Head of Direct Procurement - Vital MedTech in Belfast

Vital MedTech is a leading European MedTech organisation specialising in the development, sale and distribution of high-quality medical devices for minimally invasive endoscopic diagnostic and surgical procedures. With a strong focus on gastroenterology and urology therapies and procedures, Vital MedTech operates across multiple countries and regions through direct presence in Benelux, DACH, France and the UK with ~600 employees, and through a global network of distributors. Revenue in 2025 was +€200m. Vital MedTech is part of Vital Healthcare Group, an Investindustrial portfolio company.

Role Purpose

We are seeking a strategic and commercially driven Head of Direct Procurement to lead and transform our global procurement function. The Head of Direct Procurement is responsible for the strategic leadership, governance, and operational delivery of procurement across the Vital MedTech organisation. This role owns the end-to-end procurement lifecycle and is accountable for supplier selection, qualification, and relationship management; ensuring supply continuity; delivering sustainable cost efficiencies, including close working with the Vital MedTech Operations Technology teams and driving value through supplier partnerships, in particular for new product launch success.

The role will establish a world-class procurement function, aligned to business priorities, regulatory requirements, and healthcare sector standards, while supporting growth, innovation, and operational excellence across the organisation. Scope includes all direct procurement categories, raw materials, semi-finished components, packaging materials, finished goods, and sterilisation. The geographical spread of suppliers is predominantly Europe and Asia.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership
  • Define and execute a global procurement strategy aligned with the organisation’s strategic objectives, implementing a category-led approach with the appropriate supporting market intelligence infrastructure.
  • Establish a Supplier Relationship Management Program working to ensure Customer of Choice status and strengthened long-term partnerships.
  • Act as a key member of the Operations Leadership Team, supporting the overall strategy development, participating in key decisions such as Make versus Buy, geographical footprint, financial planning and risk management in the way of supply continuity and spend control.
  • Support and ensure upstream supplier compliance with the Vital Healthcare group standards with regard to all aspects of E.S.G and Quality.
  • Partner with executive leadership and business units to align procurement with operational and clinical priorities.
• Spend & Cost Management
  • Own and manage total group spend across all categories (direct). The scope will expand to include certain logical operational indirect categories.
  • Identify, deliver, and track cost optimisation and value creation initiatives. Drive cost transparency and robust spend analytics across the organisation.
  • Ensure a pipeline of cost-down initiatives is established with the appropriate frequency of review and guaranteed delivery.
  • Ensure best in class alignment with Supply Chain and internal Production teams, working together to ensure forecasting accuracy, inventory management and supply lead times to best support supplier and internal operational goals.
• Supplier & Contract Management
  • Lead supplier identification, selection, negotiation, and contracting at a global level. Partner closely with Legal, Technology and Franchise teams to ensure alignment with business standards and needs.
  • Ensure contracts correctly align with VMT business needs, current and future, allowing sufficient flexibility around potential scenarios of key consideration.
  • Establish robust supplier performance management frameworks. Develop strategic supplier partnerships to drive innovation, quality, and value.
• Governance, Risk & Compliance. ESG
  • Ensure procurement policies, controls, and governance frameworks are in place and adhered to globally.
  • Ensure upstream supply resilience is pro-actively managed, establish a risk mitigation governance in particular for critical supplies. Identify and mitigate for third-party supplier risks.
  • Ensure alignment with Legal, ESG, Regulatory and Quality compliance requirements, including ethical sourcing and sustainability standards.
  • Ensure routine business reviews and supplier governances aligns closely with the requirements and feedback from key stakeholders across Production, Quality and ESG.
• Operational Excellence
  • Optimise procurement processes and systems for efficiency, scalability, and compliance. Close alignment with Supply Chain Planning and Production teams is required, to ensure optimal order quantities, lead times and inventory levels.
  • Where relevant, implement procurement technologies (e.g., e-sourcing, contract management, spend analytics tools). Drive continuous improvement initiatives across procurement operations.

If you are interested, please get in touch and submit your CV!