Senior Manager Category Management GCC (Hilton Supply Management)

About Us

Hilton Supply Management (HSM) is the largest global hospitality-focused organization that supports our brands, owners, and operators, With over 25,000 hotels in our program, including more than 16,000 non-Hilton properties, HSM leverages economies of scale to negotiate competitive contracts with leading suppliers. This ensures direct savings on products and services and value creation for our hotel partners.

About the role

As Senior Manager, Category Management GCC, you are a self‑starter responsible for supporting the design, execution, and continuous optimization of category management and procurement strategies across a defined portfolio of HSM‑related spend categories for all managed and participating hotels within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), with a primary focus on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

You support the organization in maintaining a cost‑competitive position across the assigned categories by contributing to category strategies, negotiation plans, sourcing events, and distribution arrangements. You build strong and positive supplier relationships and contribute to the development of strategic partnerships and business plans that support HSM spend growth and revenue enablement, while meeting operational, quality, regulatory, and brand standards.

As Senior Manager, Category Management GCC, you will:

• Support the organization, coordination, and governance of Purchasing and Supply Management activities for a defined portfolio of HSM‑related spend categories across the GCC, in alignment with the regional HSM team.

• Support the sourcing of products and services of established quality at the lowest total cost of ownership, while adhering to Hilton standards, operating procedures, operational requirements, and procurement best practices, contributing to continuous cost optimization and value creation

• Provide functional leadership, guidance, and development support to procurement and category team members aligned to the assigned categories, contributing to performance management, capability building, and succession planning activities

• Work with and support the representation of the Procurement function with senior stakeholders, including Owners, VPs, General Managers, Finance, and Operations, providing insights and analysis to support decision‑making and alignment of category strategies with business objectives

• Provide functional and operational support to corporate or cluster procurement teams and structured guidance and governance support to hotel‑based purchasing resources across the GCC

• Support the implementation, optimization, and effective use of procurement tools (e.g. BirchStreet, Coupa Smart Spend, or equivalent systems), contributing to system adoption, data quality, reporting, and stakeholder training in line with regional procurement direction

Let's break that down a bit... but bear with us....as it might be a long read, however, it hopefully clarifies what the role entails and what we are looking for in a successful candidate:

50% Regional Sourcing,you will:

• Execute annual spend analysis for the assigned HSM category portfolio and support the development of an annual GCC procurement and category plan with a primary focus on KSA, ensuring visibility and control of relevant spend.

• Support the development of new sourcing programs and the renegotiation of existing programs and distribution channels with suppliers and / or manufacturers, contributing to negotiations and commercial strategy through cross‑functional collaboration

• Support the management and implementation of local and international procurement programs within the assigned categories, ensuring that programs are supported by sound legal, financial, commercial, and logistical structures within a centralized procurement environment

• Ensure strong understanding and availability of applicable brand standards across GCC markets and support their integration into category strategies and sourcing decisions

• Manage category‑related initiatives and workstreams in a structured and organized manner, balancing strategic sourcing activities with operational continuity

Furthermore 25% Operational Procurement,you will:

• Support the delivery of adequate and consistent service levels across all aspects of the purchasing process for the assigned categories, maintaining governance, compliance, and service consistency across GCC markets

• Research and respond to departmental inquiries related to product availability, pricing, specifications, and usage recommendations, communicating regularly with hotel purchasing teams and other operational stakeholders

• Support forecasting of operational requirements and coordination of supply planning to help ensure continuity of supply and alignment with operational needs

• Perform field visits as required, supporting operational reviews of purchasing practices at regional and hotel level

• Support hotel pre‑opening offices and openings as required, contributing to procurement readiness, participation in Supply Management programs, and adherence to brand standards

• Measure, monitor, and support improvements in compliance with category and Supply Management programs

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And finally 25% Administration & Reporting,you will:

• Support the effective management of supplier contracts, pricing, and product / item data for assigned categories, including review and validation of changes to contracted portfolios

• Maintain accurate, complete, and confidential supplier files, category documentation, and procurement databases

• Assist corporate departments and regional leadership in identifying hotels that are not following established sourcing programs or specifications for the assigned categories

• Coordinate and participate in meetings and discussions with suppliers and internal stakeholders on topics beyond routine commercial negotiation, including value analysis, innovation, standardization, and process improvement initiatives

• Provide regular reporting and updates to internal stakeholders on category performance, progress against objectives, savings, risks, and opportunities, and attend area and regional meetings as required

Successful candidates

• Have a bachelor's/masters degree in Business, Supply Chain, Procurement, Hospitality Management, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience

• Have extensive experience in category management, procurement, or supply management within a regional or multi‑market corporate environment, preferably within hospitality, facilities management, or services‑based categories

• Have relevant experience in GCC markets, primarily the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with strong understanding of local market dynamics, supplier landscape, regulatory requirements, and cultural considerations

• Have a solid background in strategic sourcing, supplier management, and contract governance, with the ability to support cost optimisation, compliance, and supply continuity across multiple categories

• Have proven ability to support the development and execution of category strategies, sourcing initiatives, and negotiation approaches that deliver measurable value and total cost of ownership improvements

• Have relevant experience working closely with regional leaders and senior stakeholders (e.g. Procurement Directors, Finance, Operations, General Managers), providing insights, analytics, and execution support

• Have strong commercial, analytical, and financial acumen, including spend analysis, market assessment, and data‑driven decision‑making to improve efficiency, manage risk, and reduce cost

• Have excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build effective working relationships with suppliers and internal partners across diverse GCC markets

• Are highly organised with strong planning, prioritisation, and project management skills, able to manage multiple initiatives in a fast‑paced, matrixed environment

• Have a collaborative and service‑oriented mindset, with a strong commitment to operational excellence, governance, and customer satisfaction

• Are proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, Microsoft Teams), with strong comfort in data analytics and reporting experience with procurement and spend management tools such as Coupa / Smart Spend, BirchStreet, or similar platforms is an advantage

• And finally, are fluent in English (spoken and written) Arabic language capability is highly desirable, particularly for effective engagement with KSA/UAE stakeholders and suppliers