Senior Procurement Manager - Technology Services in London

Chaucer is a leading insurance group at Lloyd's, the world's specialist insurance market. We help protect industries around the world from the risks they face. Our customers include major airlines, energy companies, shipping groups, global manufacturers and property groups. Headquartered in London, with international hubs in Copenhagen, Dubai, Miami, Dublin, Singapore, Sydney and Bermuda, to be closer to our clients across the world.

We are seeking an experienced and motivated Senior Procurement Manager to join our developing team in the specialist insurance and reinsurance sector at the heart of the Insurance market. You will play a pivotal role in helping to establish and mature the function, ensuring vendors meet or exceed their contractual obligations; identifying and leading on a broad range of Procurement projects and programs as well as contributing to the development of our process-evolution and successful delivery of our business transformation agenda.

The Technology Services tower within Group Procurement is one of the spend-categories in Group Procurement; a central Operations function with a reporting line into the Group Chief Operations Officer. You will lead the tower and work in close collaboration with the other members of this team to ensure that the tower is collectively responsible for establishing and maintaining strong relationships with stakeholders, increasing the scope and compliance of contracts and spend under management, providing accurate and reliable reporting and MI as well as expert advice and guidance on commercial and contractual matters.

The role will require you to work constructively and positively with colleagues and stakeholders as well as external Key Partners and Third parties who support our business. Chaucer Group is embarking on a company-wide transformation programme. A further key aspect of this role will involve contribution to the transformation agenda by acting as Procurement lead for one or more of the planned Transformation Portfolios.

The successful candidate will be responsible for establishing relationships, working closely with the Transformation Portfolio Lead and other relevant stakeholders to track, prioritise, report and contribute to delivery of the planned pipeline of work. Working closely with the Head of Procurement and other Procurement team colleagues, you will proactively collaborate to agree plans and resources, undertake some of the procurement activities directly, identify risks and issues and be responsible for communicating and escalating risks where appropriate to ensure timely and effective delivery of outcomes.

You will be instrumental in helping business teams navigate and balance compliance with regulatory and policy governance, while maintaining agility and a strong commercial focus. Your expertise in supporting complex change projects will be essential in ensuring that transformation objectives are met without compromising operational excellence.

Performance Management Activities

• Responsible for ongoing, successful performance of Strategic partners and Key Vendors in terms of the service and products they are providing to Chaucer Group.
• Managing performance and mitigating supply-based risks of varying complexity; escalating or directly managing as appropriate on a case-by-case basis.
• Lead engagement with a designated transformation portfolio, acting as the primary procurement interface for portfolio planning and delivery.
• Collaborate with the portfolio lead to understand and help prioritise the pipeline of change initiatives.
• Work with procurement colleagues to plan and allocate resources, ensuring alignment with portfolio objectives.
• Personally deliver a number of key projects, while supporting and coordinating with category teams to achieve required outcomes.
• Support business teams in navigating change, balancing compliance with regulatory and policy governance with the need for agility and commercial focus.
• Provide guidance and support to ensure that transformation projects are delivered in a timely, coordinated, and effective manner.
• Implementation of strategies that safeguard the company's interest and maintain business resilience.
• Supporting technology teams to review and manage Key vendor relationships and performance in a way that assures contractual obligations and other expectations are met.
• Proactively establishing and fostering successful, positive working relationships with vendor personnel.
• Driving vendor engagement through formal and informal interactions.
• Issue Management – responsibility for issue Management and for escalating any issues found by SMEs in their day-to-day interactions with Vendors.
• Accurate and detailed record keeping in compliance with Procurement team practices and data sets.
• Provision of detailed, thorough, and accurate reports and data analysis as required.
• Compliance with all Group policies.

Market Evaluation and Selection

• Leading negotiations with suppliers to secure optimal terms and conditions on the best commercial value, in compliance with company policy and industry regulations.
• Developing and maintaining a solid understanding of the business, business processes and procedures, to be able to effectively communicate these to partners and key vendors.
• Leveraging global agreements and contracts throughout the business to help drive value and cost benefits across the entire organization, while still recognising local needs and requirements.
• Contributing to a robust partner and vendor management information catalogue to support best practice in all areas of the business involving partner and vendor management including DR emergencies.
• Coordinating monthly or quarterly partner and vendor meetings as required, chairing meetings and ensuring accurate minuting and action recording, engaging key stakeholders as opportunities or issues arise.
• Ensuring transparency in all undertakings.

Contract Negotiation and Management

• Leading negotiations to secure optimal terms and conditions on the best commercial value, in compliance with company policy and industry regulations.
• Leading and or supporting strategic procurement initiatives.
• Leading on supplier onboarding and due diligence checks from initiation through governance to contract execution and filing.

Skills and Competencies

• Proven ability to support and deliver complex change projects within a regulated environment.
• Business focus with a keen interest in commercial and operational issues.
• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Service-oriented, with a commitment to delivering user-friendly, value-adding solutions.
• Effective communicator, able to build relationships and represent the department professionally.
• Numerical and analytical aptitude.
• Ability to provide clear guidance and reporting in both written and spoken formats.
• Demonstrable experience in procurement and supplier relationship management in a similar organisation / industry sector.
• Negotiating skills, influencing abilities and vendor management experience.
• Robust understanding of good procurement practice.
• Initiative to proactively identify and manage both opportunities and issues.
• Understanding of contract-law principles and ability to perform contract reviews across a variety of technology-related contract models.
• Experience working in a matrix team environment and cross-functional projects.
• Experience of working compliantly across decentralised operational processes.
• Experience working with business transformation projects and initiatives.
• Experience of working within a regulated industry (ideally Insurance/Financial Services).
• Excellent influencing and consultative skills, along with strong initiative to proactively identify and manage both opportunities and issues.
• Ability to communicate effectively with senior team members and key professional relationships.
• Ability to manage complex interactions with vendors.
• Experience in category planning and/or management.

Education

• MCIPS or equivalent procurement certification.
• Educated to degree level or equivalent in a relevant subject.

Why Join Chaucer?

Chaucer is a leading global insurer operating in both Lloyd's and company markets, helping industries worldwide manage risk-from nuclear, shipping, manufacturing, and property. Headquartered in London, with offices in Copenhagen, Bermuda, Sydney, Ireland, Miami, Dubai, and Singapore, we're close to our clients wherever they are.

We have shown strong financial success with our Gross Written Premiums growing from $1.4bn in 2019 to $3.5bn in 2024. Backed by strong teams, platforms, and client relationships, Chaucer is poised for continued success.

We offer:

• A flexible hybrid work model that supports individual and team needs.
• A diverse, inclusive culture that values people for who they are.
• Extensive, non-contributory benefits, including medical, life, and pension cover, flexible holidays, and wellbeing support.