Amara Gill

A source of global knowledge and a proud representative of women in the Middle Eastern construction industry, Amara Gill exemplifies what it means to deliver distinctive value. Based in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, she is spearheading progress on some of Mace’s boldest and most exciting projects while shaping her career as part of a diverse team.

How did you get into what you do?

After leaving university, I started working as an administrator at an engineering firm and, while I was there, I moved into an internal role as an assistant buyer. It was only meant to be a temporary role but I ended up really enjoying procurement; I felt like I had found a career that I could flourish in. I later moved to Severn Trent before making another career move to work on HS2 in Birmingham. I then moved to Mace through a recommendation and was brought on to work on the Ministry of Justice commission.

A year and a half into my journey at Mace, I was browsing our internal recruitment portal and saw a vacancy in Saudi Arabia. I’ve always wanted to travel, and I wanted to experience working in a new country, so I put myself forward, and here I am today! International opportunities are one of the benefits of working for Mace as it’s a global company, and I’m glad I was able to take advantage.

What do you enjoy most about your current role at Mace?

I’ve been able to work on some incredible projects that I never would have thought I’d have the opportunity to get involved with. Particularly in the Middle East, there are some really innovative processes being implemented on our projects and programmes. I’m also working with people from all around the world, with different personalities, backgrounds and cultures. I’ve learnt so much from the diversity of the team here, as well as through the wide range of projects.

What has been your proudest achievement at Mace so far?

I’m proud of being here and representing Mace in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – especially as a woman. The progress I’ve made to get here and to be part of the valuable contribution that we’re making towards realising KSA’s Vision 2030 is a once-in-a-generation opportunity. The transformation of the Kingdom is taking place everywhere and everyone knows about it, and so to be a part of that and be here at Mace as well is something that I'm very proud of.

Why Mace?

I’d always heard very good things about Mace, mostly about the culture and the scale of the projects being worked on. I felt aligned with the values of the business and how we operate. One of my biggest drivers was feeling inspired by Mace’s purpose, as well as wanting to join a consultancy and work across a diverse range of projects and programmes.

I’ve been given a lot of opportunities to grow and develop my skillset, to learn on different projects and from different people. I keep referring to people as they are the biggest asset to the business; not only are our teams vital to its success, they also help shape the experience of working here. At Mace, there’s plenty of opportunity for colleagues to learn from globally developed best practice and to really thrive.

What motivates you every day?

It’s great to be a part of the growing female workforce in KSA, and to connect with other women in our team who are from here. I enjoy being able to share the knowledge that we’ve developed globally with the teams here and learn about local nuances to best practice delivery.

Knowledge sharing with colleagues on projects in our hubs is an important part of our business activity and, for professionals working here, helps to create an empowering environment where we’re supporting each other as we grow together and build our careers.

I love being part of a diverse organisation and contributing to the ideas and solutions being brought to the table by different members of our team.

What skills do you need to be good at your job?

In procurement, it’s all about people skills: being a master of collaboration and relationship building, whilst maintaining a strategic edge. It’s about being proactive and thinking ahead, always ready to tackle challenges and seeing the bigger picture.

Every bump in the road becomes a stepping stone to success, and with an optimistic approach and the right mindset, you will see this as an opportunity to excel and grow.

What advice would you give to someone looking to get into what you do?

I would recommend studying CIPS (Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply), as this is a great basis to get you started. But theoretical knowledge will only take you so far so it’s also important to get involved and learn from others around you.

It’s a hands-on role and you need to be able to apply knowledge practically to deliver projects for clients. So, I would advise future procurement professionals to go out and get that real-life experience and keep learning in that way.

If you hadn’t got into this line of work what do you think you might be doing?

My degree is in Psychology, and I would’ve loved to have explored that further. I have always had a keen interest in developmental psychology. I’ve found surprising connections to my role in procurement, and while the two fields may seem worlds apart, I’ve discovered that my skills and knowledge from my studies are incredibly applicable.

Just as developmental psychology explores how people grow and change over time, in procurement I find myself managing dynamic relationships, adapting strategies, and fostering growth.