Director, Strategic Sourcing & Supplier Management

Role Purpose & Context

Role Summary

As our Director of Strategic Sourcing & Supplier Management, you'll be the architect of our procurement strategy for a major business unit. This means you're not just managing suppliers; you're driving multi-year transformations, figuring out how we get the most bang for our buck, and making sure our supply chain is robust enough to handle anything the market throws at us. You'll be leading a team of experienced professionals, setting their direction, and honestly, you'll spend a lot of time influencing C-level folks to get your vision across the finish line. This role sits right at the heart of our operations, linking our business unit's growth ambitions with our ability to deliver. You'll translate high-level business goals into actionable sourcing strategies, making sure we're not just saving money, but also innovating with our partners and reducing risk. When you do this well, we see significant improvements in our P&L, our products get to market faster, and we avoid nasty supply disruptions. If it's not done well, we're looking at missed targets, unhappy customers, and potentially serious financial hits. The tricky part is balancing aggressive savings targets with long-term partnership building and constant market volatility. But the reward? You'll genuinely shape the direction of a multi-million-pound business unit, leaving a lasting mark on our success.

Reporting Structure

• Reports to: Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) or Business Unit Managing Director
• Direct reports: Roughly 3-8 (typically Managers and Lead Supplier Relationship Managers)
• Matrix relationships: Head of Procurement (Business Unit), VP of Supply Chain Partnerships, Director of Commercial Operations,

Key Stakeholders

Internal:

• Chief Procurement Officer (CPO)
• Business Unit Managing Director
• Finance Director / CFO
• Legal Counsel (Senior)
• Head of Product Management
• Head of Sales Operations
• Heads of Engineering / IT

External:

• Strategic Supplier Executive Leadership
• Industry Analysts and Consultants
• Key Technology Partners
• Regulators (where applicable)

Organisational Impact

Scope: You'll directly influence the P&L for a significant business unit, typically managing a spend portfolio of £50M-£200M+. Your decisions will shape our market position, product delivery capabilities, and overall operational resilience. Frankly, your strategic choices here can make or break key business objectives.

Performance Metrics

Quantitative Metrics

1. Metric: Business Unit P&L Impact (Hard Savings)
2. Desc: The validated, bottom-line savings delivered to your business unit through strategic sourcing, negotiation, and supplier optimisation.
3. Target: Deliver £2M-£5M+ in annual hard savings, validated by Finance.
4. Freq: Quarterly and Annually
5. Example: Achieved £3.2M in validated savings for the Digital Products business unit in Q2, primarily through consolidating cloud infrastructure providers and renegotiating software licenses.
6. Metric: Supply Base Risk Reduction
7. Desc: Reducing our exposure to single points of failure or high-risk suppliers within your business unit's portfolio.
8. Target: Reduce single-source critical spend by 15% year-on-year through dual-sourcing or alternative supplier development.
9. Freq: Annually
10. Example: Identified and qualified a second strategic logistics partner, reducing reliance on the incumbent for 20% of critical freight volume, mitigating Brexit-related delays.
11. Metric: Supplier-Led Innovation & Value Creation
12. Desc: The tangible, non-cost benefits derived from strategic supplier partnerships, such as new product features, improved time-to-market, or enhanced customer experience.
13. Target: Drive at least one major supplier-led innovation initiative per year, resulting in a measurable business outcome (e.g., 5% faster product launch, new feature).
14. Freq: Annually
15. Example: Partnered with our key SaaS provider to co-develop a new API integration, reducing manual data entry for our sales team by 10 hours per week.
16. Metric: Team Performance & Development
17. Desc: The overall effectiveness and growth of your direct reports and the wider procurement team within your business unit.
18. Target: Achieve 85%+ team engagement scores and ensure at least two team members are ready for promotion within 24 months.
19. Freq: Bi-annually (engagement) / Annually (development)
20. Example: All direct reports achieved their individual savings targets, and one Lead SRM was successfully promoted to Manager, Procurement after completing a leadership development programme.

