Head, Group Procurement

About the Role

The Head, Group Procurement is a senior leadership role responsible for defining and driving the end-to-end procurement strategy across the Group's contract logistics operations, including both direct and indirect procurement, as well as capital procurement for infrastructure, facilities, warehouse development, automation, and expansion projects. This role plays a critical part in enabling business growth through cost optimisation, supply assurance, and strategic supplier partnerships across all markets. The incumbent will lead procurement transformation, strengthen governance frameworks, and embed best-in-class procurement practices across the Group. The role requires a strong, influential leader who can operate in a complex, fast-paced, multi-country environment, drive change, and partner closely with senior stakeholders across Operations, Engineering, Finance, Legal, and Project Development teams.

Responsibilities

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Group Procurement Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and execute the Group-wide procurement strategy covering direct, indirect, and capital procurement categories.
• Align procurement strategy with overall business growth, network expansion, and operational efficiency objectives.
• Lead procurement transformation initiatives, including digitalisation, process optimisation, and supplier consolidation.
• Establish long-term sourcing strategies to support scalability across regional and global operations.

Capital Procurement & Infrastructure / Project Procurement

• Lead procurement for major capital expenditure (CAPEX) projects, including:
• Warehouse development and expansion projects
• Facility construction, renovation, and fit-out works
• Automation and material handling systems (MHE)
• Fleet, equipment, and engineering infrastructure
• Partner with Project Management, Engineering, and Operations teams to support end-to-end project sourcing, contractor selection, and cost benchmarking.
• Conduct financial analyses including make-or-buy, lease-versus-buy, and total cost of ownership (TCO) assessments.
• Manage tendering processes for construction, MEP works, and large-scale infrastructure projects.
• Ensure cost control, timeline adherence, and quality compliance across all capital procurement projects.

Procurement Governance, Policy Development & Compliance

• Design, develop, and continuously enhance Group-wide procurement policies, standards, and procedures.
• Establish procurement governance frameworks, including approval matrices, procurement thresholds, and compliance controls.
• Ensure strict adherence to procurement policies, internal controls, audit requirements, and ethical sourcing standards.
• Partner with Internal Audit and Risk functions to strengthen governance, close control gaps, and mitigate procurement risks.
• Drive standardisation of procurement policies and operating procedures across all countries and business units.

Category & Strategic Sourcing Management

• Oversee procurement across key categories including:
• Logistics services (transportation, freight, subcontracting)
• Warehouse operations (labour, consumables, MHE maintenance)
• Facilities management (utilities, maintenance, security)
• IT systems, services, and indirect spend categories
• Develop and implement category strategies to drive cost optimisation, supplier consolidation, and service enhancement.
• Lead end-to-end sourcing activities including RFQ/RFP, tender management, negotiations, and contract awards.

Supplier & Contract Management

• Build and manage strategic supplier partnerships to enhance cost competitiveness, innovation, and service quality.
• Lead commercial negotiations for major contracts and long-term agreements.
• Establish supplier performance management frameworks, including KPIs, SLAs, and business review cycles.
• Implement supplier risk management practices and ensure continuity of supply.

Cost Optimisation & Value Creation

• Drive enterprise-wide cost reduction and value creation initiatives.
• Deliver measurable savings across procurement categories and capital projects.
• Conduct benchmarking and market intelligence to identify pricing and efficiency opportunities.
• Report procurement performance, savings, and project ROI to senior leadership.

Stakeholder Management & Business Partnership

• Partner closely with Operations, Engineering, Finance, Legal, and Commercial teams to support business needs.
• Act as a trusted advisor for procurement-related decisions in expansion and transformation projects.
• Support cross-border procurement coordination and standardisation across Group entities.

Team Leadership & Capability Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing procurement team across multiple countries.
• Build a strong procurement talent pipeline and promote a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
• Define KPIs, performance metrics, and development plans for the team.
• Foster a culture of integrity, collaboration, and commercial excellence.

Market Intelligence & Continuous Improvement

• Monitor market trends, supplier landscape, inflation impacts, and regulatory changes.
• Continuously improve procurement processes, tools, and systems.
• Implement best practices in procurement digitalisation and automation.
• Drive benchmarking initiatives across regions and industries to improve competitiveness.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, Logistics, or related discipline.

Required Skills

• Minimum 10–15 years of procurement experience, with at least 5–8 years in senior leadership roles.
• Strong experience in contract logistics, supply chain, or infrastructure-heavy industries.
• Proven track record in:
• Capital procurement (warehouses, facilities, construction projects)
• Strategic sourcing and category management
• Supplier negotiation and contract management
• Procurement policy development and governance framework design