Senior Manager – GSE CAPEX Procurement

ABOUT AIR INDIA SATS AIRPORT SERVICES PRIVATE LIMITEDAISATS, a leading gateway services provider in India, is a 50-50 joint venture between Air India Limited (a part of the TATA Group) and SATS Ltd., one of the world’s largest providers of air cargo handling services and Asia’s leading airline caterer. ‘AISATS’ is defined by its people – they are our greatest strength. Their commitment to seamless delivery and customer delight is what enables us to fulfil our brand promise of service excellence. This has been the hallmark of our business for more than a decade. With deep domain knowledge of the aviation ecosystem, we offer end-to-end ground handling services such as passenger and baggage handling, ramp handling, aircraft interior cleaning, load control and flight operations, and cargo handling services for general, perishable, transshipment, express courier and special cargo.Senior Manager – GSE CAPEX ProcurementLocation: GurugramFunction: Centralized Procurement – Capital Expenditure (Ground Support Equipment)Reports to: Head – Procurement Team Size: Capex Buyers / Category Managers / Procurement Analysts (as applicable across Business units)ROLE SCOPE & COMPLEXITYOrganization-wide ownership of GSE Capex procurementMulti-location, multi-BU, 24x7 aviation operationsHigh-value Capex contracts with OEMs (domestic & global)Interaction with CFO, auditors, airport authorities, OEM principalsStrong dependency on operational timelines (aircraft induction / GH contract go-live) JOB PURPOSE The Senior Manager – GSE CAPEX Procurement is accountable for strategic, centralized, and end-to end procurement of all Ground Support Equipment (GSE) capital assets required for airline operations and ground handling businesses across domestic and international stations.KEY RESPONSIBILITIESGSE CAPEX PROCUREMENT STRATEGY & POLICY OWNERSHIPDefine and implement centralized GSE Capex procurement strategy aligned with:Airline fleet plans (NB / WB / Freighter)Ground handling contract lifecycle (award, renewal, exit)Organization’s cost, cash flow, and governance objectivesConvert decentralized GSE buying into policy-driven centralized sourcing.Establish category-wise sourcing strategies for:Ramp GSEPassenger handling GSECargo & warehouse GSEPower & air equipmentDrive make-vs-buy-vs-lease decisions in coordination with Finance.Act as policy owner for GSE Capex procurement SOPsCAPEX DEMAND CONSOLIDATION & PR GOVERNANCEConsolidate BU-wise and location-wise GSE Capex requirements into annual and rolling procurement plans.Validate PRs for:Business justificationAlignment with approved Capex budgetsSpecification standardizationAvoidance of duplicate or premature CapexChallenge non-standard or unjustified requests to protect capital discipline.Prioritize PRs based on operational criticality and revenue linkage.END-TO-END CAPEX PROCUREMENT EXECUTIONOwn the complete procurement lifecycle for all GSE Capex:Requirement finalization & scope freezingRFQ / RFP structuringVendor pre-qualification & shortlistingTechno-commercial evaluationNegotiation & commercial closurePO / Contract issuanceEnsure transparent, competitive, and auditable sourcing processes.Lead procurement of complex and high-value equipment such as:Pushback tractorsHigh loadersPassenger busesElectric GSE fleetsEnsure procurement timelines align with aircraft induction and GH SLAs.OEM & STRATEGIC VENDOR MANAGEMENTEstablish long-term strategic relationships with:Global GSE OEMsDomestic manufacturersAuthorized dealers and integratorsLead senior-level negotiations covering:Base pricing & escalation protectionVolume-based rebatesWarranty & extended warrantyAMC / CMC with uptime guaranteesSpares price locking and lead time commitmentsPenalties, LDs, and performance guaranteesStructure multi-year rate contracts and framework agreements.Conduct periodic vendor performance reviews and corrective action plans.GSE STANDARDIZATION & LIFECYCLE COST OPTIMIZATIONDrive organization-wide standardization of:GSE modelsSpecificationsOEM baseReduce total cost of ownership by:Minimizing customizationRationalizing fleet varietyAligning spares and maintenance philosophyPromote adoption of:Electric / low-emission GSETelematics-enabled equipmentWork with Engineering to ensure procurement decisions reduce long-term maintenance and downtime costs.COMMERCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT & CONTRACT STRUCTURINGStructure contracts to mitigate risks related to:Delivery delaysPerformance failuresGround handling contract terminationAsset redeployment or resaleEnsure contracts include:Exit clausesBuy-back / resale supportAsset transfer flexibilityCoordinate with Legal to ensure strong commercial protection.Protect organization from stranded assets post GH contract exit.DELIVERY TRACKING & OPERATIONAL COORDINATIONTrack PO-to-delivery and commissioning milestones.Proactively escalate delays that can impact:Aircraft inductionStation launchGround handling contract go-liveCoordinate with:OEM logistics teamsEngineering & MaintenanceStation OperationsFinance for GRN & capitalizationEnsure procurement enables zero disruption to flight and ramp operations.CAPEX FINANCIAL CONTROL & REPORTINGTrack Capex spends vs approved budgets.Support Finance with:ROI / TCO / payback analysisCapitalization accuracyDepreciation alignment with asset & contract lifePrepare CFO-level MIS and dashboards covering:Pending PRs & POsDelivery timelinesSavings achievedCommercial risksSupport internal, statutory, and management audits.STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT & BUSINESS PARTNERINGAct as single point of ownership for all GSE Capex procurement matters.Partner with:Ground OperationsEngineering & SafetyFinance & LegalGH Commercial & Bid teamsProvide Capex inputs for:GH RFP pricingContract feasibility analysisInfluence stakeholders to adopt standardized, cost-effective solutions.TEAM LEADERSHIP & CAPABILITY BUILDINGLead and mentor Capex procurement team members.Build strong knowledge in GSE procurement.Drive performance culture through clear KRAs and KPIs.Ensure strong succession and capability development.KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (KPIs)GSE Capex savings vs benchmarkPR-to-PO and PO-to-delivery cycle timePercentage standardization of GSE fleetBudget adherenceVendor SLA complianceAudit observations (target: zero high-risk findings)On-time availability of GSE for operationsEDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONSBE / B. Tech – Mechanical / Electrical / AutomobileMBA / PGDM – Supply Chain / Operations / Finance (preferred)12–20 years of experience in:Aviation GSE procurement ORAirline / Ground Handling Capex procurement ORHeavy equipment / infrastructure Capex sourcingProven experience in:Centralized procurementHigh-value OEM negotiationsMulti-location operations

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