Qualitative Metrics

1. Metric: Strategic Influence & Business Partnership
2. Desc: How effectively you integrate procurement into the business unit's strategic planning and become a trusted advisor, not just a cost-cutter.
3. Evidence: You're proactively invited to business unit leadership meetings, your input is sought on new product roadmaps, and you're seen as an enabler of growth, not a blocker. Other Directors come to you for advice on complex commercial challenges, not just for a signature.
4. Metric: Supply Chain Resilience & Agility
5. Desc: Your ability to build a supply chain that can adapt quickly to disruptions, market changes, and evolving business needs.
6. Evidence: We successfully navigate unforeseen market shocks (e.g., raw material shortages, geopolitical events) with minimal impact on operations. You've got clear contingency plans in place for critical suppliers, and the business trusts your assessment of external risks. You're not just reacting; you're anticipating.
7. Metric: Ethical Sourcing & ESG Leadership
8. Desc: Driving our commitment to responsible and sustainable procurement practices within your business unit.
9. Evidence: We see a measurable improvement in our EcoVadis scores for key suppliers. You've implemented initiatives that genuinely reduce our environmental footprint or improve labour practices in our supply chain. You're seen internally and externally as a champion for ethical procurement.
10. Metric: Organisational Change Leadership
11. Desc: Your effectiveness in leading and embedding new procurement processes, systems, and behaviours across your business unit.
12. Evidence: New P2P systems or CLM platforms are adopted smoothly with high user satisfaction. Business stakeholders understand and follow procurement policies because they see the value, not just because they have to. You're able to drive behavioural change, not just mandate it.

Primary Traits

• Trait: Commercially Astute
• Manifestation: You instinctively connect operational decisions to financial outcomes, always thinking about the P&L. You can read a supplier's annual report and immediately grasp their strategic priorities and financial pressures. When negotiating, you're not just looking at the price; you're modelling the total cost of ownership, including the hidden costs, and understanding the financial implications of payment terms or liability clauses for both sides. You're the one who can explain to the CEO why a slightly higher unit price might actually lead to greater long-term value.
• Benefit: At this level, you're accountable for millions in spend and driving significant P&L impact. It's not enough to be a good negotiator; you need to structure deals that are genuinely sustainable and profitable for us, and fair enough for our suppliers to remain committed. Missed commercial nuances can lead to value leakage, supplier instability, or even major financial risks down the line. You're essentially running a mini-business within a business.
• Trait: Influential Diplomat
• Manifestation: You're a master at persuading a skeptical business unit leader to adopt a new sourcing strategy, even if it means changing their long-standing supplier relationships. You can deliver tough feedback to a critical supplier's CEO without damaging the partnership, instead turning it into a constructive dialogue. You build strong coalitions internally, getting Finance, Legal, and Product all on the same page for a complex, multi-million-pound deal. You know when to push, when to pull, and when to just listen.
• Benefit: You're constantly navigating a minefield of competing interests. The business unit wants speed and specific features, Finance wants aggressive savings, Legal wants zero risk, and suppliers want more margin. Your job is to find the optimal path forward, secure buy-in from all sides, and bring everyone along. This requires genuine influence and diplomacy, not just authority, especially when you're dealing with other Directors and VPs who have their own agendas. You're the glue that holds these complex relationships together.
• Trait: Tenacious & Resilient
• Manifestation: A critical supplier misses a key delivery that threatens a product launch, and you're on the phone at 6 AM coordinating a recovery plan, not assigning blame. A multi-million-pound deal you've championed for nine months gets cancelled at the last minute due to a strategic pivot, and by the afternoon, you're already re-planning your team's pipeline and recalibrating your strategy. You absorb setbacks, learn from them, and keep pushing forward with a clear head, even when the pressure is immense. You don't get easily discouraged; you just find another way.
• Benefit: The global supply chain is inherently volatile and full of surprises. You will face constant disruptions, incredibly tough negotiations, internal resistance to change, and unexpected budget cuts. The ability to absorb these significant setbacks, maintain focus on the long-term strategic goals, and keep your team motivated is absolutely non-negotiable. If you fold under pressure or get bogged down by every obstacle, you won't be able to drive the multi-year transformations this role demands.

