At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead procurement strategies and drive value across Christie's global operations.
- Company: Join Christie's, the world's largest art business, steeped in history and innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy 27 days annual leave, flexible fitness fund, and private health insurance.
- Other info: Dynamic work environment with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Why this job: Shape strategic decisions and make a real impact in a prestigious global brand.
- Qualifications: Significant experience in enterprise procurement and strong leadership skills required.
The predicted salary is between 72000 - 88000 £ per year.
The Company
Christie’s, the world’s largest Art Business, is an incredibly exciting & enriching place to start or continue your career.
Whether you work within one of our Specialist Art Departments, or in one of our more Operational teams, we are all working together with one common goal in mind: to continue the success of this 250 year old company, steeped in history, bringing fresh ideas whilst not forgetting our shared values; Integrity, Excellence, Innovation, Responsibility & Relationships.
Colleagues across all departments are truly passionate about what they do and it is inspiring to work with industry leaders across our business.
Why This Role Matters
The Head of Business Procurement serves as a senior business partner and commercial authority to Christie's business functions, shaping investment, supplier and value decisions with senior leaders across all non Christie's Technology Group (CTG) spend, with clear accountability for value realization, savings delivery and measurable outcomes.
The role brings judgement, market insight and constructive challenge into business planning, supplier selection and major commitments.
It drives better value, stronger governance and more confident decision making, while respecting the relationship led culture of a global heritage brand.
How You'll Make an Impact
Duties include but are not limited to the following
- Business Partnering & Decision Support
- Lead enterprise level business engagement across all non CTG functions.
- Operate as a trusted advisor to executive and business leadership teams.
- Constructively challenge demand, investment cases and major commitments before approval.
- Build senior stakeholder confidence through insight, judgement and practical advice.
- Embed evidence based commercial decision making across business functions.
- Enterprise Value Strategy
- Set the commercial direction for non CTG spend categories aligned to enterprise priorities and investment plans.
- Prioritise enterprise value, risk and supplier opportunities across major business spend areas.
- Set clear value realization and savings objectives for major non CTG spend areas and track delivery against agreed plans.
- Strengthen business cases through market insight, market testing and value challenge.
- Govern the commercial assessment of major programmes, initiatives and supplier proposals.
- Ensure commercial implications are visible in strategic planning and governance forums.
- Supplier & Market Leadership
- Set supplier governance principles and frameworks that help business owners improve value, resilience, innovation and accountability.
- Enable and challenge business owned relationships with key non CTG suppliers and partners through commercial insight and escalation support.
- Lead the approach to complex negotiations and personally intervene where material value, risk or precedent requires it.
- Use market insight to challenge assumptions and improve outcomes.
- Establish the frameworks, tools and reporting needed for business owned governance of strategic non CTG supplier relationships.
- Value Creation & Risk Management
- Drive measurable value, savings and cost avoidance from major investments, suppliers and commercial decisions.
- Identify and manage commercial, supplier and delivery risks before they affect outcomes.
- Establish proportionate governance, reporting and escalation routes that support business owned supplier resilience, continuity and accountability.
- Ensure commercial commitments align to business objectives, risk appetite and value expectations.
- Improve contract discipline and business owned supplier management across non CTG functions through common frameworks, training and tools.
- Procurement Capability & Change
- Build commercial capability and confidence within business functions.
- Embed Procurement as a strategic advisor, not an operational gatekeeper.
- Lead adoption of the Procurement Office operating model across business functions.
- Embed practical disciplines that improve decision quality, value capture and accountability across business teams.
- Coach colleagues to operate with stronger business judgement and commercial confidence.
- What you’ll bring to the team
- Leadership Expectations
The successful candidate will
- Operate credibly with executive leaders, bringing clear commercial judgement to senior decisions.
- Challenge established thinking constructively, using insight and evidence to improve outcomes.
- Build alignment across business, finance, legal, CTG and supplier stakeholders.
- Inspire confidence through practical advice, market insight and sound judgement.
- Lead change in a relationship led environment with diplomacy, pace and accountability.
- Champion value creation, responsible governance and stronger commercial confidence across the business.
Skills & Experience
Essential
- Significant experience leading enterprise procurement or commercial functions in a complex global organisation.
- Track record of leading material sourcing, value creation and operating model change.
- Strong value strategy and business case development capability.
- Experience influencing senior executives and governing significant investments.
- Extensive experience enabling business owned supplier ecosystems through frameworks, governance and commercial escalation.
- Strong negotiation, commercial structuring and stakeholder management skills.
- Deep understanding of risk management, governance and regulatory environments.
- Experience leading change in complex, relationship led environments.
Desirable
- Experience within luxury, art, professional services or highly relationship driven organisations.
- Experience establishing or transforming procurement operating models.
- Exposure to international supplier networks and global procurement environments.
- Success Measures
- Measurable value, savings and cost avoidance delivered across major non CTG spend.
- Stronger value and accountability from business owned strategic supplier relationships.
- Clearer governance, risk visibility and decision discipline across business functions.
- Improved senior stakeholder confidence in Procurement as a trusted business advisor.
- Sustained adoption of the Procurement Office operating model, evidenced by business uptake and improved compliance.
- Ideal Background
- Demonstrable senior procurement experience in business facing leadership roles.
- Experience leading cross functional value strategies in a global organisation.
- Proven success enabling value through business owned strategic supplier partnerships.
- Experience working with senior executives to shape investment and business decisions.
