Category Specialist: Engineering

Position Purpose

The Category Specialist: Engineering supports the development and execution of category strategies for engineering-related goods, services, projects, maintenance requirements, and technical solutions across AECI operations.

The role is responsible for supporting strategic sourcing activities, supplier relationship management, market intelligence gathering, contract administration, spend analysis, and value delivery initiatives within the Engineering category portfolio.

Working closely with Engineering, Maintenance, Operations, Projects, Supply Chain, SHEQ, Commercial and Finance stakeholders, the incumbent contributes to delivering cost-effective, safe, reliable and sustainable supply solutions that support operational excellence, plant reliability and business growth objectives.

The role supports key categories including:

- Engineering contractors

- Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) supplies

- Mechanical equipment

- Electrical equipment

- Instrumentation and control systems

- Capital project procurement

- Technical and consulting services

- Fabrication and construction services

- Reliability and condition-monitoring services

Key Accountabilities

Development of sourcing strategies

- Support the development of strategic sourcing approaches for critical mechanical equipment, engineering spares and maintenance services to improve plant reliability and operational continuity

- Manage sourcing activities for engineering spares, maintenance services and operational requirements

- Drive end-to-end sourcing activities, including RFx processes, supplier evaluations, commercial negotiations, and supplier selection.

- Support the development and continuous refinement of category strategies through market intelligence and demand insights.

- Conduct ongoing spend analysis, market and supplier research to identify opportunities, risks, and alternative supply sources.

- Continuously monitor supplier markets, risks and availability to support operational continuity

- Identify alternative suppliers and sourcing opportunities to improve reliability and responsiveness

- Provide input into Procurement dashboards and tracking tools.

- Support procurement planning through spend analysis, demand forecasting and supplier insights

- Contribute to budgeting and forecasting processes through spend and cost analysis.

- Proactively identify and mitigate supply and commercial risks within assigned categories.

- Ensure procurement activities align with operational, maintenance and shutdown requirements

Cost Optimisation and Value Delivery

- Conduct detailed spend analysis across managed categories to identify cost-saving opportunities, demand drivers, and initiatives to reduce operational inefficiencies and procurement lead times. Identify, develop, and implement cost-saving and value-creation initiatives aligned to procurement targets

- Support the implementation of category-led initiatives, to ensure value delivery and in line with procurement targets

- Apply total cost of ownership (TCO) principles to enable optimal sourcing decisions

- Perform cost modelling, scenario analysis, and should-cost modelling using market and supplier data.

- Support standardisation and optimisation initiatives across engineering and maintenance procurement

- Track and report on savings delivery and benefits realisation

- Support optimisation of engineering inventory and critical spare holdings to balance operational reliability and working capital requirements

- Identify opportunities to reduce emergency procurement through improved planning, supplier alignment and sourcing strategies

- Drive standardisation initiatives across engineering and maintenance categories to reduce complexity and improve procurement efficiency

Supplier relationships management

- Build and maintain a qualified supplier base for assigned categories

- Manage supplier performance across quality, cost, service delivery and responsiveness

- Support supplier segmentation and contribute to supplier category and/ or diversification strategies

- Monitor supplier performance through defined KPIs (cost, quality, delivery, service, sustainability) and drive continuous improvement initiatives

- Lead supplier performance reviews and implement corrective actions where required

- Develop and maintain strategic relationships with OEMs and specialised engineering suppliers to improve technical support, responsiveness and lifecycle value

- Drive supplier innovation and continuous improvement

Stakeholder engagement and collaboration

- Partner with internal stakeholders (Operations, Commercial, Finance, S&OP, R&D) to support plant reliability and operational continuity

- Support shutdown and turnaround planning through sourcing readiness, supplier coordination and critical spares availability

- Provide procurement support and commercial guidance on engineering and CAPEX requirements

- Contribute to S&OP processes and support demand planning inputs for key suppliers

