The posting
Location: Port-Gentil, Gabon Department: Contracting & Procurement Reporting to: Managing Director & Group Supply Chain Manager (UK) Position: Residential
Assala Gabon is a dynamic Oil and Gas Exploration and Production company committed to the sustainable development of its assets. We value a collaborative approach, promote diversity, and prioritize safety and integrity in all our operations.
We are seeking an experienced Supply Chain Manager to lead Assala Gabon's end-to-end supply chain organisation.
Based in Port-Gentil and serving as a member of the Management Committee, the Supply Chain Manager will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight of all supply chain activities, ensuring the delivery of safe, reliable, compliant and cost-effective support to the business.
The role carries overall accountability for:
- Contracts & Procurement: sourcing, tendering, purchasing, contracting and supplier performance;
- Logistics: road, air and marine transport, lifting operations and the movement of personnel and materials;
- Materials Management: supply planning, warehousing, inventory control and materials availability;
- Customs & Transit: import, export, customs compliance, freight forwarding and clearance activities; and
- Real Estate & Business Services: offices, residential properties, employee accommodation, facilities and workplace services.
This is a senior leadership role with both strategic and operational accountability. The successful candidate will lead a multidisciplinary team of managers and technical specialists, ensuring the Supply Chain function delivers safe, reliable, compliant and cost-effective support to Assala Gabon's operations.
The Supply Chain Manager is responsible for driving operational excellence, strengthening supply chain performance, and ensuring the efficient planning, procurement, logistics and delivery of critical goods and services across the business.
Key responsibilities
- Own and deliver Assala Gabon’s integrated supply chain strategy, ensuring alignment with operational priorities and the company’s business plan.
- Lead and develop the teams responsible for contracts and procurement, logistics, materials management, customs and transit, real estate and business services.
- Ensure the effective delivery of supply chain and support services across Assala’s operational sites.
- Maintain robust commercial, financial and business controls while ensuring processes remain practical and fit for purpose.
- Lead the management of complex local, multi-site and international contracts and supplier relationships.
- Drive improvements in safety, service quality, supplier performance, cost efficiency and resource utilisation.
- Ensure effective planning and control of logistics, materials availability, inventory, warehousing and customs activities.
- Oversee Assala’s offices, residential properties, employee accommodation and associated workplace services.
- Manage business expectations, service standards and internal customer relationships across a diverse, multi-site organisation.
- Promote Assala’s Local Content objectives by supporting the development of sustainable relationships with Gabonese suppliers and contractors.
- Provide visible HSSE leadership and ensure contractors operate in line with Assala’s Target Zero ambition.
- Ensure the highest standards of ethics, integrity and compliance across all contracting, procurement and supplier-management activities.
Requirements
- More than 15 years’ management experience within supply chain or a closely related operational environment
- Substantial end-to-end supply chain leadership experience in an asset-intensive and safety-critical industry, ideally oil and gas.
- Demonstrable knowledge and experience across contracts and procurement, logistics, materials management, customs and transit, and corporate real estate or facilities.
- Strong commercial capability and a thorough understanding of contracting, tendering, negotiation, supplier management and procurement controls.
- Experience managing complex contracts, multidisciplinary teams and local and international suppliers across multiple locations.
- Strong knowledge of operational logistics, warehousing, inventory management and materials planning.
- Experience overseeing offices, residential accommodation, facilities or comparable workplace services.
- Strong financial and analytical capability, including budgeting, forecasting, cost control and performance reporting.
- A record of improving performance, simplifying processes and delivering sustainable operational improvements.
- Strong stakeholder-management, communication, negotiation and conflict-resolution skills.
- The ability to work effectively in a French-speaking, multicultural and multilingual environment.
- Uncompromising standards of HSSE, ethics, compliance and personal integrity.
The person
We are looking for a pragmatic and credible leader who understands the realities of supporting complex operations.
You will combine technical knowledge with sound commercial judgement, apply controls proportionately and remain focused on practical delivery. You will be comfortable challenging recommendations, addressing underperformance and making difficult decisions while maintaining constructive relationships across the business and its supply base.
High personal integrity, discretion and respect for others are essential.
Why Assala?
At Assala, Supply Chain plays a critical role in enabling safe operations, supporting reliable production, and ensuring the responsible stewardship of our resources.
This is a unique opportunity to lead a strategically important, multidisciplinary function and make a tangible impact on operational performance across Assala Gabon. You will work at the heart of the business, driving efficiency, resilience and continuous improvement across the end-to-end supply chain.
If you bring the leadership capability, commercial acumen, sound judgement and integrity required to oversee a complex supply chain organisation, we would be delighted to hear from you.
This is a residential position based in Port-Gentil, with regular travel to Assala's operational sites across Gabon.
Assala is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applications from suitably qualified candidates of all backgrounds.
