Director of Procurement

Director of ProcurementLondon£100k - £130k + 30% Bonus & 15% Employer Pension Contribution!A leading, high-profile events, real estate and venue organisation is looking to appoint a Director of Procurement to provide strategic leadership across all third-party expenditure for the group.With millions of visitors passing through their operations annually and significant ongoing investment in venue development, infrastructure and sustainability, this is a high-impact opportunity to transform procurement into a strategic commercial function.The RoleReporting directly to the CFO, the Director of Procurement will lead the strategic management of approximately £100m of annual operational expenditure and £30m of capital expenditure across the group.Working closely with the Leadership Team and senior stakeholders across approximately 25 departments, the successful candidate will establish procurement as a central commercial hub, balancing robust governance and commercial value with the fast-paced requirements of live events and venue operations.The role will lead a small procurement team and will have significant influence across operational procurement, capital projects, supplier management, systems optimisation, governance and sustainable sourcing.Key ResponsibilitiesProcurement LeadershipLead, coach and develop a team comprising a Senior Procurement Manager and Procurement Officer.Establish clear KPIs, objectives and performance measures for the procurement function.Build succession plans and develop the capability of the wider procurement team.Procurement Systems & Digital TransformationOwn and enhance procurement workflows within Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.Establish purchasing parameters, approval limits and catalogue management in line with the organisation's Delegation of Authority.Utilise ERP data to produce spend analytics, supplier performance reporting and compliance metrics.Improve ERP adoption and provide guidance and training to departmental buyers.Stakeholder Management & Commercial GovernanceDevelop standardised procurement policies, buying toolkits and self-service resources.Work closely with senior stakeholders across multiple departments and influence decentralised buying structures.Capital Expenditure & Venue DevelopmentLead procurement activity across approximately £30m of annual Capex and around 130 venue development projects.Partner with Capital Works teams on major construction, fit-out and technology infrastructure contracts.Operational Spend & Strategic SourcingStrategically manage approximately £100m of annual Opex across a diverse range of categories.Review and optimise contracts covering areas such as food and beverage, security, cleaning, utilities and event production.Governance, Risk & SustainabilityEnsure procurement activity aligns with robust financial, governance and reporting standards.Drive sustainable procurement and net-zero objectives across the organisation.Identify and mitigate supply chain risks, particularly around event-critical suppliers.Experience & SkillsThe successful candidate is likely to have:Significant senior-level procurement experience within a complex, high-volume organisation.Experience managing £100m+ Opex and £30m+ Capex procurement portfolios.Strong hands-on experience with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, or an equivalent Tier 2/3 ERP system, particularly around purchasing, purchase orders and spend analysis.A proven track record of influencing stakeholders within decentralised purchasing environments.Experience managing procurement across multiple concurrent capital projects.Strong commercial, analytical and negotiation skills.Excellent stakeholder management and influencing capability.Experience improving procurement systems, processes and controls.Desirable ExperienceExperience within events, hospitality, venues, leisure, construction or another complex operational environment.This is an opportunity for an experienced procurement leader to take ownership of a significant third-party spend portfolio and play a key role in shaping the organisation's commercial, digital and sustainability agenda.