Supporting Traits

• Trait: Process Architect
• Desc: You don't just follow processes; you design them, optimise them, and ensure they're scalable and robust enough for an entire business unit. You see the bigger picture of how workflows connect and where the inefficiencies lie.
• Trait: Deeply Curious
• Desc: You genuinely want to understand not just what a supplier does, but *how* their business works, their cost drivers, their market position, and their future strategy. This curiosity fuels your ability to find hidden value and build stronger partnerships.
• Trait: Calm Under Pressure
• Desc: When a major supply chain crisis hits, or a high-stakes negotiation goes sideways, you're the steady hand. You can think clearly, make rational decisions, and reassure your team and stakeholders when everyone else is panicking.
• Trait: Strategic Skeptic
• Desc: You don't take a supplier's 'best and final offer' or an internal stakeholder's 'absolute requirement' at face value. You always dig deeper, challenge assumptions (politely, of course), and seek the underlying truth to ensure optimal outcomes. You're always asking 'why?'

Primary Motivators

1. Motivator: Driving Enterprise-Level Impact
2. Daily: You'll be setting the multi-year sourcing strategy for a significant business unit, with direct accountability for millions in P&L impact. This means your decisions genuinely move the needle for the company, not just a small project.
3. Motivator: Building and Mentoring High-Performing Teams
4. Daily: You'll be coaching and developing a team of experienced managers and leads, helping them grow their careers and tackle complex challenges. Seeing your team succeed and develop under your leadership is a major win.
5. Motivator: Solving Complex, Ambiguous Business Problems
6. Daily: You won't be dealing with simple, clear-cut issues. Expect to tackle ambiguous market conditions, geopolitical risks, and internal political challenges, requiring you to think several steps ahead and architect novel solutions.

Potential Demotivators

Honestly, this role isn't for everyone, and that's okay. You'll often find yourself in situations where you're advocating for a long-term strategic play, but the business is pushing for immediate, short-term gains. You'll present a brilliantly researched strategy only for it to be deprioritised due to a sudden, unforeseen market shift. You'll lead complex, multi-year negotiations that can fall apart at the last minute due to external factors completely out of your control. If you need constant, immediate gratification from every project, or if you struggle with ambiguity and shifting priorities, you'll find this role incredibly frustrating.

Common Frustrations

1. The 'Internal Rogue' who still tries to bypass procurement, agreeing to terrible terms, and then expecting you to clean up the mess at the executive level.
2. Being seen as the 'Procurement Police' by some business leaders, rather than a strategic partner who enables their success.
3. Dealing with 'Supplier Amnesia' where a supplier's sales team promises the world, only for their delivery team to have no knowledge of those commitments post-contract, requiring you to step in at a senior level.
4. The pressure of being asked to deliver aggressive savings targets (e.g., 10%) in a market where core commodity prices have actually increased by 30%, requiring you to get creative and challenge assumptions.
5. Navigating the delicate political tightrope of having to tell a powerful executive that their long-time friend's company did not win a major RFP on merit, and managing the fallout.

What Role Doesn't Offer

1. A predictable, routine day-to-day where every project follows a clear, linear path.
2. Complete control over all factors influencing your outcomes; you'll constantly be managing external market forces and internal politics.
3. A role where you only focus on the 'glamorous' strategic work; you'll still need to dive into the details and support your team on operational challenges when needed.

ADHD Positives

1. The fast-paced, high-stakes nature of this role, with constant new challenges and strategic problem-solving, can be highly engaging for those with ADHD. The need to quickly pivot and manage multiple complex initiatives simultaneously can play to strengths in dynamic thinking.
2. The strategic oversight and leadership aspects allow for a focus on macro-level impact and innovation, rather than getting bogged down in repetitive micro-tasks.

ADHD Challenges and Accommodations

1. While strategic, there's still a need for meticulous oversight of complex contracts and financial models; a strong support system for detail review or AI tools for contract analysis could be beneficial.
2. Managing a large team and numerous strategic supplier relationships requires consistent follow-up and structured communication; using advanced CRM/SRM tools and delegating operational follow-ups can help.

Dyslexia Positives

1. The strategic, conceptual thinking required to architect complex sourcing strategies and negotiate high-value deals often aligns well with dyslexic strengths in pattern recognition and holistic problem-solving.
2. The emphasis on verbal communication, influence, and presentation to executive stakeholders can be a strong suit, as many with dyslexia excel in oral communication.

