About the position
The successful candidate will be required to establish and lead the procurement function from the ground up. You will be responsible for creating a strategic, centralised procurement capability that drives value, efficiency, and competitive advantage across the organisation.
You will build the foundation for a world-class procurement operation, developing policies, processes, and systems while establishing key supplier relationships. This role will evolve into a senior leadership position, with the successful incumbent expected to build and manage a procurement team as the function matures.
Responsibilities include:
Strategic Development & Leadership
- Design and implement a comprehensive procurement strategy aligned with business objectives and growth plans
- Establish the procurement function's vision, mission, and operating model from scratch
- Develop short, medium, and long-term roadmaps for procurement capability development
- Build business cases for procurement initiatives and investments
- Act as a strategic advisor to senior leadership on procurement-related matters
- Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) for procurement effectiveness
Process & Policy Development
- Create and implement procurement policies, procedures, and governance frameworks
- Develop standardised procurement processes including sourcing, contracting, supplier management, and purchase-to-pay workflows
- Establish approval hierarchies and spending authorities
- Design and implement a category management approach
- Develop procurement templates, tools, and documentation
- Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and corporate governance standards
Supplier & Stakeholder Management
- Build and maintain strategic relationships with key suppliers across all categories
- Develop and execute supplier selection, evaluation, and onboarding processes
- Negotiate contracts and commercial terms to achieve optimal value
- Implement supplier performance management frameworks
- Identify and mitigate supply chain risks
- Partner with internal stakeholders across all departments to understand procurement needs
- Educate and influence stakeholders on procurement best practices
Cost Management & Value Creation
- Identify and deliver significant cost savings and cost avoidance opportunities
- Conduct market analysis and benchmarking to ensure competitive pricing
- Drive value engineering and total cost of ownership (TCO) initiatives
- Optimise working capital through payment terms and inventory management
- Develop business cases for strategic sourcing initiatives
- Track and report on procurement savings and value delivered
Technology & Systems
- Select and implement appropriate procurement technology solutions (e-procurement, SRM, contract management)
- Drive digitalisation of procurement processes
- Integrate procurement systems with existing ERP and financial systems
- Leverage data analytics for procurement insights and decision-making
- Champion procurement innovation and automation
Team Building & Development
- Develop a hiring plan and organisational structure for the procurement function
- Recruit, develop, and lead a high-performing procurement team as the function scales
- Create career development frameworks and succession plans
- Build procurement capability through training and mentoring
- Foster a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration, and excellence
- Establish the procurement function as a trusted business partner
Requirements:
- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Commerce, or related field (Essential)
- Professional procurement qualification (CIPS, CPSM, or equivalent) - Highly Advantageous
- Minimum 8-10 years of progressive procurement experience, preferably in retail, e-commerce, logistics, or fast-paced consumer environments
- Proven track record of building procurement functions or leading significant transformation programs
- Demonstrated experience managing complex, high-value negotiations and contracts
- Experience in strategic sourcing across multiple spend categories
- Strong stakeholder management experience at senior levels
- Experience implementing procurement systems and digital solutions
- Track record of delivering measurable cost savings and value creation
- Deep understanding of strategic sourcing and category management methodologies
- Strong commercial acumen and contract management expertise
- Advanced skills in data analysis and reporting (Excel, Power BI, or similar)
- Knowledge of procurement best practices and industry standards
- Financial analysis and business case development capabilities
Desired Skills:
- Procurement
- Retail
- e-commerce
- Logistics
- FMCG
- Contract Management
- Negotiating
- Data Analysis
- Reporting
- Financial Analysis
- Sourcing
