Description

Procurement & Supply Chain Director - UK & Ireland

Location: Hemel Hempstead (Hybrid ) | Type: Permanent, ExCo

The Opportunity

Are you a commercially astute executive capable of driving a multi-million-pound EBITDA agenda across a massive national footprint?

My client is seeking a Procurement & Supply Chain Director to lead the end-to-end supply-side performance of their UK & Ireland business. Sitting on the Executive Committee, this role bridges commercial strategy and operational execution, holding full accountability for both direct and indirect procurement streams.

The successful candidate will inherit a vast, multi-site network and lead the transition toward a high-margin, technology-led, data-driven unattended retail model (over 16,000 points of sale). If you thrive in performance-driven, transformation-heavy environments, this offers total spend ownership and the autonomy to shape my client's commercial future.

Key Responsibilities

1. Direct & Indirect Procurement Strategy

• Total Spend Ownership: Lead overarching procurement across all Direct spend (beverages, core product lines, machinery, spare parts) and Indirect spend (GNFR, logistics, technology, corporate services).
• Commercial Leverage: Drive category premiumisation and portfolio optimisation, leveraging scale to secure market-leading trading and rebate agreements (SPI/PPI).
• Supplier Innovation: Build strategic partnerships with product suppliers and indirect service providers to foster compliance and long-term value.

2. Supply Chain & Logistics Transformation

• Network Excellence: Oversee end-to-end supply chain execution from supplier to end-user across a national estate.
• Tech-Driven Operations: Accelerate the shift toward a tech-enabled network, embedding telemetry, AI forecasting, and data-led replenishment models.
• Operational Efficiency: Optimise depot operations, logistics cost-per-vend, and route efficiency while relentlessly reducing waste and stock obsolescence.

3. Financial Performance & EBITDA Impact

• Margin Expansion: Act as a primary driver of gross margin improvement aligned with my client's 5-year growth strategy through aggressive procurement leverage and indirect cost control.
• Working Capital: Optimise cash conversion cycles by extending supplier payment terms, boosting stock turns, and refining inventory holding.
• Cross-Functional Alignment: Work with Commercial and Finance teams to support pricing architecture and Revenue Growth Management (RGM).

What You Bring

• Executive Sourcing Leadership: Proven track record leading comprehensive procurement functions (direct goods-for-resale and complex indirect spend categories) within FMCG, food service, automated retail, or route-based logistics.
• Commercial & Financial Rigour: Success in directly influencing P&L outcomes, driving gross margin expansion, and delivering structural cost reduction across all corporate spend.
• Transformation Credentials: Experience navigating complex matrix organisations and driving large-scale systems/process transformations (PE-backed experience is desirable).
• People Leadership: History of building, mentoring, and developing high-performing, commercially focused supply chain teams.

Key Performance Indicators

• Financial: Gross margin % improvement, indirect cost reduction, EBITDA contribution, and supplier income streams.
• Execution: OTIF performance, product availability across the estate, and forecasting accuracy.
• Capital Efficiency: Optimised inventory turns, lower cost-to-serve, and improved payment terms.
• Transformation: Successful adoption of automated planning tools, telemetry systems, and supplier consolidation.