Director of Procurement

Job SummaryThe Director, Procurement will lead strategic sourcing and category management activities across a large marketing spend portfolio for a regional consumer-focused organization. This role will be responsible for developing and executing sourcing strategies, delivering measurable financial value, and strengthening strategic supplier relationships. The position will also play a key role in building and advancing the organization's procurement function, establishing processes, governance, and tools that support procurement as a strategic business partner.Key ResponsibilitiesDevelop and execute strategic sourcing strategies across marketing spend categories, including product, brand, digital, performance, shopper/retail, content, influencer, customer, events/experiential, and public relations/communications.Lead competitive sourcing events, including RFIs, RFPs, RFQs, supplier evaluations, negotiations, and contract award recommendations.Develop and maintain multi-year category management strategies and roadmaps aligned with business priorities and financial objectives.Analyze spend, market data, supplier intelligence, and pricing benchmarks to identify and quantify sourcing opportunities.Own the marketing procurement savings pipeline from opportunity identification through contracting, implementation, and Finance validation.Develop Finance-grade reporting related to savings, cost avoidance, pipeline activity, execution status, and delivery confidence.Partner closely with Finance and FP&A to establish consistent savings tracking, measurement, and validation methodologies.Build trusted relationships with senior marketing and business stakeholders and ensure procurement strategies are aligned with operational and business objectives.Manage strategic supplier relationships, balancing cost, quality, risk, service levels, and long-term partnership value.Lead supplier business reviews, performance management activities, and strategic supplier initiatives.Partner with procurement leadership to establish sourcing processes, templates, governance, policies, and standards for marketing procurement.Support the selection and implementation of procurement technology, including spend analytics, eSourcing, contract lifecycle management, and project tracking tools.Manage, mentor, and develop direct reports while promoting accountability, collaboration, and high performance.Work closely with Legal, Finance, FP&A, Marketing, and other senior business stakeholders to support enterprise procurement objectives.Present sourcing strategies, financial results, supplier recommendations, and procurement initiatives to senior leadership.Minimum Education & Experience RequirementsBachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Finance, Marketing, or a related field required.MBA or advanced degree preferred.Minimum of 12 years of progressive procurement, strategic sourcing, or category management experience.Minimum of 8 years of experience in a procurement leadership role.Demonstrated experience delivering realized savings and measurable financial value across significant and complex spend portfolios.Experience managing strategic sourcing initiatives across multiple marketing-related categories.Proven experience supporting or leading procurement transformation within an organization where procurement capabilities and processes are being established or significantly enhanced.Demonstrated ability to operate effectively with senior executives and business leadership.Equivalent professional experience may be considered in place of advanced educational credentials when supported by sustained financial and operational results.Special RequirementsCPM, CPSM, or comparable procurement certification preferred.Demonstrated experience with strategic sourcing, competitive bidding, supplier negotiations, and complex contract management.Experience working with procurement technology, including eSourcing, spend analytics, and contract lifecycle management platforms.Ability to work collaboratively with Legal, Finance, FP&A, Marketing, and senior business stakeholders.Ability to manage confidential financial, supplier, and contractual information.Knowledge, Skills, and AbilitiesStrong strategic sourcing and category management expertise.Comprehensive understanding of end-to-end RFx processes, competitive bidding, negotiation, and supplier selection.Strong financial acumen, including business case development, total cost of ownership analysis, savings modeling, and financial value measurement.Proficiency in spend analytics and the use of spend data to identify opportunities and monitor sourcing performance.Knowledge of contract development, redlining, commercial terms, risk, liability, and multi-year supplier agreements.Experience with eSourcing platforms, spend analytics systems, contract lifecycle management tools, and project tracking applications.Strong understanding of supplier markets, pricing benchmarks, market conditions, and cost drivers affecting marketing-related expenditures.Ability to establish structured processes, manage milestones, and produce accurate executive-level reporting.Strong executive presence with the ability to communicate procurement value in clear business and financial terms.Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, particularly in environments where procurement does not have direct authority over business decisions.Strong negotiation and supplier relationship management skills.Demonstrated change management and organizational development capabilities.Strong problem-solving, analytical, decision-making, and organizational skills.Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare executive and board-level materials.Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, cross-functional environment.Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple strategic initiatives simultaneously.Additional Desired CharacteristicsExperience in a consumer products, retail, restaurant, hospitality, franchising, or similarly distributed business environment.Experience managing marketing agencies, media, digital marketing, creative services, promotional services, or other marketing-related suppliers.Experience building procurement capabilities, processes, governance, and organizational structure from the ground up.Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in an entrepreneurial or rapidly changing environment.Strong builder mentality with the ability to establish structure and process where limited infrastructure currently exists.Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution.Demonstrated success developing procurement professionals and building high-performing teams.Experience with procurement transformation, technology implementation, or procurement operating model development.Work EnvironmentPrimarily professional office and corporate business environment.Position may offer a hybrid work arrangement based on organizational requirements and business needs.Regular interaction with senior leadership, internal business stakeholders, suppliers, and external partners.Occasional travel may be required for supplier meetings, business reviews, conferences, or other business-related activities.Position may require flexibility to accommodate meetings and business activities involving stakeholders across multiple locations and time zones.