Purchasing Director

Position Name: Purchasing Director

One of our clients in the FMCG industry is looking for a Purchasing Director to lead their end-to-end purchasing strategy across fresh produce, dry goods, dairy, frozen, household and personal care. This role is commercially critical: assortment differentiation, supplier reliability and purchase cost directly determine gross margins and customer experience. This is not a traditional office-based procurement role focused only on distributors and negotiation. The role requires a strong field-oriented sourcing mindset with direct exposure to local farms, artisanal producers, homegrown brands, micro-manufacturers and independent suppliers. The ideal candidate should operate as a market seeker: spending approximately 70% of time in the market and 30% in the office.

Department: Purchasing
Reports to: General Manager
Location: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Preferred Nationality / Visa: Saudi preferred due to local market alignment and localization requirements; exceptional non-Saudi profiles considered

Direct Reports: Purchasing Assistant

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Define and execute purchasing strategy across all categories for the Jeddah dark store.
• Build supplier portfolio across KSA while prioritising SMEs.
• Scout artisanal and niche producers, farms, family businesses and specialty makers.
• Negotiate pricing, payment terms, rebates and exclusivities.
• Coordinate replenishment and stock planning.
• Monitor sell-through and purchasing volumes.
• Conduct supplier performance reviews.
• Onboard suppliers with SFDA documentation verification.
• Identify seasonal opportunities and promotional stock.
• Benchmark premium retailers locally and internationally.

REQUIREMENTS

Education: Bachelor's in Business, Supply Chain, Economics or related. CIPS is an advantage.

Experience

• 7+ years in purchasing / procurement / category management.
• Minimum 3 years in FMCG / grocery / e-commerce in Saudi Arabia.
• Strong supplier network in Jeddah and KSA.
• Proven direct sourcing from local producers.

Technical Skills

• Odoo, SAP or equivalent ERP.
• Demand forecasting.
• Excel analysis and dashboards.
• SFDA compliance.
• Supplier contract management.

Soft Skills

• Negotiation.
• Commercial acumen.
• Entrepreneurial mindset.
• Arabic fluent; English business proficiency.
• Startup agility.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Saturday – Thursday, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
• Frequent supplier visits across Jeddah and wider Saudi Arabia
• On-site with regular sourcing travel