Head of Procurement

London
Finance – Finance - Leadership /
Permanent - full time /
Hybrid
At PPRO, our mission is to simplify access to local payment methods and our vision is to enable the sale of goods and services to anyone in the world using their preferred way to pay. We empower partners such as Ant Group, PayPal and Stripe to access new markets, connect with more customers, and accelerate their growth.

Our strength lies in our diverse global team with 50+ nationalities and 10+ international locations- all united around one goal – to deliver the best possible products and services to our partners and customers. While our company mission is to keep innovating global commerce, our internal mission is to #chooseaction, #beopen, #thinkcustomer, #gofurther and #wintogether

The Purpose:

A fantastic opportunity to build a new function in a fast-growing global payments business! We're looking for a Head of Procurement to establish and lead our procurement function from the ground up. This is a unique chance to shape our strategy, build our team, and implement best practices in a dynamic and rapidly expanding international environment. If you're a proactive leader with a passion for optimising spend and building strong relationships, we want to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities:

    • Develop and drive the global procurement strategy aligned with business objectives
    • Analyse market trends and identify opportunities for cost optimisation and efficiency improvements across international operations
    • Collaborate with internal stakeholders across various regions to understand business needs and align procurement activities accordingly, enhancing existing processes and introducing new ones for effective collaboration
    • Oversee the entire procurement lifecycle, from sourcing and supplier selection to contract management and performance evaluation on a global scale, implementing and refining the necessary tools and frameworks
    • Ensure compliance with legal, regulatory, and ethical procurement standards across diverse jurisdictions, strengthening existing compliance frameworks
    • Identify and execute cost-saving initiatives while maintaining quality and service standards globally, driving significant value creation
    • Negotiate contracts, terms, and pricing agreements to secure the best value across international markets. Create and execute a playbook strategy for negotiations
    • Manage and develop supplier relationships to ensure long-term partnerships and business continuity worldwide, fostering strategic vendor management
    • Lead and mentor the procurement team, providing guidance, training, and performance feedback, contributing to team growth and development
    • Implement risk management strategies to mitigate supply chain disruptions and improve procurement resilience, as well as a key vendor risk log for global suppliers, designing and embedding robust risk protocols
    • Launch RFPs and RFQs to optimise new vendor spend internationally, standardising and improving these processes
    • Provide regular executive updates on the roadmap of opportunities and other key projects, articulating the progress and impact of the procurement function

Qualifications & Experience:

    • A seasoned procurement leader with extensive experience, including a proven track record of establishing and scaling a procurement function from the ground up, ideally within a fast-paced fintech/tech environment
    • Highly analytical and strategic, capable of defining and solving complex problems, interpreting data to drive strategic decision-making, and logically prioritising the establishment of core processes and selection of strategic partners
    • A strong negotiator and influencer, with very strong contract management skills and the demonstrated ability to build credibility for a new function, deliver tangible commercial impact, and present confidently to senior management
    • A self-starter with a strong sense of ownership and the drive to build something significant, able to work independently while managing multiple priorities and delivering results under pressure
    • Proficient in procurement tools and technology, with a keen interest in leveraging digital solutions to build automated, innovative, and efficient procurement processes
    • A relationship builder, adept at developing strong connections with both internal stakeholders globally and external suppliers, laying the groundwork for strategic partnerships and cost optimisation
    • Experienced in global supply chain management, with in-depth knowledge of procurement regulations and best practices across various international markets, including exposure to near/offshoring of tech and shared function resources
    • An effective communicator and team leader, with excellent written and verbal communication skills, a clear and concise approach to executive stakeholders, and proven ability to manage diverse teams and foster a high-performance culture
What's in it for you ?:

Hybrid working - We offer a hybrid structure with a 3 days / week on site expectation, so you can strike the balance between office and home working. In addition to our 28-day holiday allowance, we also provide a work from abroad policy, enabling employees to work remotely for up to another 30 days per year 

Learning and Development - We offer a GBP 1,000 annual budget to support your professional growth—because investing in your development benefits us all. In addition, we provide leadership cafés, on-the-job training, and other opportunities to help you grow your skills and thrive in your role..

Insurance - Because better safe than sorry - we want our employees to benefit from various insurances including a medical insurance (BUPA health care plan) and a 5% matching pension plan through Now Pensions.

Enhance Family Leave - We understand the importance of family - that's why we offer enhanced family leave to support you during key life moments.

Gym membership - PPRO helps contribute towards the costs of your gym membership, supporting your physical fitness journey while easing the burden on your wallet

Mental Health Platform - We’ve teamed up with a top well-being platform to provide one-on-one therapy, chat therapy, therapist-led courses, guided meditations, and more.

Our HQ office on Procter Street, is a short walk from Holborn, Farringdon and Covent Garden so if you’re a foodie there’s plenty nearby. The office is befitting a tech business and is set up for cross team collaboration.

Our Principles: 

We get things done: We are courageous; we take ownership, make decisions and get things done.

We act with trust and integrity: We listen first and challenge respectfully. We seek out and leverage diverse perspectives. We welcome and offer honest and open feedback, always assuming positive intent

We put the customer first: We are laser focused on delivering outstanding outcomes for our customers. We put the customer at the heart of what we do.

We make things better: We boldly explore  new ideas and have an unwavering commitment to continuous improvement.

We work as a team: We collaborate closely and value team success over individual achievement.