Director of Procurement

Director, Strategic Procurement & Vendor Management

High-Growth SaaS

15% travel (some international) required

A rapidly expanding global technology company is seeking a Director of Strategic Procurement & Vendor Management to help build and scale a world-class procurement organization. Reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer, this role will serve as the commercial and operational leader for enterprise-wide sourcing, vendor management, contract governance, and procurement strategy.

The company is experiencing significant growth and is investing in the infrastructure, processes, and controls needed to support its next stage of expansion. This position offers a unique opportunity to shape procurement from the ground up while partnering closely with executive leadership on high-impact business decisions.

The Opportunity

This is a highly visible individual contributor role with broad influence across the organization. Rather than managing a large team, the successful candidate will drive results through leadership, commercial expertise, process design, and cross-functional partnership.

The position touches nearly every area of the business, including technology investments, cloud infrastructure, software subscriptions, professional services, marketing spend, facilities, and capital expenditures. The ideal candidate enjoys operating across a wide range of categories and views procurement as a strategic business function rather than an administrative process.

Key Responsibilities

Enterprise Procurement Leadership

Develop and oversee procurement strategy across the organization, ensuring consistency, transparency, and financial discipline in sourcing and vendor selection activities.

Partner with business leaders to evaluate spending decisions, identify savings opportunities, and improve commercial outcomes while maintaining operational agility.

Procurement Operations & Governance

Design and implement scalable procurement processes that provide appropriate controls without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.

Establish clear workflows for vendor intake, approvals, onboarding, contract review, and purchasing activities. Drive adoption through collaboration, education, and stakeholder engagement.

Contract & Vendor Portfolio Management

Create and maintain centralized visibility into vendor relationships, contract obligations, renewal schedules, and commercial commitments.

Develop proactive renewal strategies that maximize leverage, reduce risk, and improve long-term value across the supplier portfolio.

Strategic Sourcing & Commercial Negotiations

Lead sourcing initiatives from requirements gathering through contract execution.

Conduct market assessments, vendor evaluations, competitive bidding processes, and commercial negotiations. Drive favorable outcomes related to pricing, service levels, contract terms, and risk allocation while maintaining productive supplier relationships.

Financial Analysis & Business Case Development

Partner with Finance to evaluate vendor investments, model total cost of ownership, assess alternative solutions, and support budgeting and forecasting processes.

Provide financial and operational insights that help leaders make informed investment decisions.

Cross-Functional Partnership

Collaborate closely with Finance, Legal, IT, Security, Operations, and functional leaders throughout the organization.

Act as a trusted advisor who helps stakeholders navigate vendor decisions, balance competing priorities, and optimize commercial outcomes.

Supplier Performance & Risk Management

Develop frameworks for measuring supplier performance, monitoring contractual obligations, and identifying areas of operational or financial risk.

Assess vendor health, pricing competitiveness, and strategic alignment while ensuring appropriate diversification across critical services and suppliers.

First-Year Priorities

Develop a comprehensive understanding of the company's spend profile, supplier landscape, contract inventory, and procurement processes.

Identify key risks, cost optimization opportunities, and governance gaps. Establish strong relationships with stakeholders and begin implementing foundational procurement improvements.

Launch and refine procurement workflows, vendor governance processes, and contract management practices.

Deliver measurable business value through sourcing initiatives, vendor negotiations, and improved visibility into spending commitments.

Elevate procurement into a strategic business function that drives enterprise value.

Implement sustainable controls, improve supplier performance management, strengthen commercial terms across key categories, and build a scalable procurement infrastructure capable of supporting continued growth.

Qualifications

Required Experience

• 8+ years of progressive procurement, sourcing, supply chain, or vendor management experience
• Experience supporting high-growth technology, software, SaaS, or digital-first organizations
• Proven success building or transforming procurement processes and governance frameworks
• Strong commercial negotiation and contract management experience
• Demonstrated financial acumen, including business case development, spend analysis, and total cost of ownership modeling
• Ability to influence stakeholders and drive outcomes across multiple functions without direct authority
• Experience partnering with Finance, Legal, Accounts Payable, Information Technology, and Security teams
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Supply Chain, Operations, or a related discipline

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA or advanced business degree
• Experience supporting organizations preparing for public company requirements, major audits, or finance transformation initiatives
• Familiarity with enterprise software, cloud services, AI platforms, and technology procurement
• Experience with ERP, procurement, and spend-management platforms
• Exposure to international vendors, multi-currency agreements, and global sourcing environments

What Success Looks Like

• Procurement operates as a strategic business partner rather than a transactional function
• Leadership has clear visibility into vendor commitments, renewals, risks, and opportunities
• Contract negotiations consistently improve commercial outcomes and reduce organizational risk
• Procurement processes are scalable, efficient, and widely adopted across the business
• Vendor relationships are actively managed and aligned with company objectives
• The organization realizes measurable savings, improved controls, and stronger supplier performance

Growth Potential

This role offers exceptional visibility to executive leadership and the opportunity to influence company-wide decisions. It is well suited for a high-performing procurement professional seeking broader operational exposure and long-term leadership opportunities within a rapidly growing technology organization.

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