Job Description:
Job Title: Procurement Operations Lead
Location: Midrand, South Africa (Office‑based; no hybrid model)
Reporting To: Chief Financial Officer
Role Purpose
- This is a procurement transformation leadership role, not a demand planning or transactional procurement officer role.
- The Procurement Operations Lead is responsible for designing, building, and embedding a fully centralized procurement function. The role requires a hands‑on yet senior, commercially strong procurement leader who has previously implemented structure, driven transformation, and operated effectively in regulated environments.
- This leader will move the organization from a decentralized, fragmented procurement model into a unified, mature, and high‑performing function aligned with global governance, systems, and standards.
Key Responsibilities
1. Procurement Transformation & Operating Model Design
- Design and embed a centralized procurement operating model.
- Lead the transformation from a decentralized structure to a unified, professional procurement function.
- Build procurement governance frameworks, policies, controls, and reporting standards.
- Own and lead the Ariba implementation, integration, and adoption across the business.
- Implement SAP/Ariba‑based processes, data structures, and compliance controls.
2. Strategic Sourcing & Commercial Value Delivery
- Lead strategic sourcing/recruitment initiatives across categories and business units.
- Deliver measurable cost savings and value through sourcing strategy, supplier consolidation, and contract optimization.
- Perform commercial negotiations at senior levels with local and international suppliers.
- Drive supplier performance, quality, and reliability improvements.
3. Governance, Compliance & External Representation
- Build and enforce robust procurement governance, audit readiness, and S2P compliance.
- Represent the Procurement function to auditors, regulatory bodies, external partners, and global stakeholders.
- Participate in budgeting, forecasting, and business case development with Finance and Supply Chain leadership.
- Serve as the South African representative in global procurement routines, including MPRs.
4. People Leadership & Procurement Team Build‑Out
- Build, restructure, or redesign the procurement team to support the new operating model.
- Recruit, coach, and develop high‑performing procurement professionals.
- Create future leadership capabilities and ensure a pipeline of talent.
- Drive engagement, performance management, and a culture of continuous improvement.
Qualifications
- Bachelors or postgraduate degree in Business, Supply Chain, Commerce, or a related field.
- Professional certifications (CIPS, CPSM, PMP, Lean Six Sigma) advantageous.
Experience
- 5+ years in procurement or supply chain leadership (multinational experience preferred).
- Must be hands-on, operationally engaged, and willing to work at both strategic and execution levels.
- Ideally from a Pharmaceutical or Medical background.
- Proven experience Leading Sourcing/Recruitment Strategy and delivering cost savings.
- A capable people leader who can still operate hands‑on.
- Experience implementing SAP and/or Ariba at a local or regional level, as well as process transformation.
- Experience building, restructuring, or transforming a procurement team or function.
- Strong governance background with experience establishing processes, policies, compliance structures and audit fundamentals.
- Ability to lead change, influence across functions, and drive transformation.
- Commercially strong with excellent negotiation and value‑delivery capability.
- Experienced in building structure where none exists.
In essence: This is a Procurement Transformation Manager role.
Nice to Have
- Experience working with African markets in a multinational environment.
- Prior experience consolidating a supplier base or implementing category management.
Core Competencies
- Business Competency
- Customer orientation
- Attention to detail and deadline focus
- Results orientation
- Problem‑solving ability
- Continuous improvement
- Assertiveness
- Strategic Competency
- Leadership Competency
- Professional Competency
- Social & Intercultural Competency