Strategic Sourcing & Procurement Governance

Airtel Payments Bank; Gurugram District; On-site; INR 1,800,000 - 2,400,000; Full time

Job summary

Airtel Payments Bank is seeking an experienced Procurement leader to manage strategic sourcing, governance, and contract management across Professional Services, Audit-related spend, and Banking Tools. You will drive vendor due diligence, risk management, and compliance while optimizing spend.

You will collaborate with Legal, Finance, Compliance, Risk, and IT to ensure timely, cost-effective procurement and strong supplier relationships.

Qualifications

• Engineering degree or equivalent and professional certifications are preferred.
• Specialization in SCM & Governance is advantageous.
• 10-15 years of overall experience with 8+ years in procurement governance and compliance management.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end sourcing for professional services, audit engagements, banking tools, and technical manpower.
• Drive procurement governance and compliance in line with policies and regulatory requirements.
• Conduct vendor due diligence, contract governance, and risk assessments to ensure transparency and control.
• Perform spend analytics and manage procurement MIS for senior management.
• Partner with Legal, Finance, Compliance, Risk, and IT for seamless procurement execution.
• Conduct annual vendor performance reviews and optimize supplier relationships.
• Identify opportunities for process improvement and automation within procurement.

Skills

Strategic Sourcing

Procurement Governance

Contract Management

Vendor Due Diligence

Vendor Risk Management

Procurement Compliance

RFP/RFQ Management

Spend Analytics

Cost Optimization

Supplier Relationship Management

Procurement Audit Management

Service Procurement

Technical Manpower Procurement

Education

Engineering Degree / B.Tech / BBA/ MBA from a recognized institute

Tools

ERP platforms

Microsoft Excel

Power BI

Job description

Position Summary

The incumbent resource will be responsible for managing strategic sourcing activities with a primary focus on Professional Services, Audit-related Spend, Banking Tools, Consultancy Services, and Technical Manpower Requirements. The role will also act as the custodian of Procurement Governance, ensuring adherence to SCM policies, procurement processes, regulatory requirements, internal controls, and audit standards across the organization.

The incumbent will drive procurement excellence through effective vendor management, sourcing optimization, contract governance, compliance monitoring, spend analytics, stakeholder engagement, and continuous process improvements while ensuring cost efficiency, quality service delivery, and risk mitigation.

Educational Qualification

Essential

• Engineering Degree / B.Tech / BBA/ MBA from a recognized institute.

Preferred

• Specialization in Supply Chain Management & Governance.
• Professional certifications in Procurement, Supply Chain, Contract Management, or Vendor Risk Management will be an added advantage.

Experience

• Overall experience at least 10-15 years.
• Minimum 8 years of strong and relevant experience in Procurement, Strategic Sourcing, Procurement Governance, and Compliance Management.
• Proven experience in handling procurement of:
• Professional Services
• Consulting Services
• Audit Services
• Banking Tools and Technology Services
• Technical Manpower / Resource Augmentation
• Prior exposure to Procurement Audits, Vendor Governance, Contract Management, and Regulatory Compliance will be highly preferred.

Key Purpose of the Role

The primary purpose of the role is to:

• Lead sourcing activities related to Professional Services, Audit engagements, Banking Tools, Consulting Assignments, and Technical Manpower requirements.
• Ensure timely execution of procurement activities through robust sourcing strategies, RFP management, negotiation, and vendor selection.
• Drive end-to-end procurement governance and compliance in alignment with organizational policies, procedures, and regulatory expectations.
• Strengthen procurement controls through vendor due diligence, contract governance, audit readiness, risk assessments, spend analytics, and stakeholder awareness.
• Support business teams with efficient procurement solutions while maintaining transparency, compliance, and cost effectiveness.

Key Responsibilities

A. Strategic Sourcing & Procurement Operations

• Understand business requirements and formulate sourcing strategies to meet procurement objectives.
• Manage end-to-end sourcing lifecycle including:
• Requirement gathering
• Vendor identification
• RFP/RFQ preparation
• Bid evaluation
• Commercial negotiations
• Vendor finalization
• Purchase Order issuance
• Contract execution
• Ensuring timely payment issuance to partner
• Drive procurement of professional services, consulting assignments, audit services, banking tools, and technical manpower.
• Complete procurement activities within defined timelines while ensuring optimum cost, quality, and service standards.
• Conduct market intelligence and benchmarking exercises for better commercial outcomes.
• Support business stakeholders in selecting the most suitable sourcing model and procurement route.

