Senior Lead, Procurement
South Pole is an energetic, global company offering comprehensive sustainability solutions and services. With offices spanning all continents across the globe, we strive to create a sustainable society and economy that positively impacts our climate, ecosystems and developing communities. With our solutions, we inspire and enable our customers to create value from sustainability-related activities.
Job summary:
The Senior Lead, Procurement will lead the development and establishment of the procurement function from the ground up, creating and implementing a strategic sourcing strategy that aligns with the organization’s goals and financial objectives. This role requires a skilled professional with experience in procurement, vendor management, and strategic sourcing, ideally with exposure to building procurement processes and teams within a growing company.
Main tasks & responsibilities:
- Procurement Strategy Development:
- Design and implement a comprehensive procurement strategy that meets the company's operational needs and financial targets.
- Develop policies, procedures, and best practices to drive consistent and efficient procurement processes across the organization.
- Align procurement strategy with broader business objectives, driving cost savings and value creation.
- Process and Function Building:
- Build, establish, and lead the procurement function, including policies, workflows, and governance frameworks.
- Create and manage a robust supplier management process, ensuring high-quality vendor selection and performance.
- Implement sourcing strategies to optimize supplier relationships, pricing, and contract terms.
- Team Leadership and Development:
- Recruit, develop, and manage a team of procurement professionals, providing mentorship and performance feedback.
- Foster a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, and innovation within the procurement team.
- Define key performance metrics for the procurement team and ensure targets are met.
- Vendor and Supplier Management:
- Establish strong vendor relationships and lead contract negotiations to achieve optimal terms and conditions.
- Implement a supplier performance monitoring system to ensure high standards for quality, delivery, and cost-effectiveness.
- Develop and manage strategic partnerships with key suppliers, identifying opportunities for collaboration and improvement.
- Cost Management and Optimization:
- Identify and execute cost-saving opportunities through effective sourcing and negotiation practices.
- Analyze procurement spending data and conduct market research to make informed purchasing decisions.
- Collaborate with finance and operational teams to forecast and budget for procurement needs.
- Compliance and Risk Management:
- Ensure compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and company policies related to procurement and vendor management.
- Identify and mitigate risks within the supply chain, including supplier reliability, pricing fluctuations, and compliance issues.
- Conduct regular audits of procurement practices to ensure adherence to policies and continuous improvement.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration:
- Partner with various departments (e.g., finance, operations, and legal) to understand and support their procurement needs.
- Act as a key advisor to senior leadership on procurement strategy and cost optimization.
- Support the development of a culture of responsible procurement across the organization.
Requirements:
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, or a related field.
Experience: Minimum of 5-7 years of experience in procurement, supply chain management, or strategic sourcing, with at least 2-3 years in a leadership role.
Certifications: Relevant certifications (e.g., CIPS, CPSM) are highly desirable.
Skills:
- Experience in building and leading procurement functions within a growing organization.
- Strong negotiation and vendor management skills.
- Excellent analytical skills with the ability to use data for decision-making.
- Proficiency in procurement software and ERP systems.
- Effective communication and interpersonal skills to work cross-functionally and with external partners.
- Strong leadership capabilities with a track record of building and developing teams.
What we offer:
At South Pole, we care about our employees as much as we care about the planet. South Pole is not just an employer, we are a Team. South Pole does not just offer people a job, we offer you a career. By joining our team, you will find strong purpose and deep meaning in everything you do. You will have the chance to make a real difference for our clients and for the planet, working alongside a passionate team of like-minded colleagues, while building your knowledge/skills and developing your career in a fun, dynamic, international and fast-growing organisation.
We’re a planet of 7.5 billion unique and different people. We all have a contribution to make and South Pole is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status or disability. Our recruitment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit and business need.
- Department
- Corporate Services
- Locations
- Cape Town
Cape Town
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Work-life balance
From flexible working hours to flexible workplace (home office), with above-average vacation allowances, we strive to make the work and family life puzzle an easy one for our employees.
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Flexible Vacation Benefits
Options to buy up to 5 extra days of time off.
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Life Insurance
Available to all employees across the world.
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Care for your Wellbeing
Access to mental, physical and financial wellbeing support through our Employee Assistance Program (TELUS Health).
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Parental leave
Should any of our employees need to take time off the Iceberg as a result of a new addition to their household, we are happy to be able to offer competitive Paid Parental leave to support them during this time.
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Compassionate Leave
Sometimes life is unpredictable, and when unfortunate events occur, we want to give you peace of mind so you feel fully supported during this time.
What makes us unique
At South Pole, we are first and foremost a purpose-driven Company. People join us because they believe in our mission and want to be part of a community that fights together for our shared values and beliefs. But that is not the only reason why working at South Pole is such a rewarding experience.
- We know that our vision to help create a greener world is both bold and challenging. To achieve it, we settle for nothing less than the absolute best. We form a Community that is stronger than the sum of its parts.
- Entrepreneurial at heart. It’s not just our founders who are entrepreneurs. We actively promote an innovative mindset at all levels of the organisation, where each and every employee is encouraged to challenge the status quo and empowered to make decisions.
- Growing employees in a growing company. With a team of smart, passionate and engaged colleagues, as well as increasing demand from our clients, opportunities to learn, develop our skills and grow our careers are endless.
- All for one, and one for all! Above all other things, what truly drives our dedication and commitment to our purpose is our colleagues. We learn from each other and grow together. Because that is who Penguins are.
About South Pole
Our story began in Zurich, with 5 friends* in 2002. They had a belief and a vision to shape and change the future of the world through climate empowerment, education and projects with their non-profit organisation; MyClimate. These ‘social entrepreneurs’ went on to pioneer climate change with the introduction of South Pole in 2006*. More than 20 years on, with the support of some of the most passionate and talented entrepreneurs around them, who are empowered to all play their part and with their founding belief in aligning purpose with passion, people and profit, they have created South Pole, an organisation that has gone onto positively impact the lives of over 20 million people across the world through its projects, saving over 20,000 km2 of forests from deforestation.
*Patrick Bürgi, Thomas Camerata, Renat Heuberger, Ingo Puhl, and Christoph Sutter
*2006 Joined by Marco Hirsbrunner and Christoph Grobel
Senior Lead, Procurement
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