Procurement - External Resources Manager - Middle East & Africa Region

Job Description - Grade Specific

As External Resource Manager (ERM), you will be responsible for the full subcontracting process end-to-end: validating requests from the business, selecting the appropriate sourcing route, contacting our suppliers, reviewing proposals and CV quality, following up on candidates, negotiating rates, and ensuring the service is successfully closed.

You will collaborate closely with other ERMs, procurement/category teams and suppliers to ensure compliant, timely and cost-efficient staffing.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Coordinate the subcontracting process from start to finish: validate requests, manage approvals, launch sourcing, follow up candidates, and close the service in line with internal policies.
• Review incoming job requests and distribute them to the relevant suppliers; clarify requirements and challenge demand where needed to ensure a right-first-time brief.
• Contact suppliers, review proposals and CV quality, coordinate interview steps, and negotiate rates to secure the best match within budget and timelines.
• Drive active follow-up with suppliers to fill requests as quickly as possible (emails, calls, regular touchpoints) and advise on the most effective route to find the right experts; stay up to date on MEA supplier market and rate trends.
• Act as the day-to-day point of contact for MEA hiring managers and stakeholders, guiding them through the subcontracting process to ensure a balanced, fair and business-oriented outcome.
• Work closely with procurement/category teams and suppliers to ensure alignment on budgets, approvals, supplier usage and internal policy compliance.
• Support the vendor management/category lead in the operational maintenance of supplier relationships (service reviews, SLAs, cycle time, quality, compliance) and drive follow-up actions to closure.
• Own the end-to-end process in SAP Fieldglass: job postings, supplier distribution, candidate tracking until candidate selection and the handover to the back-office.
• Maintain high data quality and documentation in SAP Fieldglass to enable compliance, auditability and accurate reporting.
• Provide user support and guidance for stakeholders and suppliers, and contribute to system/process improvements (templates, workflows, controls).
• Ensure compliance with internal policies and local requirements relevant to managing external resources (documentation, onboarding controls, approvals, and supplier usage).
• Monitor key risk areas (misclassification, tenure/extension controls, rate compliance, supplier performance) and escalate issues early with clear options and recommendations.
• Track and report key metrics (cycle time, supplier performance, compliance indicators) and provide actionable insights.
• Identify and implement improvements to simplify processes, increase adoption and enhance stakeholder satisfaction (templates, playbooks, communications).
• Contribute to global/regional external workforce initiatives by sharing best practices and supporting rollout of changes.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Procurement, Supply Chain, Finance, Engineering, or a related field.
• 4–6+ years proven experience coordinating end-to-end subcontracting / staffing processes (MSP, recruitment, vendor management or similar), including active supplier follow-up and rate negotiation.
• Strong experience in External Resources (contingent workforce, SOW) categories.
• Experience operating in complex, multicultural environments, ideally across MEA or other emerging markets
• Arabic and English (fluent level).