L&S Procurement Manager – EAA

Maersk is a global integrated logistics company specializing in container shipping and port operations, providing end-to-end supply chain solutions.

The Area Head of Logistics & Services Procurement for East Africa (EAA) will be based in Nairobi, Kenya, and report to the Regional Head of Logistics and Services Procurement for IMEA. This position involves leading the Area Procurement team, which includes members across various EAA offices like Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Mombasa. The role requires close collaboration within a matrix organization to align Area procurement efforts with Regional and Centre Procurement teams. Key responsibilities include partnering with Area Product, Global Products (e.g., MCL, MEC, Air/LCL) Sales, Customer Experience, and Finance teams to develop long-term strategies, ensuring cost alignment with commercial needs, customer experience, and operational execution. The manager will lead negotiations, maintain senior relationships, and coordinate Service Level Agreements with partners, ensuring compliance with Maersk Contract Management frameworks and driving digital transformation in supplier engagements. The role also involves continuous improvement in supplier market analytics, gathering market intelligence, and fostering a competitive edge through effective supply chains, while maintaining strong relationships with commercial logistics and services regional directors and supporting regional strategy. Travel to strategic vendor sites and other relevant areas is expected.

1. Drive strategic business partnerships with the Area Leadership Team, Product, Sales, and Finance to align procurement with business growth and customer experience goals.
2. Lead the cost leadership and total cost of ownership agenda across various products, ensuring procurement decisions contribute positively to P&L outcomes and budget targets.
3. Manage supplier relationships for the EAA area, including strategic negotiations, Service Level Agreements, KPIs, and corrective action plans.
4. Enhance operational excellence through continuous improvement in supplier market analytics and market intelligence to create a competitive advantage for Maersk.
5. Spearhead digital innovation in procurement, adopting e-sourcing platforms and integrating AI-enabled capabilities within the area.
6. Build and maintain a highly engaged, high-performing procurement team of three, promoting accountability, development, and collaboration.
7. Ensure full compliance with Maersk Contract Management frameworks, procurement policies, HSSE, and regulatory requirements.
8. Collaborate closely with Regional and Global Category Leads to translate regional category strategies into effective Area-level execution.
9. Represent the Area procurement perspective in the Regional Leadership Team and contribute to pan-IMEA procurement initiatives and best practices.

1. Over 10 years of experience in Logistics, specifically in Inland transportation, Warehousing, Cold Chain, Intermodal, Contract Logistics, and Supply Chain Management.
2. Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field.
3. Direct leadership experience, including team capability building and managing multi-location teams.
4. Proven ability to lead digital change and transformation, including the adoption of AI-enabled procurement capabilities.
5. Strong commercial acumen with the ability to connect procurement actions to P&L and overall business outcomes.
6. High proficiency with Microsoft Office products (Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Word, Power BI) and ERP systems.
7. Fluency in English.
8. Strong understanding of East African landside transportation, warehousing, and contract logistics markets.
9. Knowledge of sourcing methodologies, contract management frameworks, and supplier performance management.
10. Familiarity with digital procurement tools such as e-sourcing, spend analytics, and AI-enabled procurement platforms.
11. Understanding of cost driver analysis, should-cost modelling, and total cost of ownership principles.
12. Awareness of HSSE, regulatory, and compliance requirements within the EAA context.