Manager – Responsible Supply Chains and Social Performance, Middle East

Based in United Arab Emirates (with travel)
Full-time (negotiable)

About Kumi

Kumi is a specialist management consultancy focused on responsible supply chains and social performance across diverse industries, from mining to luxury fashion and automotive to construction. We enable our clients to understand and manage social and environmental risks, meet regulatory and compliance expectations, improve performance and ultimately create value through responsible business practices.

We are commercially focused but mission-driven, motivated by the belief that responsible businesses are among the most important drivers of poverty alleviation and sustainable social and economic development. Our technical excellence and approach to quality is second to none. It’s why Kumi has been commissioned to shape government policies and industry frameworks and why globally leading companies retain us as their trusted advisors.

This focus is underpinned by our five values, which inform all our decision-making and interactions with clients and colleagues:

Passion: we care deeply about the issues we work on and are committed to delivering the highest-quality work to our clients.
Integrity: we are steadfast in who we are, and we will speak up for what we believe is right.
Respect: we respect other people’s opinions, needs, and backgrounds and foster a culture of empathy and inclusivity.
Honesty: we tell the truth, even when difficult, and be transparent and accountable.
Collaboration: we are committed to developing strong relationships with clients, partners and colleagues to find collaborative solutions to the issues we are dealing with.

We are looking to appoint a Manager who will play a key role in developing our Middle Eastern business and meeting our clients’ needs through high-quality execution.

The role

This is a senior, delivery‑focused consulting role at the heart of our Middle East growth. You will play a leading role in delivering complex client engagements end‑to‑end, while also contributing to client relationships and commercial development. You will be responsible for doing a significant share of the analytical and delivery work yourself, working closely with a small team and with senior oversight from Kumi’s leadership.

Based in the UAE, you will:

Deliver complex, high‑impact consulting engagements end‑to‑end, including scoping, analysis, fieldwork, synthesis and production of client‑ready outputs.
Take ownership of day‑to‑day project delivery, working independently and with lean, flexible teams of colleagues and partners. You will play a significant hands‑on role in delivery, while coordinating inputs from others as needed, maintaining high standards, and role‑modelling Kumi’s values in a collaborative and supportive working environment.
Build trusted client relationships through delivery, engaging directly with client stakeholders and turning insights from hands‑on work into clear, practical recommendations.
Contribute to business growth in the Middle East, identifying opportunities through delivery work, supporting proposal development, and helping to convert client demand into well‑scoped engagements.
Apply deep expertise in responsible business and social performance to deliver practical, context‑specific solutions for clients operating across the Middle East, particularly in infrastructure, extractives and complex supply chains.
Contribute to and lead project teams beyond the Middle East portfolio as needed, taking a flexible, team‑oriented approach to supporting work across Kumi’s wider business.

Kumi’s Middle East presence is growing, and our team in the region is currently small. As such, this role is best suited to someone who is comfortable operating with autonomy and taking a hands‑on approach to delivery. Over time, there will be opportunities to build and lead larger teams, but in the near term the emphasis is on high‑quality individual contribution and delivery ownership.

Desired experience and approach

We are looking for a consulting professional with strong experience and potential whose motivations align with Kumi’s mission and growth in the Middle East. You do not need to meet every requirement listed below to be successful in this role. We recognise that experience in the Middle East can be gained through a range of career paths, and we welcome candidates with diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

The successful candidate is likely to demonstrate many of the following:

Strong experience delivering and managing consulting work in the Middle East, demonstrating familiarity with the region’s business environment, regulatory landscape and cultural context, and a track record of contributing to client development and commercial outcomes in a regional market.
A track record of personally delivering substantial portions of consulting engagements, not only overseeing teams, including comfort with analysis, problem‑solving and producing high‑quality written outputs.
Strong experience and subject matter knowledge in responsible sourcing and social performance, or related areas relevant to regional priorities such as localisation, regulatory compliance and risk management.
Experience in priority sectors such as construction, oil & gas and metals & mining, or similarly high-risk industries with complex supply chains.
The ability to build credibility with senior stakeholders in the Middle East, combining cultural awareness with clear, evidence‑based communication and sound judgement.
A developing commercial mindset, with the ability to translate client insight and relationships into well‑scoped opportunities and sustained engagement.
A collaborative leadership style, with the ability to coach and support colleagues and delivery partners while maintaining high standards.
Strong communication skills, including the ability to adapt messaging for different cultural and stakeholder contexts.
Comfort working in an entrepreneurial environment, with the ability to operate with autonomy and build structure as the regional business grows.
A commitment to continuous learning and adaptability, particularly in relation to the evolving Middle East business, regulatory and ESG landscape.
A commitment to Kumi’s values of passion, integrity, respect, honesty and collaboration.

Regional familiarity is a requirement; broader international experience, Arabic or other relevant regional language skills are an advantage. Candidates should be enthusiastic about travel, including to challenging environments, as required.

What Kumi offers

You will have the opportunity to play a key role in the growth of a specialist consultancy at a moment of real opportunity in the Middle East. As a Manager at Kumi, you will take ownership of client delivery, contribute to business growth, and help shape how we build our presence in the region. We offer:

A senior, high‑impact role in a growing Middle East business, with real responsibility for client delivery, team development and contributing to growth.
The opportunity to combine commercial delivery with purpose‑driven work, supporting clients on some of the most pressing social performance and supply chain challenges in the region.
Regional and international exposure, working with colleagues, clients and partners across the Middle East and globally, and engaging with leading companies, institutions and stakeholders.
A high‑calibre, values‑driven team, motivated by curiosity, integrity and a shared belief in responsible business.
A collaborative and supportive culture, where people are trusted, valued and encouraged to take ownership.
Competitive remuneration, including a strong performance‑linked bonus.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and welcome applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences, including those who may have taken time away from work or followed non‑linear career paths.

We are open to discussing flexible working arrangements, including for candidates with caring responsibilities or other needs. The role also involves international travel, sometimes at short notice and to challenging environments.

How to apply

If you are excited by this role but unsure whether you meet every criterion, we encourage you to apply or to get in touch informally. We are particularly interested in candidates with strong potential, sound judgement and a good understanding of the Middle East market, and we place much greater value on these qualities than on a perfectly linear career path.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and to making our recruitment process accessible to everyone. If you have a disability, health condition or any other requirement that may affect your ability to apply or take part in the process, please let us know what adjustments would be helpful. We will work with you to put appropriate support in place.

This role will be employed by our UAE-registered subsidiary. Kumi will sponsor the successful candidate for a UAE employment visa and residency, in line with local regulations. Any job offer will be subject to Kumi and the candidate successfully completing these requirements.

Applications and enquiries should be sent to recruitment@kumi.consulting with the subject line “UAE Manager – application”.