Background

Maersk Line is the world’s largest container shipping company, known for reliable, flexible and eco-efficient services. We operate 610 container vessels and provide ocean transportation in all parts of the world. But not only do we power some of the world’s largest ships - we also propel the growth ambitions of businesses and individuals all over our pla...

Job Overview

The Area Head of Logistics & Services Procurement – EAA is a strong leader who drives strategic business partnering, cost leadership, and operational excellence across East Africa, while leading digital innovation in procurement and building a highly engaged team. The role reports to the Regional Head of Logistics and Services Procurement for IMEA, located in Cape Town.

We offer:

Based in Nairobi, Kenya. EAA consists of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Sudan and Somalia.

Responsibilities

• Managing the Area Procurement team, including team members sitting across several offices within EAA (Tanzania, Ethiopia and Mombasa).
• Working closely in a matrix organization, harmonizing Area procurement efforts with the Regional procurement and Centre Procurement teams in close collaboration.
• Partnering with the Area Product and Global Products (e.g. MCL, MEC, Air/LCL) Sales, Customer Experience and Finance teams on long-term game plans, including growth projects, and ensuring alignment between costs, commercial needs, customer experience and operational execution.
• Leading negotiations, holding senior relationships, and coordinating the right Service Level Agreements between Maersk and its partners.
• Accountable for integrating Maersk Contract Management frameworks to ensure compliance and best-in-class supplier performance.
• Driving a strong digital footprint and agenda within supplier engagements and Area business plans.
• Performing continuous improvement on supplier market analytics, organizing market intelligence and creating a competitive edge for Maersk's book of business through effective supply chains.
• Cooperating closely with colleagues between the Area and the Ocean set-up in the Region.
• Maintaining and growing the relationship with commercial logistics and services Regional directors and supporting Regional strategy through the area.
• Expected travel to strategic vendor sites, owned assets and other areas of strategic relevance.
• Drive strategic business partnering with the Area Leadership Team, Local and Global Product, Sales and Finance to align procurement with business growth and customer experience objectives.
• Lead cost leadership and total cost of ownership agenda across Products (Local products, Contract Logistics, Ecommerce, Air/LCL as priority), ensuring procurement decisions are connected to P&L outcomes and budget/RoFo targets.
• Own supplier relationship management for the EAA area, including strategic supplier negotiations, Service Level Agreements, KPIs, and corrective action plans.
• Drive operational excellence through continuous improvement on supplier market analytics, market intelligence, and creating a competitive edge for Maersk.
• Lead digital innovation in procurement, including adoption of e-sourcing platforms (e.g. SourceWise/Keelvar) and embedding AI-enabled procurement capabilities within the area.
• Build and sustain a highly engaged, high-performing procurement team of 3, fostering a culture of accountability, development, and collaboration.
• Ensure full compliance with Maersk Contract Management frameworks, procurement policies, HSSE, and regulatory requirements.
• Cooperate closely with Regional and Global Category Leads, enabling the translation of regional category strategies into effective Area-level execution.
• Represent the Area procurement perspective in the Regional Leadership Team and contribute to pan-IMEA procurement initiatives and best practices.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in Logistics, specifically Inland transportation, Warehousing, Cold Chain, Intermodal, Contract Logistics and Supply Chain Management.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Engineering, Business Administration or a related field.
• Direct leadership experience, including team capability building, with experience managing multi-location teams.
• Ability to lead digital change and transformation, including adoption of AI-enabled procurement capabilities.
• Solid commercial acumen with the ability to link procurement actions to P&L and business outcomes.
• High proficiency with Microsoft Office products including Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Word, Power BI and ERP systems.
• Language: English (fluency required).

Additional Qualification

• Strong understanding of East African landside transportation, warehousing and contract logistics markets.
• Knowledge of sourcing methodologies, contract management frameworks, and supplier performance management.
• Familiarity with digital procurement tools (e-sourcing, spend analytics, AI-enabled procurement platforms).
• Understanding of cost driver analysis, should-cost modelling and total cost of ownership principles.
• Awareness of HSSE, regulatory, and compliance requirements in a EAA context.