Dyslexia Challenges and Accommodations

1. Extensive reading and writing of complex contracts, board reports, and policy documents are central. Using text-to-speech software, grammar/spell checkers, and having a strong administrative or analytical support for document review is important.
2. Clear, concise communication is key; using visual aids for strategy presentations and leveraging tools that simplify complex data into digestible formats can be very effective.

Autism Positives

1. The logical, analytical approach to strategic sourcing, TCO modelling, and risk assessment can be a natural fit. The ability to focus deeply on complex data and identify patterns in market dynamics is highly valued.
2. The need for clear, data-driven decision-making and adherence to contractual obligations aligns well with a preference for structure and clarity.

Autism Challenges and Accommodations

1. This role involves extensive, nuanced social interaction, negotiation, and influencing across diverse internal and external stakeholders. Structured communication frameworks, pre-briefings for complex meetings, and a strong mentor can help navigate these social complexities.
2. The environment can be unpredictable with constant shifts in market conditions and internal priorities. Clear communication of changes and the 'why' behind them, along with support for adapting plans, would be helpful.

Key Responsibilities

Experience Levels Responsibilities

1. Level: Director, Strategic Sourcing & Supplier Management (16-20 years)
2. Responsibilities: Define and drive the multi-year strategic sourcing and supplier management roadmap for your assigned business unit, ensuring it directly supports the unit's growth and profitability targets. This means you're thinking 3-5 years out, not just next quarter.
3. Lead and develop a high-performing team of Procurement Managers and Lead SRMs (typically 3-8 direct reports), setting clear objectives, providing strategic guidance, and fostering their career growth. You're building the next generation of procurement leaders.
4. Accountable for delivering significant P&L impact (typically £2M-£5M+ annually) through strategic negotiations, category optimisation, and value creation initiatives across a spend portfolio of £50M-£200M+. You'll own those numbers.
5. Architect and implement robust supply chain risk mitigation strategies for critical suppliers and categories within your business unit, ensuring resilience against geopolitical, economic, and operational disruptions. Think scenario planning and contingency building.
6. Act as the primary commercial and strategic interface with executive leadership (CPO, Business Unit MD, CFO) on all procurement matters for your domain, presenting complex strategies and influencing key investment decisions. They'll expect you to have all the answers.
7. Champion innovation and value creation with strategic suppliers, moving beyond just cost savings to identify opportunities for joint product development, process improvements, or market expansion. It's about 'how can we grow together?'
8. Oversee the selection, implementation, and optimisation of procurement technologies (e.g., P2P, CLM, Risk platforms) within your business unit, ensuring they support strategic objectives and drive operational efficiency. You'll define the 'what' and 'why' for these tools.
9. Supervision: You'll operate with full strategic autonomy within your business unit's mandate, reporting directly to the CPO or Business Unit MD. Expect monthly strategic alignment meetings and quarterly business reviews with executive leadership. For day-to-day execution, you're the boss.
10. Decision: You'll have full authority over strategic sourcing decisions, supplier selection, and contract awards within your business unit's spend portfolio (up to £10M+ for individual contracts, with CPO/CFO sign-off on major deals). You'll own the budget for your team and associated projects (typically £50K-£500K). You'll also have hiring and firing authority for your direct reports, and significant input into wider organisational design within procurement. M&A involvement, particularly for due diligence and integration planning, will also fall under your remit.
11. Success: Success looks like consistently exceeding P&L impact targets, building a highly resilient and innovative supply chain for your business unit, and developing a strong, engaged team. You'll be recognised as a trusted strategic partner by executive leadership, not just a procurement specialist. Your ability to drive significant, measurable change across the business unit will be key.

Decision-Making Authority

• Type: Strategic Sourcing Approach & Supplier Selection
• Entry: Follows pre-defined sourcing strategies; recommends suppliers from Preferred Supplier List (PSL) with supervisor review.
• Mid: Proposes sourcing strategies for non-critical categories; selects suppliers within approved frameworks, escalating exceptions.
• Senior: Designs and leads sourcing strategies for critical categories; makes recommendations on new strategic suppliers, with Director input.
• Type: Budget & Resource Allocation
• Entry: No budget authority; requests resources for specific tasks.
• Mid: Manages small project budgets (up to £5K); requests additional resources from manager.
• Senior: Manages workstream budgets (up to £25K); recommends resource allocation for projects.
• Type: Contract Terms & Negotiation
• Entry: Uses standard contract templates; flags deviations for supervisor review.
• Mid: Negotiates standard commercial terms; drafts minor non-standard clauses with Legal review.
• Senior: Leads complex commercial negotiations; drafts significant non-standard clauses in partnership with Legal.

