Overview

Chief Procurement Officer (CPO)

Location: US Remote (North East US) Travel: Regular travel required Procurement can be one of the biggest drivers of value in a business. It can also be one of the most underused. That's where this role comes in. We're supporting a global industrial and manufacturing group on the appointment of a Chief Procurement Officer to lead a major business transformation in the Technical Ceramics Business Unit. Reporting to the BU Finance Lead, you'll build and lead a global procurement function, bringing together fragmented procurement activity, creating a clear operating model, and turning approximately £300m of indirect spend into measurable commercial value. This isn't a role for someone looking to maintain the status quo. It's for a senior procurement leader who enjoys building, transforming and influencing, and has the scars and stories from doing it before.

The Role

As the BU Chief Procurement Officer, you'll lead the transformation of procurement from a largely decentralised structure into a professional, globally aligned function. You'll create the strategy, build the team, embed governance, and establish procurement as a trusted business partner across the organisation. You'll oversee a global team whilst partnering with divisional procurement leaders to raise capability, improve consistency and unlock greater value across both indirect and direct procurement activities. You'll also play a leading role in driving the adoption of AI, automation and analytics across procurement activities, using technology where it genuinely improves decision making, productivity and commercial outcomes.

Responsibilities

What You'll Do

• Develop and deliver a global procurement strategy across the BU indirect spend portfolio.
• Lead the design and implementation of a new global procurement operating model.
• Build and lead a high-performing global procurement organisation, including category management and centre of excellence capabilities.
• Deliver sustainable savings, cost avoidance, productivity improvements and wider business value.
• Partner with divisional procurement leaders to professionalise and improve direct procurement capability across the business.
• Build strong executive and stakeholder relationships, influencing at board and senior leadership level.
• Lead procurement technology, AI and digital transformation initiatives that create measurable business impact.
• Strengthen supplier risk management, resilience and governance across global operations.
• Create clear reporting, analytics and insights around spend, savings, supplier performance and procurement effectiveness.
• Recruit, develop and inspire a global procurement leadership team.

Qualifications

About You

We're looking for someone who has built, transformed and led procurement functions at scale, not just inherited them. You'll likely bring:

• Significant senior leadership experience within global procurement environments.
• A proven track record of transforming decentralised procurement into a centralised or centre-led model.
• Deep expertise across indirect procurement and category management.
• Experience delivering substantial, sustainable savings alongside broader commercial value creation.
• Strong understanding of procurement technology, analytics, AI and automation.
• The credibility to challenge senior stakeholders constructively and influence without relying on hierarchy.
• Experience delivering capability across multiple geographies and business units.
• A data-driven, commercially astute and pragmatic leadership style.
• The resilience and adaptability needed to lead large-scale organisational change.
• Degree-level education or equivalent experience. Professional procurement qualifications are welcomed.

What You'll Get

Opportunity to shape and lead a global procurement transformation from the ground up. Executive-level visibility and influence. Remit across a substantial international spend portfolio. Regular international travel and engagement with global stakeholders. Competitive executive remuneration package, including long-term incentives and benefits.

Interested to Learn More?

If you're a strategic procurement leader who enjoys building functions, driving change and delivering tangible business outcomes, we'd love to hear from you. Apply today.