• Managing the Area Procurement team, including team members sitting across several offices within EAA (Tanzania, Ethiopia and Mombasa).
• Working closely in a matrix organization, harmonizing Area procurement efforts with the Regional procurement and Centre Procurement teams in close collaboration.
• Partnering with the Area Product and Global Products (e.g. MCL, MEC, Air/LCL) Sales, Customer Experience and Finance teams on long-term game plans, including growth projects, and ensuring alignment between costs, commercial needs, customer experience and operational execution.
• Leading negotiations, holding senior relationships, and coordinating the right Service Level Agreements between Maersk and its partners.
• Accountable for integrating Maersk Contract Management frameworks to ensure compliance and best-in-class supplier performance.
• Driving a strong digital footprint and agenda within supplier engagements and Area business plans.
• Performing continuous improvement on supplier market analytics, organizing market intelligence and creating a competitive edge for Maersk's book of business through effective supply chains.
• Cooperating closely with colleagues between the Area and the Ocean set-up in the Region.
• Maintaining and growing the relationship with commercial logistics and services Regional directors and supporting Regional strategy through the area.
• Expected travel to strategic vendor sites, owned assets and other areas of strategic relevance.
• Drive strategic business partnering with the Area Leadership Team, Local and Global Product, Sales and Finance to align procurement with business growth and customer experience objectives.
• Lead cost leadership and total cost of ownership agenda across Products (Local products, Contract Logistics, Ecommerce, Air/LCL as priority), ensuring procurement decisions are connected to P&L outcomes and budget/RoFo targets.
• Own supplier relationship management for the EAA area, including strategic supplier negotiations, Service Level Agreements, KPIs, and corrective action plans.
• Drive operational excellence through continuous improvement on supplier market analytics, market intelligence, and creating a competitive edge for Maersk.
• Lead digital innovation in procurement, including adoption of e-sourcing platforms (e.g. SourceWise/Keelvar) and embedding AI-enabled procurement capabilities within the area.
• Build and sustain a highly engaged, high-performing procurement team of 3, fostering a culture of accountability, development, and collaboration.
• Ensure full compliance with Maersk Contract Management frameworks, procurement policies, HSSE, and regulatory requirements.
• Cooperate closely with Regional and Global Category Leads, enabling the translation of regional category strategies into effective Area-level execution.
• Represent the Area procurement perspective in the Regional Leadership Team and contribute to pan-IMEA procurement initiatives and best practices.

• Logistics
• Inland transportation
• Warehousing
• Cold Chain
• Intermodal
• Contract Logistics
• Supply Chain Management
• Digital change and transformation
• AI-enabled procurement capabilities
• Commercial acumen
• Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Word)
• Power BI
• ERP systems
• English fluency
• East African landside transportation
• Contract logistics markets
• Sourcing methodologies
• Contract management frameworks
• Supplier performance management
• Digital procurement tools
• Cost driver analysis
• Should-cost modelling
• Total cost of ownership principles
• HSSE
• Regulatory and compliance requirements

• 10+ years of experience in Logistics, specifically Inland transportation, Warehousing, Cold Chain, Intermodal, Contract Logistics and Supply Chain Management.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Engineering, Business Administration or a related field.
• Direct leadership experience, including team capability building, with experience managing multi-location teams.
• Ability to lead digital change and transformation, including adoption of AI-enabled procurement capabilities.
• Solid commercial acumen with the ability to link procurement actions to P&L and business outcomes.
• High proficiency with Microsoft Office products including Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Word, Power BI and ERP systems.
• Language: English (fluency required).
• Strong understanding of East African landside transportation, warehousing and contract logistics markets.
• Knowledge of sourcing methodologies, contract management frameworks, and supplier performance management.
• Familiarity with digital procurement tools (e-sourcing, spend analytics, AI-enabled procurement platforms).
• Understanding of cost driver analysis, should-cost modelling and total cost of ownership principles.
• Awareness of HSSE, regulatory, and compliance requirements in a EAA context.