Competency Requirements

Foundation Skills (Transferable)

At this level, we expect you to be an absolute master of the foundational skills, but applied at a strategic, organisational level. It's about leading, influencing, and transforming, not just doing.

• Category: Strategic Communication & Influence
• Skills: Executive-level Presentation & Storytelling: You can distil complex procurement strategies into clear, compelling narratives for the C-suite and Board, getting buy-in for your vision.
• Advanced Negotiation & Persuasion: Leading multi-million-pound negotiations with global suppliers and influencing senior internal stakeholders with competing priorities.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Building consensus and driving collaboration across diverse business units (e.g., Finance, Legal, Product, Sales) to achieve procurement objectives.
• Stakeholder Management (C-level): Proactively managing expectations, building trust, and navigating complex political landscapes with the most senior leaders in the organisation.
• Category: Strategic Problem-Solving & Decision-Making
• Skills: Organisational Design & Transformation: Architecting new procurement processes, structures, and capabilities across a business unit to drive efficiency and value.
• Complex Risk Management: Identifying, assessing, and mitigating enterprise-level supply chain risks (geopolitical, economic, operational) with multi-year strategies.
• Strategic Trade-off Analysis: Making difficult decisions that balance cost, risk, innovation, and business continuity, often with incomplete information and high stakes.
• Innovation & Value Creation: Moving beyond cost savings to identify and drive new forms of value from supplier relationships, such as co-development or market insights.
• Category: Leadership & People Development
• Skills: Visionary Leadership: Defining a compelling vision for procurement within your business unit and inspiring your team to achieve it.
• Talent Development & Coaching: Mentoring and developing a team of experienced managers and leads, fostering their growth and building a strong succession pipeline.
• Change Management Leadership: Leading significant organisational change initiatives, overcoming resistance, and embedding new ways of working across the business unit.
• Delegation & Empowerment: Effectively delegating strategic initiatives to your team, empowering them to take ownership, and providing the necessary support and oversight.

Functional Skills (Role-Specific Technical)

These are the core procurement methodologies and tools you'll be using, but at this level, it's about strategic oversight, architecture, and driving adoption across your business unit, not just execution.

Technical Competencies

• Skill: Strategic Sourcing (7-Step Process)
• Desc: You'll define the overarching sourcing strategy for your business unit, ensuring alignment with corporate goals. This means architecting complex RFx processes, driving multi-year category plans, and ensuring your team executes flawlessly.
• Level: Expert
• Skill: Category Management
• Desc: You'll own the category management framework for your business unit, setting the strategic direction for key spend areas (e.g., IT Software, Logistics, Marketing) and holding your team accountable for delivering against those strategies. It's about deep market intelligence and long-term planning.
• Level: Expert
• Skill: Supplier Segmentation (Kraljic Matrix)
• Desc: You'll define and implement the supplier segmentation strategy for your business unit, ensuring appropriate relationship management, risk mitigation, and resource investment across the entire supply base. This guides how your team engages with every supplier.
• Level: Advanced
• Skill: Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Modeling
• Desc: You'll define the TCO modelling standards for your business unit and use these insights to challenge business assumptions and drive strategic investment decisions. You won't be building every model, but you'll be using them to influence multi-million-pound decisions.
• Level: Advanced
• Skill: Supplier Performance Management (SPM)
• Desc: You'll own the SPM framework for your business unit, ensuring robust KPIs, SLAs, and QBR processes are in place and driving continuous improvement across our strategic suppliers. You'll use SPM data to hold your team and suppliers accountable.
• Level: Expert
• Skill: Contract Negotiation & Redlining (Executive Level)
• Desc: You'll lead the most complex, high-stakes negotiations for your business unit, often involving multi-million-pound deals and strategic partnerships. This requires a deep understanding of commercial law, risk, and the ability to partner effectively with Legal at an executive level.
• Level: Expert

