Position Purpose

The Technical & Purchasing Engineer is the central technical purchasing and materials control resource for the Zayed University Estates team. The role supports operational maintenance, Lifecycle and capital projects, engineering improvements, specialist services, critical spares and general technical requirements across the wider team.

The role converts approved needs into clear and procurement-ready requirements, coordinates sourcing and technical evaluation, expedites orders and deliveries, controls commercial and supporting records, and supervises the Storeman. Project coordination and close-out support form part of the role; however, its primary purpose is to ensure that technical purchasing, stores and associated governance are accurate, timely, compliant and auditable.

Key Responsibilities

HSE, Quality & Compliance

• Make HSE the first consideration in technical specifications, tender packages, supplier selection, material approvals, deliveries, storage and project support. Ensure purchasing requirements include appropriate competence, quality, environmental, statutory, permit, RAMS, testing, certification and safe-handling provisions. Report or escalate hazards, incidents, unsafe materials, non-conformances and overdue corrective actions in accordance with the Khadamat Integrated Management System.

Estates-wide Purchasing Planning & Prioritisation

• Act as the central coordination point for approved technical purchasing requirements from Operations, Lifecycle/projects and the wider Estates team. Maintain an integrated purchasing plan and demand register covering spares, consumables, equipment, materials, specialist services and project packages. Validate need, specification, budget, priority, required-on-site date and approval route; consolidate repeat requirements; identify long-lead or critical items; and escalate risks that may affect service continuity or programme delivery.

Technical Scope, Specification & Tender Readiness

• Prepare, coordinate and technically review scopes of work, specifications, Bills of Quantities, pricing schedules, drawings, asset details, material schedules, warranties, deliverables and acceptance criteria. Challenge incomplete, ambiguous or over-specified requests and work with the responsible engineer to establish a technically compliant, maintainable and value-for-money requirement capable of producing comparable supplier or tender returns.

Sourcing, Tendering & Technical Evaluation

• Coordinate requests for quotation and formal tenders through the approved Procurement process. Administer tender registers, supplier queries, site visits, technical clarifications, addenda, compliance schedules and return documentation. Complete or coordinate technical evaluation and bid levelling, identify exclusions, qualifications, deviations and lifecycle-cost implications, and prepare evidence-based recommendations. Formal sourcing, negotiation, award and contractual commitment remain with authorised Procurement and Delegation of Authority approvers.

Purchase Requisitions, Orders & Expediting

• Prepare and coordinate purchase requisitions with complete supporting documentation, monitor approvals and purchase orders, and maintain accurate status trackers. Confirm supplier acknowledgements, lead times, submittals, manufacture, logistics, access and delivery arrangements; expedite critical requirements; coordinate goods receipt and inspection; resolve quantity, quality or documentation discrepancies; and promptly escalate delay, price movement, obsolescence or supply-chain risk.

Commercial, Budget & Invoice Control

• Maintain purchasing and project cost records covering approved budgets, quotations, commitments, expenditure, accruals, forecast cost, savings, variations and invoice status. Reconcile the approved requirement, quotation or tender, purchase order, goods or services received and supplier invoice before submitting the package for authorised review. Prevent order splitting, retrospective purchasing and unauthorised commitments. The role must not commit expenditure, approve an award, variation or invoice, or instruct additional work outside written delegated authority.

Stores & Materials Management

• Lead and supervise the Storeman and ensure effective control of receipt, inspection, tagging, storage, preservation, shelf life, issue, return, transfer and disposal of materials. Maintain min/max levels, critical-spares lists, cycle counts and periodic stocktakes; reconcile ordered, received, stored, issued and project-consumed quantities; investigate variances; maintain safe and orderly storage; and reduce shortages, excess stock, duplication, loss and obsolescence.

Project & Lifecycle Coordination Support

• Provide purchasing, commercial-administration and project-control support for Lifecycle, capital and engineering-improvement works. Maintain procurement milestones, approval and action registers, delivery dependencies, meeting records, access or shutdown requirements, risks and close-out actions. Support the controlled ZU Lifecycle submission, approval, procurement and payment process under the Project Agreement and Operating Agreement. Technical direction and day-to-day site delivery remain with the responsible manager or engineer.

