Head of Procurement

Job Purpose

The Head of Procurement will lead and oversee the organization’s total procurement function, covering both direct materials (raws & packaging) and indirect goods & services. This role provides strategic direction, governance, and leadership to ensure procurement delivers cost efficiency, supply reliability, innovation, sustainability, and long-term value creation. Reporting directly to the CFO and functionally to Regional Head of Procurement (Africa), the Head of Procurement will act as a key business partner to senior leadership, aligning procurement with organizational goals and enabling competitive advantage in the FMCG/beverage sector.

Key Accountabilities and Outputs

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and implement a group-wide procurement strategy covering all spend categories (raws, packaging, logistics, IT, marketing, services, facilities, capex, etc.).
• Build and lead a high-performing team (Procurement Managers and Assistants), fostering capability development and accountability.
• Translate business strategy into clear procurement objectives and KPIs.
• Support the Regional Head to identify opportunities if any for whole Africa synergies where applicable.

Direct & Indirect Procurement Oversight

• Oversee direct procurement of raw materials and packaging (e.g., sugar, PET, cans, flavours, cartons).
• Oversee indirect procurement (e.g., MRO, fleet, marketing, professional services, IT, HR, facilities).
• Drive synergies, standardization, and efficiency across categories.

Supplier & Market Management

• Build strategic supplier partnerships to secure quality, service, innovation, and competitive pricing.
• Lead high-value contract negotiations and ensure governance over SLAs.
• Ensure proactive market intelligence and risk management across commodities and services.

Cost, Cash & Value Creation

• Deliver annualized savings targets (R/Case, cost-per-unit metrics).
• Optimize payment terms, working capital, and total cost of ownership (TCO).
• Promote innovation in packaging, reformulation, sustainability, and supplier development.

Governance & Compliance

• Ensure all procurement activities adhere to company policy, regulatory standards, and ethical practices.
• Champion sustainability (plastics reduction, recycling partnerships, BBBEE preferential procurement).
• Establish effective policies, processes, and reporting systems.

Stakeholder & Executive Engagement

• Act as advisor to the CEO and Board on procurement strategies, risks, and opportunities.
• Partner with operations, R&D, finance, and marketing to deliver value beyond cost.
• Represent the company in industry forums and supplier partnerships.
• Have constant reviews with Regional Head of Procurement and Supply Chain on main KPIs

7. Reporting & Analytics

• Lead spend analysis, supplier scorecards, and procurement reporting dashboards.
• Drive digital enablement of procurement (ERP, SAP S/4HANA, analytics tools).
• Provide clear and timely performance reporting to senior leadership.
• Ensuring all Procurement Reports / Analysis are reviewed with Regional Head of Procurement (Africa)

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Finance, or related discipline (Master’s preferred).
• Professional certifications (CIPS, CPSM, CPM) highly desirable.
• 10–12 years’ procurement experience, including at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Proven track record of strategic sourcing, supplier negotiations, and procurement transformation in FMCG or manufacturing.
• Strong financial acumen, commercial awareness, and ability to influence at executive level.
• Advanced ERP (SAP S/4HANA) and analytics proficiency (Excel, Power BI, etc.).
• Demonstrated success in driving cost savings, supplier development, and sustainable sourcing.

Key Competencies

• Strategic thinking & execution under pressure.
• Financial & commercial acumen.
• Advanced problem-solving, decision-making, and project management.
• Strong influencing, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Change leadership & continuous improvement orientation.

Behavioural Competencies

Planning and Organising

• Manages time effectively, ensuring effective completion of tasks under stressful deadlines.
• Able to prioritise activities and resources, ensuring that results are achieved effectively.
• Able to evaluate progress and make appropriate adjustments to initial plans, ensuring a successful outcome.

Strategic Thinking

• Identifies and fills gaps in information required to understand strategic issues.
• Formulates a "pig picture" understanding.
• Ability to organises information and data to identify or explain trends, problems, and causes; compares and combines information to identify underlying issues.
• Generates and considers options for actions to achieve a long-range goal or vision develops decision criteria considering factors such as cost, benefits, risks, timing, and buy-in; selects the strategy most likely to succeed.
• Identifies the key tasks and resources needed to achieve objectives.
• Makes sure strategies are executed; monitors results and makes adjustments as needed.

Project Management

• Conducts team building exercises or events
• Provides team-based rewards and performance measures
• Develops a team charter and guidelines boundaries with other teams or business units
• Provides role clarity and defines boundaries with other teams or business units
• Clarifies assignments and accountabilities within the team

Continuous Improvement

• Increases performance expectations when success has been achieved
• Seeks out sources of information, including trade associations, “best practice” companies, customers, peers, subordinates, etc.
• Finds ways to fast-adapt improvement ideas to work processes
• Proactively seeks out resources, alliances, etc., needed to quickly introduce improvements