Captain Acquisition Lead

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Careem is building the Everything App for the greater Middle East — making it easy to move around, order food and groceries, manage payments, and more. Our purpose is simple: to simplify and improve people’s lives and build an awesome organisation that inspires.
Since 2012, Careem has enabled earnings for over 2.5 million Captains, simplified the lives of more than 70 million customers, and built a platform where the region’s best talent and entrepreneurs thrive. We operate in 70+ cities across 10 countries, from Morocco to Pakistan.

We’re now entering our next chapter — one powered by AI. We’re looking for AI talent: curious problem-solvers who know how to apply AI to build tools, automate workflows, and create real impact. Whether it’s streamlining operations, enhancing customer experience, or reimagining internal systems — we want people who can make Careem work smarter and move faster.

About the Team
The Acquisition Operations team plays a critical role in building and sustaining Careem’s captain supply across cities. We focus on developing strong vendor partnerships, ensuring consistent captain onboarding, and maintaining high operational standards. The team operates at the intersection of supply growth, partner performance, and on-ground execution, with a strong emphasis on ownership, collaboration, and data-driven decision-making.

About the Role
As the Captain Acquisition Operations Lead, you will be responsible for managing and strengthening Careem’s vendor (3PL) partner ecosystem across the UAE. This role is focused on building reliable supply pipelines by developing strong supplier relationships, improving partner performance, and ensuring captains are onboarded, trained, and operationally ready.
You will act as the key point of contact for our vendor partners, working closely with them to meet supply targets, resolve operational challenges, and continuously improve execution standards. Success in this role requires a hands-on operator who is equally comfortable managing field operations and using data to drive conversations and decisions.

What You’ll Do
  • Lead on-ground captain acquisition operations across the UAE
  • Build and maintain strong working relationships with 3PL partners (vendors) and logistics suppliers
  • Support vendors in improving their recruitment, onboarding, and captain readiness processes
  • Align captain supply with Careem’s growth plans and ensure partners consistently meet their commitments
  • Track, monitor, and enforce supply fulfillment targets (e.g., ensuring committed captain numbers are onboarded on time)
  • Actively work with partners to improve performance, solve operational bottlenecks, and raise quality standards
  • Distribute captain uniforms/swag and coordinate onboarding and training initiatives
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for resolving day-to-day operational issues with suppliers and captains
  • Maintain structured documentation and reporting on acquisition progress, partner performance, and overall supply health
  • Manage and guide the team to ensure clear direction, accountability, and high-quality execution
  • Use data and performance metrics to identify gaps, drive corrective actions, and support decision-making


What You’ll Need
  • 3–5 years of experience in acquisition, logistics, vendor management, or operations in a fast-paced environment (e.g., food tech, q-commerce, mobility)
  • Proven experience working closely with external partners or suppliers and managing on-ground operations
  • Strong communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to influence partners
  • Comfortable working with data: able to track metrics, interpret performance trends, and use numbers to guide actions and discussions
  • Intermediate Excel skills required; ability to work with reports and performance trackers is essential
  • Analytical mindset with a habit of using data to identify issues and opportunities
  • Proficiency in Hindi or Urdu preferred; Arabic is a plus but not mandatory
  • Strong ownership mindset with the ability to operate independently and thrive in a fast-changing environment


What We’ll Provide You
We offer colleagues the opportunity to drive real impact in the region while learning and growing in a high-ownership environment. As a full-time Careem colleague, you will be able to:
  • Work and learn from talented, driven colleagues across functions
  • Contribute to a mission-driven organization focused on building reliable everyday services
  • Explore new opportunities to learn and grow every day
  • Work in a hybrid setup (4 days in office, 1 day from home) and remotely from any country for up to 30 days a year, with unlimited vacation days
  • Access healthcare benefits and fitness reimbursements for activities including gym memberships, health clubs, and training classes

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