Procurement Compliance and Governance Lead

Purpose

• The primary purpose of a Procurement Governance and Compliance Lead is to deliver a structured oversight framework that ensures all strategic procurement and purchasing activities are transparent, ethical, and strictly aligned with both internal policies and external legal regulations.
• This leadership role focuses on mitigating financial and reputational risks by maintaining a robust oversight framework across the entire strategic procurement lifecycle The role covers the entire procurement lifecycle, from initial planning to final contract termination.
• This role is accountable for ensuring that the "single version of the truth" regarding procurement activity is maintained across all departments 

Scope of Responsibility

• Policy and Framework Architecture
• Risk Management and Due Diligence
• Compliance and Assurance Cadillac
• Strategic Collaboration and Change Management 

Key Roles & Responsibilities
Governance & Policy Architecture:

• Framework Design: Drafting and maintaining the "Rule Book" (Procurement Policy) that defines how the organization buys goods and services.
• SOP Management: Developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for every stage of the procurement cycle to ensure consistency across different departments.
• Threshold Management: Defining who has the authority to sign off on specific spending amounts and ensuring those limits are hard coded into ERP systems (like SAP or Oracle).

Compliance Oversight & Monitoring:

• Audit Management: Scheduling and conducting regular "spot checks" and formal audits to ensure teams aren't bypassing official procurement channels.
• Maverick Spend Control: Identifying and investigating "off-contract" spending to bring unauthorized purchases back under managed contracts.
• Sanctions & Vetting: Ensuring all vendors are screened against global watchlists, anti-money laundering (AML) regulations, and "Know Your Supplier" (KYS) protocols.

Risk Management & Due Diligence:

• Risk Assessment: Building a risk register that identifies potential supply chain disruptions, financial instability of vendors, or ethical red flags. 
• ESG Compliance: Enforcing sustainability standards and ensuring suppliers comply with modern slavery laws and environmental regulations.
• Conflict of Interest: Managing the declaration process for employees to ensure personal relationships do not influence commercial decisions.

Process Improvement & Training:

• System Optimization: Working with IT to automate compliance checks within e-Procurement tools to reduce human error.
• Capability Building: Training the wider business on why governance matters and how to use the correct procurement tools and templates.
• Reporting: Delivering "Compliance Dashboards" to the Board or Executive team to show where the organization is at risk and where it is succeeding.

Stakeholder & Legal Liaison:

• Legal Alignment: Partnering with the Legal department to ensure standard terms and conditions (T&Cs) are included in all contracts.
• Issue Resolution: Acting as the primary point of contact for external regulators or internal auditors during investigations. 

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field such as Supply Chain Management, Finance, Business Administration, or Law.
• 5–10+ years in procurement or supply chain, with at least 3 years specifically focused on governance, risk, or compliance (GRC).
• Master's Degree/MBA – added advantage.
• Professional certification (CIPS, CPSM, CSCP, CIA, CFE etc.) is an advantage
• System Proficiency: Expert-level knowledge of ERP and e-Sourcing tools (e.g., SAP Ariba, Coupa) to manage digital audit trails.
• Regulatory Knowledge: Deep understanding of contract law, anti-bribery acts (like the UKBA or FCPA), and emerging ESG/Sustainability regulations
• Influence: High emotional intelligence to enforce rules with senior stakeholders without stalling business operations. 

Functional Competencies:

• Legal & Regulatory Compliance
• Risk Management & Assurance
• Governance Framework & Policy Design
• Spend & Data Analytics
• Change Management & Training 

Behavioural Competencies:

• Unwavering Integrity and Ethics
• Strategic Influence and Persuasion
• Meticulous Attention to Detail
• Decisiveness and Accountability
• Adaptability and Resilience
• Effective Communication 

Digital Competencies:

• Cyber Security & Data Privacy Awareness
• Emerging Tech Literacy
• Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) Tools
• Advanced Data Analytics & Forensic Reporting
• E-Procurement & ERP Mastery 

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:

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