B. Procurement Governance & Compliance

• Act as the governance lead for procurement activities across the organization.
• Ensure compliance with Procurement Policies, SCM Procedures, Delegation of Authority (DOA), Contracting Guidelines, and Regulatory Requirements.
• Monitor procurement transactions and identify process deviations or control gaps.
• Ensure procurement activities comply with organizational standards and audit requirements.
• Drive procurement governance initiatives and periodic compliance reviews.
• Establish robust controls to ensure transparency, accountability, and risk mitigation.

C. Vendor Due Diligence & Risk Management

• Execute vendor onboarding and due diligence processes in accordance with organizational guidelines.
• Conduct proactive and periodic screening of new and existing vendors including:
• Blacklist Verification
• Regulatory Screening
• ROC Struck-off Verification
• IBA Defaulter/Negative List Checks
• Other compliance-related assessments
• Identify non-compliant vendors and coordinate corrective actions.
• Assess vendor risk and provide recommendations to stakeholders.
• Maintain documentation supporting vendor approval and compliance requirements.

D. Contract Management & Repository Governance

• Review vendor agreements and ensure adherence to contracting guidelines.
• Maintain centralized contract repository and agreement tracker.
• Monitor contract validity, renewal dates, amendments, and obligations.
• Highlight contracts nearing expiry and initiate renewal actions proactively.
• Identify engagements operating without valid contracts and elevate to stakeholders.
• Analyze contractual risks and recommend mitigation measures.
• Ensure execution of agreements before commencement of services wherever applicable.

E. Audit Management & Internal Controls

• Act as the primary coordinator for procurement-related internal and external audits.
• Maintain audit readiness through robust documentation and process controls.
• Prepare procurement spend analysis, compliance reports, and risk assessments for audit reviews.
• Address audit observations and ensure timely closure of action items.
• Conduct periodic gap assessments to identify control weaknesses and improvement opportunities.
• Review procurement-related audit findings and implement corrective and preventive actions.

F. Stakeholder Management

• Partner with business functions to understand procurement requirements and operational challenges.
• Collaborate with Legal, Finance, Compliance, Risk, Information Security, and Business Teams for seamless procurement execution.
• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders and external vendors.
• Resolve procurement-related issues in a timely and professional manner.
• Drive stakeholder satisfaction through proactive engagement and service orientation.

G. Vendor Management & Performance Evaluation

• Maintain effective communication with vendors to ensure quality and timely delivery of services.
• Monitor vendor performance against agreed service levels and contractual commitments.
• Conduct Annual Vendor Performance Reviews.
• Identify underperforming vendors and recommend corrective actions or alternate sourcing options.
• Support vendor development and supplier relationship management initiatives.

H. Spend Analytics & Management Reporting

• Analyze procurement spend patterns, trends, savings opportunities, and compliance metrics.
• Develop and publish Monthly Procurement MIS and Management Reports.
• Present procurement insights and governance updates to senior management.
• Conduct spend and risk analysis to identify opportunities for optimization.
• Track procurement KPIs and develop performance dashboards.

I. Awareness, Communication & Process Excellence

• Drive procurement process awareness across the organization.
• Publish Monthly Procurement Governance Communications to internal stakeholders.
• Issue periodic communications to vendors regarding:
• Invoice submission processes
• Payment procedures
• Procurement compliance requirements
• Vendor obligations
• Promote procurement best practices and policy adherence.
• Facilitate training and awareness sessions for stakeholders.

J. Continuous Improvement & Policy Enhancement

• Periodically review procurement processes, policies, SOPs, and governance frameworks.
• Identify opportunities for automation, digitization, simplification, and process efficiency.
• Recommend policy enhancements based on audit findings, business requirements, and industry best practices.
• Prepare business cases and proposals for management approvals.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance procurement effectiveness and governance maturity.

Required Competencies

Procurement & Functional Competencies

• Strategic Sourcing
• Procurement Governance
• Contract Management
• Vendor Due Diligence
• Vendor Risk Management
• Procurement Compliance
• RFP/RFQ Management
• Spend Analysis
• Cost Optimization
• Supplier Relationship Management
• Procurement Audit Management
• Service Procurement
• Technical Manpower Procurement

Technical Skills

• Strong understanding of procurement processes and governance frameworks.
• Experience of handling internal and external audits.
• Good working knowledge of ERP platforms and procurement workflows.
• Expertise in Microsoft Excel, Power BI, and Procurement MIS reporting.
• Knowledge of contract lifecycle management practices.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Procurement cycle time adherence.
• RFP closure within defined timelines.
• Procurement compliance score.
• Audit observations and closure rate.
• Vendor due diligence completion rate.
• Contract coverage and renewal compliance.
• Spend visibility and reporting accuracy.