Head of Procurement

Here’s a summary of the role:   

The Head of Procurement is responsible for developing and executing the procurement strategy to drive value, efficiency, and sustainability across the organisation. This leadership role oversees the procurement function, ensuring alignment with business objectives, managing supplier relationships, and optimising sourcing processes.

The Head of Procurement will lead a team of professionals, foster collaboration across departments, and deliver measurable impact on cost savings, quality, and supply chain resilience.

Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll do (not all of it, just the important stuff):

Strategic Procurement Leadership:

• Develop and implement the organisation's procurement strategy, ensuring alignment with overall business goals and objectives.
• Lead cost-saving initiatives and value-creation programs to optimise procurement spending and improve bottom-line performance.
• Monitor industry trends and market conditions to inform strategic sourcing decisions and mitigate supply chain risks.

Team Leadership & Development:

• Build, mentor, and manage a high-performing procurement team, promoting professional growth and collaboration.
• Establish performance metrics for the procurement team, ensuring accountability and excellence in execution.
• Foster a culture of innovation, ethical and commercial procurement practices, and continuous improvement.

Supplier Management & Negotiation:

• Establish and nurture strong relationships with key suppliers to ensure quality, reliability, and long-term partnership.
• Negotiate terms, and pricing with suppliers to achieve favourable outcomes for the organisation
• Establish and manage supplier onboarding processes, ensuring the appropriate checks are performed by appropriate teams including Finance, Legal, Compliance, and Information Security.
• As part of developing the function, undertake a full audit of existing suppliers, from both a commercial and compliance perspective.

Operational Excellence:

• Implement good practices in procurement operations, including category management and contract management.
• Drive digital transformation initiatives, such as e-procurement platforms, to improve efficiency and transparency in the procurement process (while collaborating with other departments in respect of any shared platforms).
• Ensure timely delivery of services while minimising disruptions and optimising working capital.
• Ensure procurement practices and standards are effectively communicated across the business.

Compliance & Risk Management:

• Ensure procurement activities comply with company policies, industry and corporate regulations, and ethical standards, in collaboration with the appropriate teams including Finance, Legal, Compliance, and Information Security.
• Identify and mitigate risks related to supply chain disruptions, geopolitical factors, and supplier performance.
• Promote sustainability through procurement practices that align with Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals, in collaboration with the Compliance team which has responsibility for ESG at YouGov.

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Partner with key stakeholders across departments (e.g., Finance, Operations, Legal, Compliance, Data Security, Marketing and Panel) to support strategic initiatives and operational needs.
• Act as a key advisor to the leadership team on procurement-related matters, including cost management and supplier strategy.
• Drive alignment between procurement objectives and overall business priorities.

These are the essentials you’ll need to get an interview:

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, Supply Chain Management, or a related field
• 10+ years of progressive experience in procurement or supply chain management, including leadership roles.
• Proven track record in developing and executing successful procurement strategies.
  Technical Expertise
• Strong knowledge of procurement best practices, sourcing strategies, and contract negotiation.
• Familiarity with procurement tools and platforms
• Understanding of regulatory requirements and compliance standards for procurement activities in a UK listed company environment.
• Professional certifications such as CPM, CPSM or CSCP (preferred)

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Company Description and Culture 

YouGov is a global online research company, offering insight into what the world thinks.    

We speak daily to our panel of over 27 million registered members to understand opinion and behaviors around the world. We have a strong reputation as a source of accurate data and we’re trusted by the world’s biggest brands to get it right, making us the most quoted market research source in the world.  

Why join YouGov? 

Join our global team to help us achieve our social mission: to make millions of people’s opinions heard for the benefit of our local, national, and international communities. 

Understanding diversity of opinion requires diversity of background. Although our global panel of millions of people worldwide powers our research, our biggest asset is our people. If our research is to be truly representative of what the world thinks, we need people from all walks of life to be part of the team to bring their perspective to the work we do.  

Life at YouGov 

We are driven by a set of shared values. We are fast, fearless, and innovative. We work diligently to get it right. We are guided by accuracy, ethics, and proven methodologies. We respect and trust each other, bringing these values into everything that we do. 

We strive to provide YouGovers with best-in-class benefits to support their physical, financial, and emotional wellbeing. We want our employees to have a sense of belonging and uniqueness in a supportive workplace, so they can bring their full selves to work.  

Equal Opportunity Employer 

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity or expression, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, marital status, age, disability, genetic information, HIV status, political affiliation, socioeconomic background, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law or in line with our responsibilities as a fair and ethic employer. All employment decisions are made based on occupational qualifications, merit, and business need. 

Data Privacy

To find out how we collect and use your personal data when you apply for a role at YouGov, please read our privacy notice at https://jobs.yougov.com/privacy