Contracting Manager – Middle East

An exciting opportunity is available for an experienced Contracting Manager to join a young, vibrant and fast-paced team based in Marrakesh, Morocco.

The successful candidate will be responsible for developing and executing regional buying strategies, negotiating vendor contracts and managing supplier relationships to achieve cost efficiency, service excellence and compliance with organisational standards.

This is a senior role requiring strong commercial, operational and relationship-management skills, together with a solid understanding of the regional travel and tourism market.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Planning & Vendor Management

• Develop and implement the regional Buying strategy to achieve cost efficiency and service excellence in alignment with organisational goals.
• Build, manage and monitor vendor relationships.
• Source new vendors while ensuring competitive pricing and high-quality service.
• Promote social enterprise values throughout vendor relationships.
• Negotiate and manage vendor contracts from inception through to completion, including:
  • Contract renewals
  • Amendments
  • Compliance requirements
  • Legal and ethical standards
  • Sustainability standards
• Monitor market trends and conduct RFPs where required.
• Update costs and tour content to secure favourable commercial terms.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to optimise regional purchasing and resource utilisation.
• Track vendor performance against contractual obligations, including quality, cost and service levels, and proactively address issues.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead and mentor the regional Buying team.
• Provide guidance, development and oversight to ensure the team meets operational and performance targets.
• Support other departments with contracting procedures and best practices.
• Drive effective cross-functional collaboration.

Contract & Budget Management

• Manage the regional travel budget.
• Prepare detailed reporting and track expenditure against financial goals.
• Review and analyse financial performance reports, including Trip Profitability and Balanced Scorecard reporting.
• Identify opportunities for cost and operational optimisation.
• Maintain a centralised contract repository.
• Ensure contracts are correctly processed, compliant with internal standards and accessible for future reference.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure contracts comply with corporate governance, legal requirements and relevant industry standards.
• Work closely with Legal where required.
• Integrate sustainability and ethical practices into vendor selection and negotiations.
• Identify and mitigate risks associated with:
  • Contracting
  • Budgeting
  • Vendor relationships
• Minimise potential operational impact through effective risk management.

Project Management & Special Initiatives

• Lead and execute special projects and negotiations in line with business objectives and deadlines.
• Drive regional audit initiatives to assess vendor performance and compliance with operational standards.
• Support regional travel style training initiatives.
• Ensure the team meets relevant travel requirements and industry standards.

Stakeholder Communication & Reporting

• Provide accurate cost estimates, product details and reporting to stakeholders to support informed decision-making.
• Ensure timely communication of updates and results to relevant teams.
• Maintain alignment across contracting and operational requirements.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in a relevant field or discipline.
• Minimum 6 years' relevant experience in Travel, Buying and Operations within the region.
• Proven experience negotiating large contracts and managing vendor relationships.
• Strong experience across the buying process, product cycle and operations cycle.
• Demonstrated experience using contract management systems and internal software tools for contract tracking and reporting.
• Extensive knowledge of Western and global tourism markets, including trends, competitors and industry practices.
• Proven ability to lead teams and collaborate effectively with cross-functional departments.
• Advanced proficiency in data and financial reporting tools for:
  • Budget management
  • Expenditure tracking
  • Financial performance analysis
  • Trip Profitability
  • Balanced Scorecard
• Advanced communication skills in English and at least one additional regional language.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate complex information effectively.
• Strong administrative and organisational skills.
• Ability to manage day-to-day operations, coordinate teams and manage multiple priorities with a high level of attention to detail.
• Ability to work under pressure, manage conflicting demands and prioritise tasks while maintaining quality and accuracy.

Language Requirements – Non-Negotiable

Candidates must be able to communicate professionally in:

• English
• Arabic
• French

All three languages are non-negotiable requirements for this position.

Commercial / Contracting Experience

The successful candidate should have demonstrable experience managing large vendor or contracting portfolios, with experience involving portfolios of approximately $5 million or more.

Strong commercial negotiation skills and the ability to manage vendor relationships from sourcing and negotiation through to contract management, renewal, performance monitoring and compliance are essential.

The Marrakesh office has a young, vibrant, collaborative, fast-paced, bright and quirky culture.

The successful candidate should enjoy working in an energetic team environment and contribute positively to a culture built around collaboration, accountability, adaptability and mutual support.

Application Requirement – Short Video

As part of the CV submission, candidates will be required to provide a short video of themselves doing something fun.

The video will be used to assess:

• English, Arabic and French language levels
• Communication style
• Personality and overall cultural fit
• Confidence and ability to engage with others

The video does not need to be highly produced or formal — the purpose is to give the team a genuine feel for the candidate's personality, communication ability and language proficiency.

RPO Recruitment is a Specialist Recruitment Agency that provides candidates and clients with unique recruitment solutions tailored to their needs. We focus on helping you reach your personal and professional goals by connecting you to your perfect career path.

• Salary: Negotiable.
• Our client is offering a highly competitive salary for this role based on experience.
• Apply for this role today and contact Meghan du Plessis and Riana Hattingh on 021 180 0776 at RPO Recruitment or on LinkedIn.
• You can also visit the RPO Recruitment website: rporecruitment.us
• Alternatively, email your CV to [email protected].
• Please include your short fun video together with your CV submission.