Digital Tools

• Tool: Coupa / SAP Ariba (P2P / Sourcing Suite)
• Level: Strategic Oversight
• Usage: You won't be creating requisitions, but you'll own the relationship with the platform vendor, drive the roadmap for module implementation (e.g., CLM, Risk), and champion enterprise-wide adoption across your business unit. You'll use executive dashboards to monitor compliance and performance.
• Tool: EcoVadis / Dun & Bradstreet (Supplier Risk & ESG)
• Level: Architectural & Strategic
• Usage: You'll architect the enterprise supplier risk framework within our GRC platform (e.g., ServiceNow GRC). This means setting the risk appetite for your business unit, defining critical risk indicators, and reporting consolidated risk exposure to the CPO and potentially the Board.
• Tool: Icertis / DocuSign CLM (Contract Lifecycle Management)
• Level: Strategic Oversight & Implementation
• Usage: You'll be responsible for selecting and implementing the CLM platform for your business unit, designing the enterprise-wide contract authoring and approval matrix. You'll use platform analytics to identify value leakage and ensure contractual compliance at scale.
• Tool: Tableau Server / Anaplan (Data Analysis & Visualisation)
• Level: Strategic KPI Definition & Challenge
• Usage: You won't be building dashboards, but you'll define the strategic KPIs for your business unit's procurement performance. You'll use executive dashboards to challenge business unit leaders on spend, savings, and risk, and leverage Anaplan for strategic spend and savings forecasting at a multi-year level.
• Tool: MS Teams / Slack / Jira (Collaboration & Project Management)
• Level: Strategic Communication & Oversight
• Usage: You'll use these tools to communicate procurement strategy, key wins, and critical risks to the executive leadership team. You'll champion asynchronous work principles within your team and oversee major cross-functional supplier improvement programmes managed in Jira.

Industry Knowledge

• Area: Global Supply Chain Dynamics
• Desc: A deep understanding of global trade, logistics, geopolitical influences, and market trends that impact supply chains. You'll be able to anticipate disruptions and formulate strategic responses.
• Area: Financial Analysis & P&L Management
• Desc: Expertise in reading financial statements, understanding cost structures, and connecting procurement activities directly to P&L impact. This is critical for driving value and influencing CFO-level stakeholders.
• Area: Legal & Commercial Contract Law
• Desc: A strong grasp of commercial contract law, intellectual property, liability, and regulatory compliance, enabling you to lead complex negotiations and protect the company's interests.
• Area: ESG & Sustainable Procurement Principles
• Desc: In-depth knowledge of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors in supply chains, and how to embed sustainable practices into sourcing strategies and supplier relationships.

Regulatory Compliance Regulations

• Reg: Modern Slavery Act 2015 (UK)
• Usage: You'll be accountable for ensuring our business unit's supply chain is compliant, overseeing due diligence, and signing off on our annual Modern Slavery Statement. This means understanding the risks and implementing robust controls.
• Reg: GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
• Usage: You'll ensure all supplier contracts involving personal data processing adhere to GDPR requirements, working closely with Legal and our Data Protection Officer. You'll need to understand the implications of data transfers and processing locations.
• Reg: Competition Law (UK & EU)
• Usage: You'll ensure all sourcing activities and supplier relationships comply with competition law, avoiding anti-competitive practices. This is about ensuring fair play and protecting the company from legal challenges.
• Reg: Bribery Act 2010 (UK)
• Usage: You'll be responsible for embedding anti-bribery and corruption controls into our supplier onboarding and management processes, ensuring your team is fully aware and compliant. This is non-negotiable.

Essential Prerequisites

• Proven experience (15+ years) in procurement or supply chain leadership roles, with at least 5 years managing managers and a significant P&L accountability.
• A track record of driving multi-year strategic transformations and delivering significant, measurable value (e.g., £2M+ in annual savings or equivalent value creation).
• Demonstrable experience in leading complex, high-stakes negotiations (multi-million-pound contracts) with global suppliers and executive-level stakeholders.
• Expertise in designing and implementing category management strategies across diverse spend areas.
• Strong financial acumen, including P&L management, TCO modelling, and business case development.
• Experience in managing and mitigating enterprise-level supply chain risks (e.g., geopolitical, operational, financial).

