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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and develop procurement strategies, focusing on cost optimisation and supplier performance.
- Company: Join St. James's Place, a diverse employer committed to inclusivity and the LGBTQ+ community.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working with 2 days in the office and travel opportunities.
- Why this job: Be a key player in driving value and efficiency while mentoring a dynamic team.
- Qualifications: 5-10 years in senior procurement roles with advanced qualifications like MCIPS.
- Other info: Collaborate with senior leadership and engage in strategic decision-making.
The predicted salary is between 54000 - 84000 £ per year.
This job is with St. James's Place, an inclusive employer and a member of myGwork – the largest global platform for the LGBTQ+ business community.
The role: This person will lead, manage and develop the SJP procurement function, identifying and driving cost optimisation, reducing expenses and maximising value extraction in all procurement divisions. The role holder will focus on creating a healthy tension between functionality and cost, ensuring efficient use of resources and leading a team of 10+ procurement specialists. This individual will be an enabler in the business, always acting within the defined risk appetite while maintaining strong supplier relationships and ensuring the effective implementation and use of third-party policies and on-boarding frameworks and processes.
What you'll be doing:
- Cost Optimisation and Value Extraction: Ensure that cost optimisation and maximum value extraction are central to all procurement decisions. Lead initiatives to drive cost reductions while maintaining high standards of quality, functionality, and delivery.
- Risk Management: Act as a strategic enabler for the business, ensuring all procurement decisions align with the company's defined risk appetite. Provide guidance and ensure compliance with risk management protocols.
- Sourcing Strategy: Foster a culture of balanced decision-making, creating a healthy tension between functionality and cost in all sourcing decisions. Continuously analyse and review sourcing strategies to ensure competitiveness and efficiency.
- Resource Efficiency: Champion the efficient use of procurement resources, ensuring that the team's efforts are aligned with the company's broader strategic goals. Streamline processes, eliminate waste, and improve the overall productivity of the procurement team.
- Supplier Performance Management: Own and set the company's supplier performance framework. Establish clear performance metrics and ensure the procurement team is working collaboratively with the business to ensure that suppliers are fulfilling their obligations.
- Third-Party Policy Ownership: Lead the ownership and continuous improvement of the company's third-party policy, ensuring alignment with business objectives and regulatory requirements. Own the third-party onboarding framework and process, ensuring a seamless, efficient experience for all suppliers.
- Leadership & Team Management: Lead and mentor a team of 11 procurement specialists. Foster a high-performance culture focused on continuous improvement, professional development, and achieving department and company goals.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborate with key internal stakeholders to ensure procurement strategies are aligned with broader business objectives. Act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on procurement matters.
Who we're looking for:
The ideal candidate will be a commercial leader with a deep understanding of developing and implementing procurement strategies that optimise costs, value and align with SJP's overall strategic goals. They will have proven experience (5-10 years) in senior procurement roles with leadership and transformational responsibilities. They are likely to have an advanced degree or professional qualification e.g. MCIPS. They will have in depth knowledge of market trends, supplier capabilities and sourcing strategies to ensure competitiveness and efficiency. They will have in-depth knowledge of risk management frameworks and their application within procurement to ensure decisions stay within defined risk appetites and knowledge of regulatory and legal compliance requirements affecting procurement practices. They will have expertise in developing/managing a comprehensive supplier performance framework, knowledge of contract management practices and strong knowledge of third-party risk management. They will combine expert negotiation skills with creative problem-solving skills and proven ability at leading and mentoring a high-performance team.
Essential Criteria:
- 5-10 years' previous experience in procurement roles with leadership and transformational responsibilities.
- Advanced degree or professional certifications (e.g. MCIPS).
- Strong knowledge of procurement strategies and market trends, supplier capabilities and sourcing strategies.
- In depth knowledge of risk management frameworks and their application within procurement.
- Expertise in developing and managing a comprehensive supplier performance framework.
- Strong Stakeholder engagement skills - effective and resilient - agile to suit internal/external audience.
- Creative problem solving skills - champions the use of cost benefit/ROI to support decisions.
- Proven leader - able to manage and develop a high performance team.
Desirable Criteria:
- In depth knowledge of SJP business and its supplier base.
Special Requirements:
The role holder will need to be in the office 2 days per week and travel to London as required.
Procurement Divisional Director employer: St. James’s Place
Contact Detail:
St. James’s Place Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Procurement Divisional Director
✨Tip Number 1
Network with professionals in the procurement field, especially those who have experience in leadership roles. Attend industry events or webinars to connect with potential colleagues and learn about the latest trends and best practices.
✨Tip Number 2
Research St. James's Place thoroughly to understand their procurement strategies and company culture. Familiarise yourself with their recent initiatives and how they align with your expertise in cost optimisation and supplier management.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss specific examples from your past experiences that demonstrate your ability to lead a team and implement successful procurement strategies. Highlight your achievements in cost reduction and supplier performance management.
✨Tip Number 4
Showcase your understanding of risk management frameworks during interviews. Be ready to explain how you have navigated risks in previous roles while maintaining strong supplier relationships and achieving business objectives.
We think you need these skills to ace Procurement Divisional Director
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in procurement, leadership, and cost optimisation. Use specific examples that demonstrate your ability to manage teams and drive value extraction.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your understanding of St. James's Place's values and how your background aligns with their goals. Mention your experience with risk management and supplier performance frameworks, as these are key aspects of the role.
Showcase Leadership Skills: Emphasise your leadership experience in previous roles. Provide examples of how you've mentored teams and fostered a high-performance culture, as this is crucial for the Procurement Divisional Director position.
Highlight Relevant Qualifications: If you have an advanced degree or professional certifications like MCIPS, make sure to mention these prominently. This will demonstrate your commitment to the field and your qualifications for the role.
How to prepare for a job interview at St. James’s Place
✨Understand the Role Thoroughly
Before the interview, make sure you have a deep understanding of the Procurement Divisional Director role. Familiarise yourself with St. James's Place's procurement strategies, cost optimisation goals, and risk management protocols to demonstrate your alignment with their objectives.
✨Showcase Leadership Experience
Prepare to discuss your previous leadership roles in procurement. Highlight specific examples where you've successfully led teams, driven cost reductions, or improved supplier performance. This will showcase your ability to manage and mentor a high-performance team.
✨Demonstrate Stakeholder Engagement Skills
Be ready to provide examples of how you've effectively engaged with stakeholders in past roles. Discuss how you’ve collaborated with internal teams to align procurement strategies with broader business objectives, as this is crucial for the role.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving skills and decision-making abilities. Think about how you would handle situations involving cost optimisation, supplier performance issues, or risk management, and be prepared to articulate your thought process.