- Demonstrated ability to lead procurement as a strategic business partner rather than an operational function.
- What’s great about working for us
- 27 days annual leave + 1 day Birthday leave
- Christie’s Christmas office closure (guaranteed between 25th Dec – 2nd Jan) – in addition to annual leave: almost two weeks to fully switch off and spend time with friends and family
- Additional 1 week’s annual leave within the year of a 5-year anniversary i. e. 5th, 10th, 15th and so on
- Volunteering day: Take an additional day of annual leave to volunteer for a charitable organisation that’s important to you
- Donation matching of up to £500 per annum to help you support the organisations you care about
- Flexible Fitness Fund - £400 per year expense allowance for health and wellness related activity (taxable)
- Access to world-renowned art: with regular exhibitions in our galleries to wander around and exclusive guided tours hosted by specialist colleagues
- Discretionary Bonus (dependent on the business and employee performance payable in March each year)
- Generous retirement plan: We will double match your pension contribution up to 5% of your basic salary (Max 10% contribution from Christie’s)
- Private Health Insurance – no employee contribution needed, subsidised for other family members
- Dental Insurance – (may be extended at personal cost)
- Generous Income Protection Insurance in the event of accident, sickness or injury after 12 months
- Competitive Life Insurance policy from first day
- Employee Assistance Programme – access to personal advice and support services including counselling
- Eyecare vouchers (once a year)
- Cycle to Work scheme
- Christie’s Extras – discounts on over 800 retailers, holiday packages, dinners and weekly shops
• Robust family first policy
- 16 weeks full pay on Maternity Leave
- Four-day week, for eight weeks, at full pay on return from Maternity Leave
- Dependent back-up care: 10 sessions/ days of childcare or eldercare per year
- The Stork Club: Our community of parents who meet regularly over breakfasts, lunch, afternoon tea…
- Christie’s reserves the right to change company benefits at any time
- Close Date: 4th October
- #LI-Hybrid
Head of Business Procurement in London employer: Christie's Company
Christie’s, the world’s largest Art Business, offers an inspiring and dynamic work environment for the Object Intelligence Researcher role in London. With a strong emphasis on employee well-being, the company provides generous benefits including 25 days of annual leave, a flexible fitness fund, and a robust family-first policy, all while fostering a culture of teamwork and innovation. Employees have the unique opportunity to engage with world-renowned art and collaborate with industry leaders, ensuring continuous professional growth and a meaningful career in the vibrant art market.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Business Procurement in London
✨Get Savvy with Industry Perks
Join procurement and purchasing forums or groups where pros hang out, like CIPS (Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply). They'll share the inside scoop on job openings that might not show up on traditional job boards!
✨Show Off Your Skills
Consider creating a portfolio that outlines your achievements in procurement, like cost-saving initiatives or supplier management strategies. Having tangible evidence of your skills can really set you apart when applying to companies like Christie's Company.
✨Tap into Your Network
Leverage LinkedIn to connect with professionals in procurement—follow relevant hashtags, join groups, and engage in discussions. This is a great way to get noticed by potential employers before they even post a job!
✨Keep Your Eyes on Job Boards
With full-time positions, timing can be everything. Set alerts on job boards specifically for procurement roles. Don't wait for a job posting to close; apply through our website as soon as you see a fit—being proactive can give you the edge!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Business Procurement in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Procurement Know-How:When you're crafting your CV, make sure to highlight any procurement-specific skills you've got. Talk about your experience with supplier negotiations, cost analysis, or inventory management. If you’ve used software like SAP or Oracle, don’t forget to mention that too – it shows you know your way around the tech side of things!
Quantify Your Achievements:In procurement, numbers matter. Use your CV and cover letter to showcase any quantifiable achievements you've made in reducing costs or improving efficiencies. For example, mentioning that you helped save 20% on purchasing costs last year is way more impressive than just saying you managed the budget!
Tailor Your Cover Letter to Christie's Company:Your cover letter should read like you’re chatting directly to Christie's Company. Research the company’s procurement strategy, mention how your skills align with their goals, and share your enthusiasm for contributing to their success. This personal touch can really set you apart from the crowd!
Professional Certs Can Go a Long Way:If you've got any procurement-related certifications, such as CIPS or APICS, make sure they're front and centre on your CV. These qualifications show you're serious about your career in procurement and are committed to continuous learning. It’s a great way to signal your expertise and dedication to potential employers like Christie's Company.
How to prepare for a job interview at Christie's Company
✨Show Off Your Negotiation Skills
In procurement, strong negotiation skills are key. Be ready to share examples of past negotiations where you've successfully saved costs or improved supplier terms. We want to hear how you approached those situations and the strategies you used to achieve positive outcomes!
✨Know Your Tools
Make sure you’re familiar with procurement software and tools commonly used in the industry, such as SAP Ariba or Coupa. Come prepared to discuss any experiences you've had with these tools or similar platforms, as we need someone who can hit the ground running at Christie's Company!
✨Understand Market Trends
As a procurement professional, being aware of market trends can set you apart. Brush up on recent developments in supply chain management or procurement best practices and think about how they could impact your role at Christie's Company. Bringing a current perspective will show your enthusiasm for the industry.
✨Demonstrate Your Team Player Attitude
A full-time position means you'll be working closely with various teams. Be prepared to discuss how you collaborate with others, manage conflicts, and build relationships with stakeholders. Sharing anecdotes about past teamwork experiences will highlight your ability to fit into Christie's Company's culture.