Career Pathway Context

We're looking for someone who has already proven themselves as a strategic leader, capable of operating at a senior executive level. This isn't a role where you'll be learning the ropes of procurement; you'll be defining them for your business unit. You should be ready to step in and immediately lead a team and drive significant impact.

Qualifications & Credentials

Emerging Foundation Skills

• Skill: Sustainable & Ethical Supply Chain Leadership
• Why: Customers, investors, and regulators are demanding greater transparency and accountability for environmental and social impact across the supply chain. This isn't just a 'nice to have' anymore; it's a critical business imperative and a source of competitive advantage.
• Concepts: [{'concept_name': 'Circular Economy Principles', 'description': "Understanding how to design supply chains that minimise waste and maximise resource efficiency, moving beyond linear 'take-make-dispose' models."}, {'concept_name': 'Scope 3 Emissions Measurement & Reduction', 'description': 'Expertise in calculating and actively reducing greenhouse gas emissions across the entire value chain, including supplier activities.'}, {'concept_name': 'Human Rights Due Diligence', 'description': 'Implementing robust processes to identify, prevent, and mitigate human rights risks (e.g., forced labour, child labour) in the supply chain.'}, {'concept_name': 'ESG Reporting & Disclosure', 'description': 'Knowledge of various ESG reporting frameworks (e.g., GRI, SASB) and how to effectively communicate our sustainable procurement performance to stakeholders.'}]
• Prepare: This quarter: Attend an executive-level workshop on Sustainable Procurement or Circular Economy principles.
• Next 6 months: Partner with our ESG team to conduct a deep-dive assessment of Scope 3 emissions for a key category in your business unit.
• Next 12 months: Develop and pilot a new supplier code of conduct that explicitly integrates advanced ESG requirements and metrics.
• Ongoing: Actively participate in industry forums focused on sustainable supply chain practices, sharing insights and bringing back best practices.
• QuickWin: Start by integrating basic ESG criteria into your next major RFP. It's a small step, but it signals intent and gets suppliers thinking.

Advancing Technical Skills

• Skill: Advanced AI/ML for Supply Chain Resilience
• Why: Beyond basic predictive analytics, the ability to architect and deploy AI/ML models that can predict and proactively manage complex supply chain disruptions (e.g., geopolitical shifts, natural disasters, cyber threats) will be a significant differentiator.
• Concepts: [{'concept_name': 'Digital Twin Technology', 'description': 'Understanding how to create virtual models of physical supply chains to simulate scenarios and optimise performance.'}, {'concept_name': 'Prescriptive Analytics', 'description': "Moving beyond 'what happened' and 'what will happen' to 'what should we do' using AI to recommend optimal actions during disruptions."}, {'concept_name': 'Graph Databases for Supply Chain Mapping', 'description': 'Using graph technology to map complex, multi-tier supply networks and identify hidden interdependencies and risks.'}, {'concept_name': 'Explainable AI (XAI) in Procurement', 'description': 'Ensuring that AI-driven recommendations for sourcing or risk are transparent and understandable, building trust with executive stakeholders.'}]
• Prepare: This quarter: Engage with our Data Science team to understand their current AI capabilities and identify potential supply chain applications.
• Next 6 months: Lead a proof-of-concept project using an external AI vendor to model a specific supply chain risk (e.g., commodity price volatility).
• Next 12 months: Develop a business case for integrating a prescriptive analytics solution into our supply chain planning for your business unit.
• Ongoing: Stay abreast of leading-edge AI applications in supply chain management through industry conferences and expert networks.
• QuickWin: Start by identifying one critical supply chain decision where current data is insufficient and explore how AI could provide better insights. Even a small pilot can demonstrate value.

Education Requirements

• Level: Minimum
• Req: Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Economics, or a related field.
• Alts: We're open to candidates with exceptional, demonstrable experience (20+ years) in strategic procurement leadership roles, even without a degree. Show us what you've built.
• Level: Preferred
• Req: Master's degree (e.g., MBA, MSc in Supply Chain Management, or an equivalent post-graduate qualification).
• Alts: Relevant executive education programmes from top-tier business schools, demonstrating a commitment to continuous learning and strategic leadership development.

