Procurement Specialist - Projects Category

This role will initially form part of the central remote support team for Kirkuk. Successful candidates should be flexible and willing to travel to Iraq for business trips, especially during the early phases. Please note that due to the timeline requirements, a review of candidate applications will take place immediately after the posting close date with candidate selection processes taking place shortly thereafter.

We are looking for high calibre individuals to join our expanding Kirkuk team. This role is accountable for supporting the Projects Procurement Category, responsible for managing engineering, construction and engineered equipment, ensuring procurement activity compliance to the Development and Production Contract, alignment to business priorities and compliance to Kirkuk procurement procedures and contract governance. This role reports to the Projects Procurement Category Delivery Manager (CDM) for Kirkuk and acts as a procurement business partner for engineering, construction and engineered equipment.

The role will engage with Legal, Finance, HSE, and the P&O functions to ensure seamless procurement delivery and contract management, compliant with internal policies, industry standards, and regulatory obligations. You will develop and implement robust category strategies for the Projects Procurement Category and will act as an interface to internal and external stakeholders. The right candidate needs to have strong commercial acumen, ensuring alignment on business goals and delivering secure, optimal, compliant, and competitive, risk-managed procurement outcomes.

All business activities will need to be conducted in compliance with Iraqi laws and regulations, the Iraq Standard Contracting and Procurement Procedures (SCPP) and with Code of Conduct, Anti Bribery and Corruption and Anti Money Laundering policies.

The Kirkuk Procurement Specialist for Projects Procurement Category is accountable for co-ordinating in-country procurement delivery for engineering, construction and engineered equipment for Kirkuk. The role will support interfaces between the in-country based team, North Oil Company (NOC), North Gas Company (NGC) and remote category teams to ensure alignment to business priorities and compliance to Kirkuk procurement procedures and contract governance.

The successful candidate will develop and implement the Projects Procurement Category strategy for Kirkuk in Iraq, maximise the value of third party spend, working with multi-discipline project teams and key suppliers to manage risks, seek innovation and add value to our MENA Growth projects. The role will work closely with our partners in NOC and NGC to establish the state of existing contracting and procurement ways of working, including the systems, processes, and resources that support the efficient sourcing of goods and services in support of Projects.

Supports category delivery of contract strategies, end-to-end sourcing and contracting, socialising relevant governance approvals and ensuring contracts are compliant to established contract standards and operationalized into Kirkuk P2P systems. The role will deliver value through effective and efficient sourcing activity; using the provisions of PSCM procedures within boundaries of relevant laws and regulations, approved budgets and, where applicable, JV partner and NOC agreements.

Support the development of Contracts and Procurement Plan (CPP) with demand data for assigned sub categories. Execute compliance activities including audit resolution as applicable. Conduct relevant due diligence processes and secure required approvals. Comply with all policies and procedures. Supports audits and cost recovery matters. Execute post-award contract management and administration as directed. This will involve resolution of queries, supporting timely supplier invoice approvals, processing and tracking supplier change requests, monitoring contract expiration dates and ensuring extensions or renewals are executed to support continuing service delivery to the business.

Support supplier performance management activities, such as KPI tracking, PRMs and other activities intended to drive improvement with supplier performance. Ensure Local Content obligations are considered and incorporated into the procurement decisions as required. You will work closely with technical and project management stakeholders to ensure products and services are delivered safely to specification and in line with contractual agreements. You will interface with NOC/NGC and act as a point of contact for suppliers to support the category teams understanding of the Iraqi market. You will advocate for opportunities to partner, collaborate, develop, and strengthen relationships with contractors and suppliers. Promotes compliance culture and psychological safety. Monitors and reacts to contractor safety and compliance related matters, provides input into investigations and implementation of appropriate actions.

Procurement delivery – Provides advice to the in-country delivery team on day-to-day procurement category operations. Provides oversight on supplier performance management or interventions, escalating to the relevant business stakeholders, as needed, to ensure timely resolution and prevent leakage. Leads end-to-end sourcing initiatives including RFP development, bid evaluation, negotiation, and award recommendations, ensuring contracts deliver best value, mitigate risk, and align with company policies and local regulatory requirements. Unlocks value and deliver strong performance in line with category management policy. Supports audits and cost recovery matters.

You will have a University degree in Procurement, Engineering or other business/technical discipline and CIPS professional chartership (or equivalent) is preferred. However, experience and attitude are key, and we’re looking for someone who has:

• Genuine passion for the Oil and Gas business and the supply chain.
• Demonstrable track record of delivery in Business Support & HSE Procurement, ideally related to oil and gas services with large capex or onshore scopes.
• Approximately 5+ years of procurement experience in the Oil and Gas sector within the relevant category – Projects Procurement delivering end to end sourcing, contracting and supplier management.
• Knowledge in application of PSCM contracting, supplier management and Project execution.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with internal stakeholders across multiple disciplines, cultures and geographies, across project and with suppliers.
• Commercial mindset, analytical skills, and able to confidently negotiate large complex contracts and liaise with all levels of stakeholders.
• Strong business acumen to unlock value, track record of collaboration, able to deliver agile solutions to the business, try new ways of working and displays a growth mindset.
• Excellent communicator who demonstrates an ability to develop, high quality, trust-based relationships with the wider organization.
• Track record bringing multiple parties together to collaboratively solve complex problems.
• Able to work under pressure to initiate actions, prioritize and support decision making, skilled at fostering alignment among senior stakeholders with competing priorities.
• Excellent communicator with demonstrated ability to influence, collaborate and lead teams through complexity, develop capability and provide solutions to complex issues in multi-stakeholder, multi-discipline, multi-cultural environments.