- Provide data-driven insights and recommendations to support business needs

- Continuously ensure alignment between procurement activities and operational requirements

- Support budgeting processes through accurate spend and cost analysis

- Act as a trusted advisor to stakeholders on sourcing and supplier-related matters on managed categories

- Champion all procurement improvement programs / initiatives E.g. Digitisation, Policy Rollout

Contracts management

- Develop and execute negotiations strategies for new and existing suppliers to achieve optimal commercial outcomes and lowest total cost of ownership, and meet savings targets

- Lead commercial negotiations within delegated authority to achieve optimal pricing and contractual outcomes

- Support the drafting, review, and management of contracts, ensuring alignment with business requirements and risk mitigation principles

- Monitor contract compliance and utilisation, identifying risks and improvement opportunities

- Ensure all procurement activities comply with internal governance frameworks and policies

KPI’s

- Percentage of spend under contract

- Cost savings and value delivery against targets

- Compliance to negotiated agreements

- Compliance to procurement policies and approved vendor lists

- Supplier scorecard performance (quality, OTIF, cost, sustainability)

- Engineering spares and service availability and supply continuity

- Timely completion of sourcing initiatives

- Successful support of project procurement milestones

- Risk mitigation effectiveness across key categories

- Stakeholder satisfaction

- BBBEE and supplier development impact

- Reduction in engineering procurement lead times

- Enable plant reliability through strategic sourcing of engineering spares and services and supplier performance

Minimum Qualifications

- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Procurement or related discipline

- Postgraduate qualification in Procurement, Supply Chain or Business Management – advantageous

- Professional procurement certification (for example CIPS) – advantageous

- Project Management certification (PMP, Prince2 or equivalent) – advantageous

Experience Required

- Minimum of 5 years proven experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, engineering procurement, supply chain or operations

- Experience within manufacturing, industrial chemicals, engineering or maintenance environments

- Proven experience managing engineering spares, maintenance services, CAPEX procurement and mechanical equipment sourcing

- Experience in supplier negotiations, contract management and sourcing strategy development

- Exposure to SAP ERP systems and eProcurement platforms (Coupa advantageous)

- Experience working in cross-functional operational environments

- Demonstrated capability to operate in a multi-regional environment, ensuring alignment, consistency, and effective stakeholder engagement.

Competencies Required:

Skills

- Strong communication, leadership and people management capability.

- Strategic sourcing and category management

- Engineering and mechanical procurement management

- Supplier negotiation and contract management

- Cost modelling and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) application

- Spend analysis and procurement reporting

- Stakeholder engagement and influencing capability

- Project and execution management

- Strong analytical and problem-solving capability

Knowledge

- Engineering spares and maintenance procurement practices

- Mechanical equipment and industrial services sourcing

- Procurement governance and compliance frameworks

- Supplier relationship management principles

- Operational and plant maintenance requirements

- ERP systems (SAP preferred) and procurement platforms

- Market analysis and commercial evaluation techniques

Behaviours

- High level of integrity and governance orientation

- Strategic thinker with strong problem-solving ability

- Results-driven with strong commercial acumen

- Operationally focused and solution-oriented

- Collaborative and relationship-focused

- High attention to detail and governance orientation

- Continuous improvement mindset

- Ability to work effectively under pressure in operational environments

Key Internal Stakeholders

- Manufacturing and Operations

- Maintenance and Engineering Teams

- Supply Chain

- Finance

- Procurement

- CAPEX and Projects Teams

- Commercial Teams

- Senior Management

- Legal and compliance

Key External Stakeholders

- Engineering and mechanical suppliers

- OEMs and service providers

- Engineering Contractors and maintenance partners

- Construction Contractors

- Maintenance Service Providers

- Technical Consultants

- Equipment Suppliers

- Industry Associations

- Regulatory Authorities where required

Role Reporting to: Category Manager: Engineering & Logistics

AECI respects your right to privacy. Please review our privacy policy at https://investor.aeciworld.com/governance .