Experience Requirements

You'll need at least 16-20 years of progressive experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, or supply chain management. This must include a minimum of 5-7 years in a senior leadership role where you've managed managers, owned significant P&L impact (e.g., £2M+ in annual savings), and driven multi-year strategic transformations for a business unit or major function. We're looking for someone who has genuinely shaped an organisation's commercial strategy, not just executed it.

Preferred Certifications

• Cert: CIPS Level 6 Professional Diploma in Procurement and Supply
• Prod: Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS)
• Usage: This demonstrates a deep, internationally recognised understanding of advanced procurement principles, ethics, and strategic application. It's a strong signal of your commitment to the profession.
• Cert: Project Management Professional (PMP) or PRINCE2 Practitioner
• Prod: Project Management Institute (PMI) / AXELOS
• Usage: Given the role involves leading large-scale transformation programmes, a strong grounding in formal project management methodologies is incredibly helpful for driving complex initiatives to completion.
• Cert: Executive Leadership Programmes (e.g., from LBS, Oxford Said, Cambridge Judge)
• Prod: Top-tier Business Schools
• Usage: These programmes demonstrate your commitment to developing executive presence, strategic thinking, and leadership capabilities at the highest levels, which is crucial for influencing C-suite stakeholders.

Recommended Activities

• Active participation in industry bodies and networks (e.g., CIPS, Supply Chain Council) to stay abreast of best practices and emerging trends.
• Regularly attending executive-level conferences and seminars on strategic procurement, supply chain innovation, and leadership.
• Mentoring junior talent within the procurement function, sharing your expertise and helping to build the next generation of leaders.
• Publishing thought leadership pieces or speaking at industry events to establish yourself as a recognised expert in the field.

Career Progression Pathways

Entry Paths to This Role

• Path: Manager, Supplier Relationship Management (L5)
• Time: 3-5 years in role
• Path: Lead SRM / Principal Category Manager (L4)
• Time: 5-8 years in role

Career Progression From This Role

• Pathway: VP of Procurement / Head of Global Sourcing (L6/L7)
• Time: 3-5 years in current role
• Pathway: Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) (L7)
• Time: 5-8 years in current role or VP role

Long Term Vision Potential Roles

• Title: Chief Operating Officer (COO)
• Time: 8-12 years
• Title: Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
• Time: 10-15 years
• Title: Non-Executive Director (NED) / Board Member
• Time: 15+ years (often alongside other roles)
• Title: Management Consultant (Partner/Senior Partner)
• Time: 5-10 years

How Zavmo Delivers This Role's Development

DISCOVER Phase: Skills Gap Analysis

Zavmo maps your current competencies against all requirements in this job description through conversational assessment. We evaluate your foundation skills (communication, strategic thinking), functional skills (CRM expertise, negotiation), and readiness for career progression.

Output: Personalised skills gap heat map showing strengths and priorities, estimated time to competency, neurodiversity accommodations.

DISCUSS Phase: Personalised Learning Pathway

Based on your DISCOVER results, Zavmo creates a personalised learning plan prioritised by impact: foundation skills first, then functional skills. We adapt to your learning style, pace, and neurodiversity needs (ADHD, dyslexia, autism).

Output: Week-by-week schedule, each module linked to specific job responsibilities, checkpoints and milestones.

DELIVER Phase: Conversational Learning

Learn through conversation, not boring modules. Zavmo uses 10 conversation types (Socratic dialogue, role-play, coaching, case studies) to build competence. Practice difficult QBR presentations, negotiate tough renewals, and handle churn conversations in a safe AI environment before facing real clients.

Example: "For 'Stakeholder Mapping', Zavmo will guide you through analysing a complex enterprise account, identifying key decision-makers, and building an engagement strategy."

DEMONSTRATE Phase: Competency Assessment

Zavmo automatically builds your evidence portfolio as you learn. Every conversation, practice scenario, and application example is captured and mapped to NOS performance criteria. When ready, your portfolio supports OFQUAL qualification claims and demonstrates competence to employers.

Output: Competency matrix, evidence portfolio (downloadable), qualification readiness, career progression score.