchasing objectives and in coordination with the rest of the Finance teams.
• To be able to perform your role you will have to have solid professional experience in the Africa region/market.

• You will manage the purchase of hardware, software and services for all the companies in the Africa region. You will also negotiate and review major procurement and managed services contracts with vendors and service providers in alignment with predefined policy rules.
• In the role you will take the responsibility to drive and perform financial analysis to substantiate cost or resource reduction recommendations.
• You will develop and implement purchasing procedures and processes through a benchmarking. Design and structure supplier performance measurements systems and implement a monitoring program.
• You will also develop relationship network with key stakeholders in a regional basis. You will act as main purchasing authority in the region and as a link between Africa management and Global Purchasing unit. You will collaborate with both Controlling and Transactional units in Africa to ensure proper alignment within Finance
• This role could be based in Madrid, Johannesburg, Lagos or Dakar.
• You will be responsible for ensuring a proper coordination among all teams that may use purchasing and procurement tools.
• You will act as leader and change management driver for purchasing related activities in Africa, irrespective of the line-management accountability.
• You will also define, implement and monitor the Africa sourcing strategy in order to improve strategic sourcing processes, systems and efficiency.
• You will ensure that cooperative negotiation with major suppliers takes place and information and best practices are openly shared even when this responsability is delegated to non Purchasing teams.
• You will ensure that all external expenditure is subject to professional purchasing techniques, irrespective of the line-management accountability.
• You will ensure proper and standard management of purchasing and procurement tools in Africa region. You will define and manage purchasing KPIs and reporting needs including communication strategy with main regional stakeholders.
• You will define and achieve Africa cost optimization and savings objectives in alignment with Group Purchasing direction, being also responsible for monitoring compliance with Group policies, developing and communicating purchasing policies and guidelines for all companies in the scope.

• In this role you must hold a Degree in BA or related field with at least 5-7 years of experience in the Africa region establishing vendor relationships, managing procurement actions with different stakeholders and negotiating vendor contracts ideally on services related environments .
• Your skills must include an advanced level of English, as you will be permanently involved in international working environment.

• Extensive negotiating, budget and financial analysis experience
• Familiar with all aspects of purchasing, procurement and sourcing
• Knowledge of SAP MM, Ariba, Coupa or similar e-sourcing and e-procurement tools.
• Ability to manage processes in remote locations with no local presence in all cases.
• Understanding of commercial & legal issues related to sourcing, knowledge of business law and contract law desired.