Category Specialist / Category Buyer at Dangote

The Dangote Group is one of the most diversified business conglomerates in Africa with a hard-earned reputation for excellent business practices and products’ quality with its operational headquarters in the bustling metropolis of Lagos, Nigeria in West Africa.
The Group’s activities encompass:

Cement – Manufacturing / Importing
Sugar – Manufacturing & Refining
Salt – Refining
Flour & Semolina – Milling
Pasta – Manufacturing
Noodles – Manufacturing
Poly Products – Manufacturing
Logistics – Port Management and Haulage
Real Estate
Dangote Foundation

Since inception, the Group has experienced phenomenal growth on account of quality of its goods and services, its focus on cost leadership and efficiency of its human capital. Today, Dangote Group is a multi-billion Naira company poised to reach new heights, in every endeavour competing with itself to better the past.

The Group’s core business focus is to provide local, value added products and services that meet the ‘basic needs’ of the populace. Through the construction and operation of large scale manufacturing facilities in Nigeria and across Africa, the Group is focused on building local manufacturing capacity to generate employment and provide goods for the people.Reports To: Head, Category Management

Job Summary

Support the execution of category strategies by delivering sourcing events, managing supplier performace, and ensuring efficient, compliant, and value-driven procurement operations aligned with business requirements.
Act as an operational procurement partner to stakeholders, ensuring timely delivery, cost efficiency, and adherence to category strategies and contracts.

Scope of Responsibility

Execute sourcing and procurement activities across assigned sub-categories or spend areas 
Manage supplier interactions and transactional/commercial execution 
Support contract implementation and compliance 
Ensure alignment with Category Strategy and procurement policies 

Key Duties and Responsibilities
Category Strategy Execution & Planning Support:

Support Category Lead in executing category strategies and sourcing plans
Conduct spend analysis, demand tracking, and basic market research
Maintain category data, supplier lists, and sourcing pipelines
Identify and escalate value opportunities (cost savings, demand optimization) 

Strategic Sourcing Execution:

Execute sourcing events (RFI, RFQ, RFP) in line with category strategy
Prepare RFx documentation, evaluation models, and commercial comparisons
Support negotiations with suppliers (pricing, terms, delivery)
Ensure sourcing processes are compliant, transparent, and documented

Supplier & Contract Management:

Manage day-to-day supplier interactions and communication
Track supplier performance (delivery, quality, SLA adherence)
Support supplier onboarding, qualification, and documentation
Monitor contract compliance and flag deviations

Stakeholder Engagement & Support:

Act as first point of contact for operational procurement request
Translate stakeholder needs into sourcing requirements
Ensure timely processing of procurement requests and purchase orders
Support demand control by challenging non-compliant or unnecessary requests 

Risk, Compliance & Governance:

Ensure compliance with procurement policies, procedures, and approvals
Identify and escalate supply risks (delivery delays, supplier issues, contract gaps)
Maintain proper documentation for audit and compliance purposes
Support supplier due diligence and governance processes 

Performance Tracking & Reporting:

Track sourcing savings, cost avoidance, and delivery performance
Maintain procurement dashboards and reports
Monitor key KPIs (OTIF, cycle time, compliance, savings delivery)
Provide regular updates to Category Lead and stakeholders

Demand Management & Specification Support:

Support demand planning and validation of purchase requests
Ensure specifications align with approved standards and contracts
Identify opportunities for standardization and consumption control
Escalate opportunities for value engineering

Procurement Operations & Process Excellence:

Execute purchase orders and ensure timely order placement
Manage end-to-end PR-to-PO process
Maintain data accuracy in procurement systems (ERP)
Drive process improvements (cycle time, efficiency, compliance)

Continuous Improvement & Capability Development:

Build knowledge of sourcing processes, supplier markets, and commercial practices
Support digital procurement tools and analytics adoption
Participate in process improvement and cost optimization initiatives

Safety, Sustainability & ESG Compliance:

 Ensure suppliers comply with HSE and ESG requirements
Support responsible sourcing and ethical procurement practices
Monitor and report supplier compliance issues
Perform other tasks and duties as assigned by the line manager

Education and Work Experience

Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, Business, Engineering, or related field
3–8 years’ experience in procurement, sourcing, or supply chain roles
Professional certification (CIPS, CPSM, etc.) is an advantage
Experience supporting sourcing events and supplier management
Familiarity with procurement systems and processes

Functional Competencies:

Sourcing Execution & RFx Management
Basic Commercial Negotiation
Supplier Coordination & Performance Tracking
Contract Compliance Monitoring
Spend Analysis & Reporting
Procurement Process Execution.

Digital Competencies:

ERP systems (SAP)
Excel and basic data analysis
Spend analytics tools (user level)
E-sourcing tools.

Behavioral Competencies:

Commercial awareness
Stakeholder collaboration
Problem-solving
Attention to detail
Communication skills
High integrity and professionalism.