Technical Documentation, Handover & CAFM Close-out

• Maintain controlled records for requisitions, quotations, tender evaluations, approvals, purchase orders, delivery notes, material certificates, invoices, warranties and supplier correspondence. For project purchases, coordinate completion evidence, testing and commissioning records, statutory approvals, O&M manuals, as-built drawings, training, spares and snag closure. Ensure new or replaced assets, warranties, maintenance requirements and stock information are accurately handed over to Operations and updated in CAFM or the approved system before close-out.

Supplier Performance, Reporting & Information Governance

• Monitor supplier quality, responsiveness, delivery performance, documentation and corrective actions and provide evidence for supplier reviews. Produce accurate purchasing, commercial, stores and project-support dashboards for management. Maintain confidentiality, conflict-of-interest controls, version history, filing standards and data quality across approved ERP, CAFM and document platforms, and continually improve purchasing cycle times, templates, material availability, reporting and audit readiness.

Knowledge, Qualifications & Experience

Knowledge

• Building-services engineering and maintenance requirements.
• Technical purchasing and competitive tendering.
• Engineering scopes, specifications and BoQs.
• Supplier and contract administration; commercial and invoice controls; stores and inventory management.
• Project administration; and the application of the ZU Project Agreement, Operating Agreement and Khadamat Delegation of Authority to relevant purchasing activity.

Education / Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Building Services or another relevant Engineering discipline.
• CIPS Level 4 or above, or another recognised procurement, supply-chain or commercial qualification, is strongly preferred.
• UAE Society of Engineers membership, contract-administration, ERP/CAFM, ISO 9001, PMP/PRINCE2 Foundation or HSE qualifications are advantageous.

Experience

• Typically 7+ years in engineering, facilities management, technical purchasing, construction or project support, including at least 3 years coordinating purchasing across multiple technical workstreams.
• Demonstrable experience with scopes and BoQs, supplier sourcing, technical bid evaluation, PRs and POs, order expediting, cost and invoice reconciliation, stores controls and technical close-out documentation.
• Experience in a PPP/PFI, live campus, healthcare, aviation, infrastructure or similarly controlled environment is strongly preferred.

Skills

• Strong technical judgement, analytical and numerical ability, commercial awareness, specification writing, bid levelling, planning, ERP/CAFM and advanced spreadsheet capability, precise record keeping, supplier coordination, negotiation support, supervision, written communication and stakeholder management.

Additional / Special Features of the Role

• Role operates within a live university campus and must coordinate activities around academic, operational, security and stakeholder constraints.
• May be required to attend incidents, shutdowns, inspections or critical works outside normal office hours when operationally necessary.
• Must work safely across offices, plant rooms, workshops, roofs and project areas, subject to competence, access and permit requirements.
• High standards of integrity, confidentiality, record accuracy and professional judgement are required.

Leadership Essentials

Winning Good Business

• Delivers Customer Service: Understands stakeholder needs, communicates expectations and acts promptly to protect service outcomes.
• Solves Problems: Takes ownership, identifies root causes and implements practical, evidence-based solutions.
• Generates Ideas: Identifies improvements that add value, strengthen compliance or improve asset and service performance.
• Delivers Against Own Objectives: Plans methodically, follows through on commitments and meets agreed timescales.
• Demonstrates Personal Drive: Shows initiative, resilience and persistence in progressing priorities.

Executing Brilliantly

• Gains Others’ Trust: Acts reliably, transparently and with sound professional judgement.
• Communicates Effectively: Presents technical, operational and commercial information clearly and appropriately.
• Demonstrates Collaboration: Works constructively across Operations, Lifecycle, HSE, QA/QC, CAFM, Procurement and Finance.
• Adapts to Change: Maintains effectiveness as priorities, risks and campus requirements change.

A Place People Are Proud to Work

• Respects Difference: Values different perspectives, backgrounds and professional disciplines.
• Assumes Responsibility: Uses time, resources and authority accountably and escalates matters beyond delegated limits.
• Supports Colleague Development: Shares knowledge, gives constructive guidance and builds team capability.
• Maintains Composure: Remains professional and constructive under pressure or during incidents.
• Demonstrates Self Development: Maintains relevant technical, leadership, systems and HSE knowledge.