Head of Procurement Operations

MSC Cruises; Sorrento; On-site; EUR 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

MSC Cruises in Sorrento is seeking an experienced Head of Procurement Operation to lead end-to-end P2O processes across multiple spend categories. You will bridge Procurement, Finance, AP, and business stakeholders to ensure efficient, compliant purchasing and transaction flow.

The role focuses on operational excellence, governance, automation, and optimizing procurement technologies including SAP S/4HANA and SAP Ariba. Fluency in Italian and English is required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Business Administration, Finance, or related field.
• 7+ years of experience in procurement, purchasing, supply chain, or finance operations.
• Minimum 5/7 years in a supervisory or management role.
• Fluent in Italian and English, spoken, written and listening.

Responsibilities

• Lead and govern end-to-end Procure-to-Order (P2O) process including PRs, POs and GRs.
• Ensure compliant, timely processing of procurement transactions and monitor service levels.
• Own and drive adoption of P2O systems and procurement technologies (SAP S/4HANA, SAP Ariba, Infoship, Portals, Invoice Automation).
• Collaborate with Procurement, Supply Chain, Finance, AP and stakeholders to optimize transactions.
• Lead Lean improvements to simplify and standardize procurement operations and reduce costs.

Skills

Procurement leadership

P2O process

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management

Tools

SAP S/4HANA

SAP Ariba

Infoship

Supplier Portals

Invoice automation

Job description

• Supplier Portals

Where passion meets opportunity

The best of your adventures is the one you have yet to sail!

Your Purpose

We are looking for an experienced Procurement professional to join our Sorrento office as our Head of Procurement Operation. You will be responsible for leading and governing the end-to-end Procure-to-Order (P2O) process, ensuring efficient, compliant, and cost-effective purchasing operations across several MSC categories of spend, which initially are technical, hotel and Owner Supply Spend.

The role acts as the bridge between Procurement, Supply Chain, Finance, Accounts Payable, and Business Stakeholders to ensure seamless execution of purchase transactions from requisition through order.

As the Head of Procurement Operation you will drive operational excellence, process standardization, automation, and continuous improvement while ensuring compliance with procurement policies, delegated authorities, internal controls, and financial governance requirements. This role is also accountable for maximizing the value of procurement technologies, including ERP and procurement platforms, and delivering exceptional user and supplier experience.

Your Impact

Procure-to-Pay Operations

• Manage the end-to-end P2O process, including:
  • Purchase Requisitions (PR)
  • Purchase Orders (PO)
  • Goods Receipts (GR)
• Ensure timely and accurate processing of procurement transactions.
• Monitor operational performance and service levels across all entities and business functions.
• Resolve escalated transactional issues and process bottlenecks.

Process Governance & Compliance

• Ensure adherence to procurement policies, approval authorities, and segregation of duties principles.
• Monitor compliance with procurement procedures and identify process deviations.
• Support audit activities and implement corrective actions where required.
• Ensure supplier and purchase transactions comply with internal controls and regulatory requirements.

Systems & Digitalization

• Act as business owner for P2O systems and tools.
• Drive adoption and optimization of procurement technologies such as:
  • SAP S/4HANA
  • SAP Ariba
  • Infoship
  • Supplier Portals
  • Invoice Automation Solutions
• Collaborate with IT and Finance teams on system enhancements, upgrades, and integrations.
• Identify and implement automation opportunities to improve efficiency and data quality.

Supplier & Stakeholder Management

• Partner with suppliers to improve transactional performance and service delivery.
• Collaborate with:
  • Procurement Category Managers
  • Budget Owners
  • Finance
  • Accounts Payable
  • Supply Chain Teams
• Serve as the escalation point for supplier onboarding & purchase order.

Continuous Improvement

• Lead Lean and process improvement initiatives across the P2O cycle.
• Develop and implement best practices to simplify and standardize procurement operations.
• Identify opportunities for cost reduction, cycle time improvement, and compliance enhancement.
• Drive change management and user adoption initiatives.

People Leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of procurement operations and P2O specialists.
• Establish clear objectives, KPIs, and development plans.
• Foster a culture of accountability, customer service, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Your Journey so far

• Proven experience managing Procure-to-Pay processes within a multinational organization.
• Experience with ERP and procurement systems

Your Essentials

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Business Administration, Finance, or related field
• 7+ years of experience in procurement, purchasing, supply chain, or finance operations.
• Minimum 5/7 years in a supervisory or management role
• Fluent in Italian and English, Spoken, Written and Listening.

This opportunity offers a gross annual salary range of €80,000 to €90,000 depending on experience and relevant expertise, alongside a competitive package of additional benefits.

Our commitment

We are committed to building a future that values diverse perspectives, embraces the world beyond borders, and fosters an inclusive environment where every individual feels valued, respected and empowered to be their authentic selves. Our commitment extends to taking meaningful, measurable actions that have a long-term positive impact on our guests, our employees and our planet.