Procurement Lead - IT

Job description

We are recruiting for a Procurement Lead for the IT and technology category within our Finance Procurement team in London.

Department purpose
The Procurement department is responsible for managing the firm’s procurement and supply chain activities, working across all major spend categories within a leading global law firm. The department’s core mission is to maximize value from our $420m third party spend, manage supply chain risks, and ensure our supply chain is supportive of the firm’s broader strategic and market innovation priorities.

Role purpose
The Procurement Lead (IT) is responsible for the pro-active stakeholder and commercial management of the IT and technology category. Managing a team of three direct reports and influencing a category spend of ~$150m, the IT Procurement Lead will work with key senior stakeholders to influence, define and oversee the execution of procurement strategy in partnership with the IT department.

Role and responsibilities

• Act as the procurement business partner, and trusted advisor to the IT leadership team.
• Strategically manages the category and aligns it with wider business priorities (e.g. decarbonization, merger integration).
• Provides leadership and day to day management of a team of direct reports responsible for executing the core strategy and BAU activities.
• Proactively identifies opportunities (savings, process improvement, value add) and pursues them.
• Leads high stake sourcing projects and negotiations as needed.
• Builds and maintains mutually beneficial relationships with key strategic suppliers.
• Ensures category performance (savings, pipeline, risks, issues) is reported at an appropriate level.
• Works collaboratively with wider stakeholders, building impactful relationships and leading cross-functional teams to deliver value as needed.
• Works in close partnership with the IT vendor management team to ensure a holistic approach to lifecycle management.
• Provides category insights and intelligence to function and office leads as required to drive business value globally.
• Compliance and Risk Management – ensure all procurement activities adhere to firm policies, and data protection procedures.

Key requirements

• Proven experience in a senior procurement role with an emphasis on business partnering, and preferably in a partnership or professional services environment.
• Deep technical knowledge of the IT category.
• Extensive knowledge of best practice procurement.
• Proven track record of building relationships and influencing at executive level.
• Excellent negotiation skills, is able to obtain consensus around credible, executable solutions.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret data, read situations, and make informed decisions.
• Assertive, authentic, accountable and values driven.
• Comfortable leading in ambiguity and in a transitional environment, with the ability to motivate others.
• Desirable to have familiarity with legal specific IT systems and tools (e.g. practice management, document management, and e-discovery solutions).
• Resilient, and can remain focused on the bigger picture in the face of setbacks.
• MCIPs qualification desirable.

Additional information – External

A&O Shearman is a new global industry-leading law firm, with nearly 50 offices in 29 countries worldwide. Our fluency in English law, US law, and the laws of the world’s most dynamic markets, enables us to provide unmatched insight and seamless delivery to clients. We work on challenging and important deals and disputes that have the potential to shape the future.

We offer exceptional opportunities for our people; opportunities to work for the world’s leading businesses; to transform the status quo, and to deliver your best work, helping you and your career to thrive, while delivering unparalleled outcomes for our clients.

Whether you’re helping clients solve complex challenges, transforming the ways we manage our business, or ensuring the smooth-running of our operations, this is an environment where you can belong and excel. We provide first-rate training and development, we are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and we provide support and ways of working that help you optimise your wellbeing.

What truly defines a career with us? We recruit the best and ask for the best of you. And together, we will redefine success.

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