The pathway
How you actually get there, here
How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.
- 1
Head of eProcurement / Senior eProcurement Manager (L5)
You'd usually spend 3-5 years in a senior management role, owning a significant part of the eProcurement landscape, managing a smaller team, and reporting to a Director.Skills to master
- Deep expertise in a specific eProcurement platform, proven track record of successful system implementations, strong team leadership, budget management for a functional area, and effective stakeholder influence.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully led 2-3 major system upgrade or implementation projects.
- Consistently exceeded operational KPIs and delivered measurable cost savings.
- Developed and mentored at least 2-3 direct reports into more senior roles.
- Regularly presented to and influenced senior leadership (e.g., VPs, C-1 level).
- 2
Director of Procurement Operations (from another large organisation)
Coming from a similar Director-level role in another large, complex organisation, you'd likely have 10-15 years of experience leading global procurement operations, with a strong focus on technology.Skills to master
- Enterprise-level strategic planning, significant P&L accountability, board-level communication, and a track record of driving large-scale organisational change.
You're ready to move on when
- Managed a P&L of £1M+ for procurement operations.
- Successfully led a major procurement transformation programme (e.g., global P2P rollout).
- Demonstrated ability to build and lead high-performing global teams (50+ people).
- Proven capability to influence C-suite stakeholders and manage complex vendor relationships.