Head of Procurement

UWC South East Asia; Singapore; On-site; SGD 180,000 - 320,000; Full time

Job summary

UWCSEA seeks a Head of Procurement to transform procurement into a strategic partner, reporting to the COO and guiding governance across campus operations, including the Tengah campus development.

The role leads market research, sourcing frameworks, and contract management while ensuring technical excellence, safety and safeguarding, and cross-functional collaboration with department leads.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required with extensive procurement leadership experience.
• Proven ability to lead negotiations and manage risk in large-scale CapEx projects.
• Experience in governance, policy enforcement and supplier performance.
• Experience in multi-stakeholder environments.

Responsibilities

• Drive a strategic business partnering model across departments, owning vendor communications, market engagement, commercial strategy, and sourcing timelines.
• Lead high-stakes commercial negotiations, category strategies, RFPs, and contract structuring to optimize total cost of ownership and reduce organizational risk.
• Oversee major capital project CapEx procurement packages and exercise commercial rigor on sub-contracts, variation orders, and claims.
• Modernize and enforce College-wide procurement policies, standard operating procedures, delegations of authority, and tender governance frameworks.
• Build high-performance team capabilities and implement robust supplier performance and risk management frameworks, ensuring strict adherence to safety and safeguarding standards.

Skills

Procurement leadership

Strategic sourcing

Contract negotiation

Stakeholder management

Vendor management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, Commerce, Quantity Surveying, or related field

CIPS certification or equivalent

Job description

UWCSEA is looking for a Head of Procurement to join us in December/January, with flexibility for the right candidate.

The Head of Procurement is a key commercial leadership role responsible for transforming UWCSEA’s procurement function into a strategic, value-driving partner. Reporting to the COO, this role establishes governance, leads high-stakes negotiations, and enforces commercial control across campus operations, including major capital projects like the new Tengah campus development. The Head of Procurement collaborates with department leads to manage market research, sourcing frameworks, commercial negotiation, and contract management while honoring their technical expertise.

Main Responsibilities

• Drive a strategic business partnering model across departments, owning vendor communications, market engagement, commercial strategy, and sourcing timelines.
• Lead high-stakes commercial negotiations, category strategies, RFPs, and contract structuring to optimize total cost of ownership and reduce organizational risk.
• Oversee major capital project CapEx procurement packages and exercise commercial rigor on sub-contracts, variation orders, and claims.
• Modernize and enforce College-wide procurement policies, standard operating procedures, delegations of authority, and tender governance frameworks.
• Build high-performance team capabilities and implement robust supplier performance and risk management frameworks, ensuring strict adherence to safety and safeguarding standards.

Person Specifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Commerce, Quantity Surveying, or related field. CIPS (Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply) or equivalent professional certification is highly desirable.
• 10–15 years of relevant working experience in a senior procurement leadership role managing organizational spend and leading teams.
• Proven success in matrixed, multi-stakeholder environments (e.g., international education, real estate/construction, hospitality, or corporate matrix organizations).
• Demonstrated exposure to large-scale infrastructure or construction procurement (working with PM teams, quantity surveyors, and main contractors) is a distinct advantage.
• History of successfully shifting a procurement department from an administrative function to a business partner, establishing cross-functional governance and process control.

The UWC Mission is to make education a force to unite people, nations and culture for peace and a sustainable future. We are committed to creating a community in which all members feel safe and secure, and know that their authentic selves and individual differences are accepted with respect and care. At UWCSEA, we acknowledge that diversity, equity, inclusion and justice (DEIJ) is an ongoing and evolving process and strive to create and sustain a sense of belonging for all members of our community, past, present and future. All qualified applicants, including those who identify as a part of marginalized group(s) and individuals with (dis)abilities are all encouraged to apply. Our school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all the students in our care and expects all applicants to share this commitment. We follow safe recruitment practices and all appointments are subject to interview, satisfactory references, identity and criminal record checks.