Global IT Procurement Director

Danone; Hoofddorp; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Danone, a global leader in health-focused foods and beverages, seeks an IT procurement leader to own the global IT sourcing strategy and build a strong supplier ecosystem. You will manage a team of 5, including 2 direct reports, and partner with Technology, Finance, Legal, and Security leaders to drive value creation and innovation.

You will shape multi-year category strategies across software, cloud, and IT services, while aligning technology priorities with business needs and governance

Qualifications

• 15+ years in IT procurement or related senior tech sourcing roles.
• Deep knowledge of software, cloud, cybersecurity, data and AI.
• Experience with SAP or major ERP transformations.
• Fluent English; French is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Define and deliver multi-year global category strategies across software, SaaS, cloud, infrastructure, telecoms, cybersecurity, data, AI and enterprise platforms.
• Lead market intelligence, supplier roadmaps and benchmarks to shape sourcing priorities.
• Translate priorities into sourcing roadmaps balancing cost, value and risk.
• Engage business early in major technology decisions and supplier selections.
• Build trusted relationships with CIO, CFO and senior leaders.
• Own IT procurement value agenda including cost avoidance and supplier innovation.
• Lead complex global negotiations and develop outcome-based models.
• Develop strong business cases and govern stakeholder commitments.
• Build and govern a global supplier ecosystem with executive relationships.
• Lead, coach and develop a high-performing global team.
• Strengthen contract and supplier risk management across cyber, data privacy and IP.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder influence

Ambiguity tolerance

People leadership

Cross-cultural collaboration

Tools

SAP

Job description

About The Job

As a global leader in health-focused food and beverages, Danone is dedicated to enhancing lives through positive nutrition and hydration. With a presence in over 120 countries, our diverse and innovative portfolio includes dairy and plant-based products, packaged waters, and specialized nutrition. At the core of our company are our HOPE values: Humanism, Openness, Proximity, and Enthusiasm, which guide us in everything we do. Our mission is to bring health through food to as many people as possible, making a positive impact on individuals and communities worldwide.

Our Cycles & Procurement (C&P) organisation is instrumental in Danone's success not only as a pivotal partner in meeting our sustainability and nature commitments, but also harnessing the expertise of our external partners who work with us in creating an ecosystem of success for all. Across areas such as innovation, product superiority but also minimising our impact.

The C&P organisation is organised by zones (3) and category management, including Indirects and Excellence.

Reporting to the Global Head of Indirects, you will own the global IT procurement strategy. Manage a team of 5 including 2 direct reports, and partner closely with Technology, Finance, Legal, Security and senior business stakeholders.

Responsibilities

Your mission is to move IT procurement beyond sourcing execution through becoming a trusted strategic adviser in technology decisions. You will strengthen Danone’s supplier ecosystem, and enable better choices on cost, innovation, resilience, security, AI-enabled transformation and long-term architecture.

• Define and deliver multi-year global category strategies across software, SaaS, cloud, infrastructure, telecoms, cybersecurity, data, AI, SAP and enterprise platforms, IT services and system integrators.
• Use market intelligence, supplier roadmaps, benchmarks and technology trends to shape sourcing priorities, including how AI will reshape technology sourcing, supplier models and procurement value creation.
• Translate Danone’s digital, data and technology priorities into sourcing roadmaps that balance cost, value, innovation, resilience, security and flexibility.
• Engage the business early in major technology decisions, transformation programmes and supplier selections
• Build trusted relationships with CIO, CFO and senior functional leaders by speaking the language of technology, finance and the business.
• Own the IT procurement value agenda, including productivity, demand management, cash, cost avoidance, supplier innovation, service performance and risk reduction.
• Lead complex global negotiations and develop commercial models that reward outcomes, adoption, productivity and innovation, not just capacity or effort.
• Develop strong business cases, align stakeholders and secure measurable commitments on value delivery, governance and implementation.
• Build and govern a strategic global supplier ecosystem, with executive-level relationships, clear performance expectations and active innovation pipelines.
• Lead, coach and develop a high-performing global team, building capability, role clarity, decision rights and accountability for business outcomes.
• Strengthen contract and supplier risk management across service levels, cybersecurity, data privacy, AI, intellectual property, benchmarking, audit, termination, liability and business continuity.

About You

Skills

• A strategic technology procurement leader who shapes decisions upstream
• Commercially sharp and market-facing, with strong understanding of technology suppliers, pricing models, benchmarks, AI disruption and negotiation levers.
• Credible with senior stakeholders, able to influence CIO, CFO and executive-level supplier conversations with confidence and clarity.
• Curious, challenging and fact-based, with the confidence to question incumbent choices and create better alternatives.
• Comfortable working in ambiguity, across cultures and geographies, and in complex global transformation environments.
• A people leader who develops talent, creates focus and builds a culture of performance, collaboration and continuous improvement.

Experience

• 15+ years in IT procurement, technology sourcing, commercial management or a senior technology-industry role, with experience managing large, complex and global portfolios.
• Deep knowledge of the global technology market: software, SaaS, cloud, infrastructure, enterprise platforms, IT services, system integrators, telecoms, cybersecurity, data, AI and emerging technologies.
• Strong command of technology commercial models, including enterprise agreements, subscription pricing, licensing, cloud economics, managed services, outsourcing, marketplaces and outcome-based models.
• A track record of high-value global negotiations, strategic supplier management and influencing CIO, CFO and senior business stakeholders.
• Strong financial, analytical and risk skills, including TCO, benchmarking, supplier dependency, cybersecurity, data privacy, IP and business continuity.
• Experience with SAP or major ERP transformations is strongly valued.
• Relevant backgrounds include FMCG, finance or banking, technology vendors such as cloud, software or telecom providers, system integrators, managed-services providers and technology consultancies.
• Proven ability to build high-performing teams and develop talent.
• Fluent English is a must; French is an asset.

About Us

Working here you’ll need to enjoy a fast-pace and complexity. But it’s packed with opportunities. You’ll work with some of the best-known brands in the world. Be innovative and entrepreneurial and the impact you could make might just amaze you.

We are proud to be an equal employer. We are convinced our differences make the difference and that an inclusive working environment will drive our growth as a business, as teams and as individuals. We will therefore considerallapplicants for employment* fostering an inclusive working culture that is accessible for all.