Procurement Specialist

Purpose of the Role

To provide engineering services to manage the sourcing, contracting, and supplier performance of engineering services and related technical spend categories. The role is critical to supporting plant reliability, maintenance execution, operational continuity, and safe, cost-effective service delivery across Hulamin's operational environment

Key Responsibilities

• Lead sourcing, tendering, bid evaluation, negotiation, and contract award processes for engineering services and related technical spend categories.

• Develop fit-for-purpose procurement strategies aligned to technical requirements, operational risk, supply market conditions, and commercial opportunities.

• Work closely with engineering, maintenance, and operational stakeholders to define scopes of work, specifications, and sourcing approaches.

• Negotiate and manage commercial terms, service level expectations, contractual protections, and supplier performance obligations.

• Strengthen contract governance, scope clarity, variation management, claims resolution, and audit-ready procurement documentation.

• Monitor supplier performance against agreed safety, quality, service delivery, commercial, and contractual requirements.

• Identify cost-saving, standardisation, supplier optimisation, and total cost of ownership improvement opportunities.

• Support urgent, shutdown, planned maintenance, and project-based engineering procurement requirements with appropriate speed, discipline, and governance.

• Manage and develop the Commodity Buyer: Engineering Services (1 direct report), including coaching, performance direction, and capability development, as well as support for succession planning for this role as part of the broader procurement capability pipeline.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree (NQF 7) in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.

• Formal procurement or commercial qualification, such as CIPS Level 4 or equivalent, would be advantageous at minimum qualification level.

• 7 to 10 years proven experience in engineering services procurement or technical category management within a manufacturing, industrial, or plant operations environment.

• Minimum 5 years experience leading sourcing, tendering, bid evaluation, negotiation, and contract award processes for engineering services and projects.

• Minimum 5 years experience in contract management, supplier performance monitoring, and service delivery governance.

• Strong understanding of maintenance, shutdown, project-based services, technical scope interpretation, and plant operational requirements (minimum 5 years).

• Minimum 5 years experience in aluminium, metals, or heavy engineering manufacturing environments (this is a minimum requirement per the approved Job Profile, not merely advantageous).

• Valid South African driver's licence, Code 08 minimum.

• Clear criminal record and clear credit history.

• Active membership of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) is a mandatory condition of appointment for this role.

Advantageous Qualifications and Experience

• Postgraduate qualification in Engineering Management, Supply Chain, Business Administration, or a related field (NQF 8).

• CIPS Chartered Member (MCIPS) status would be highly advantageous, over and above the mandatory active CIPS membership required for appointment.

• Project management qualification such as PMP or PRINCE2, relevant to shutdown, project, and capital procurement environments.

• Exposure to total cost of ownership analysis, value engineering, and engineering services spend standardisation.

• Experience using SAP MM or an equivalent ERP procurement system and Advanced Excel for spend and contract analysis.

• Experience managing OHS Act contractor compliance, SHEQ requirements, and procurement governance for engineering service providers.

Key Competencies

• Sound knowledge of engineering services procurement, contract law, commercial terms, service level agreements, and supplier performance management.

• Strong negotiation, commercial structuring, sourcing strategy, tendering, bid evaluation, and contract management skills.

• Ability to engage credibly with engineering, maintenance, plant, and operational stakeholders.

• Strong spend analysis, savings tracking, reporting, risk assessment, and supplier governance capability.

• High levels of integrity, accountability, resilience, commercial rigour, and solution orientation.

• Collaborative approach with the ability to manage competing priorities across urgent, planned, and project-based requirements.

Statutory and Compliance Requirements

• Compliance with the Hulamin Code of Ethics, Conflict of Interest Policy, and Delegation of Authority (DOA/LOA) framework.

• Compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) as it applies to the management of supplier data and contract records.

• Engineering service providers appointed through this role must comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Act, No. 85 of 1993 (OHS Act); contractor compliance is a core procurement governance requirement of this role.

Special Requirements

• Willingness and ability to travel between Hulamin's Pietermaritzburg and Richards Bay sites as required.

• Regular plant floor access will be required; appropriate PPE must be worn in accordance with OHS Act and Hulamin site safety requirements.

• Availability to support shutdown and project procurement activities outside standard working hours when operationally required.

Hulamin is committed to prioritising transformation in line with diversity, inclusion and all legislative requirements in its recruitment and appointment processes.

Please note that Hulamin reserves the right to withdraw, alter and re-advertise any vacant position based on its operational requirements.

“Hulamin does not require or solicit any payments for any recruitment process.” Please report (anonymously if you prefer) any request for such to the Hulamin Ethics and Fraud Hotline at 080 2255 688.

Candidates who do not receive any correspondence within 1 month after the closing date may assume that their applications were unsuccessful and are hereby thanked for applying***.***

Closing Date: Friday, 21 August 2026