Director, Operational Development, Global Procurement

Socket.dev; Westerville (OH); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Vertiv, headquartered in Westerville, Ohio, seeks a Head of Operational Development (VOS, Digital and AI) to lead procurement capability building, process excellence, and operating system deployment across regions and functions. The role embeds the Vertiv Operating System within procurement to drive continuous improvement and standardise ways of working.

You will head a team of 4 direct reports within a ~30-person organization, shaping policy and championing AI-assisted sourcing and automation

Qualifications

• 15+ years in global operational excellence or org development.
• Proven Lean/Six Sigma OS deployment in procurement at enterprise scale.
• Led large-scale change management with measurable adoption outcomes.
• Built competency frameworks, training programs, and capability systems.
• Deep knowledge of source-to-pay, category and supplier management.

Responsibilities

• Lead deployment and continuous improvement of the procurement operating system (VOS).
• Develop competency frameworks, training, certification pathways, and onboarding.
• Drive standardisation across regions to reduce risk and inefficiency.
• Lead change management: adoption measurement and sustainment.
• Govern procurement policy and enforce standard procedures globally.
• Advocate digital adoption: AI tools and workflow automation in S2P.

Skills

Operational excellence leadership

Lean/Six Sigma deployment

Change management leadership

Competency frameworks development

Procurement processes knowledge

Tools

S2P platform

AI-assisted sourcing tools

Job description

POSITION SUMMARY

The Head of Operational Development (VOS, Digital and AI) leads procurement capability building, process excellence, and operating system deployment across all regions and functions. The role is responsible for embedding the Vertiv Operating System within procurement, driving continuous improvement, standardising ways of working, and building the organisational capability that enables the procurement model to operate at scale. This role owns the "how" of procurement -ensuring every team operates to a consistent, world-class standard.

Within the Procurement operating model, this role is the guardian and architect of procurement's operating system - owning process standardisation, capability development, change management, and continuous improvement.

This role leads a team of 4 direct reports, with total organization size of ~30.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy and Value Delivery

• Lead the deployment and continuous improvement of the Vertiv Operating System (VOS) within Global Procurement — adapting enterprise VOS principles to procurement-specific processes and workflows.
• Own procurement capability development: competency frameworks, training programmes, certification pathways, and onboarding for all Procurement roles.
• Drive process standardisation across all procurement functions and regions; eliminate variation that creates risk, inefficiency, or inconsistent outcomes.
• Lead change management for transformation implementation: adoption measurement, resistance management, and sustainment planning beyond initial deployment.
• Establish and govern procurement's continuous improvement programme: Kaizen events, value stream mapping, waste elimination, and process cycle-time reduction.
• Own procurement policy governance: develop, maintain, and enforce standard operating procedures across all regions and functions.
• Drive digital adoption and automation: champion S2P platform utilisation, AI-assisted sourcing tools, and workflow automation to reduce manual effort.
• Build and maintain procurement's competency assessment framework; identify capability gaps and deploy targeted interventions.

QUALIFICATIONS

• 15+ years of experience in operational excellence, process improvement, or organisational development within a global, matrixed organisation.
• Proven experience deploying operating systems (Lean, Six Sigma, or equivalent) within procurement or supply chain functions at enterprise scale.
• Demonstrated ability to lead large-scale change management and transformation programmes with measurable adoption outcomes.
• Experience building competency frameworks, training programmes, and capability development systems for professional functions.
• Strong understanding of procurement processes (source-to-pay, category management, supplier management) and digital procurement tools.

TIME TRAVEL REQUIRED

25%

The successful candidate will embrace Vertiv’s Core Principles & Behaviors to help execute our Strategic Priorities.

OUR CORE PRINCIPLES: Safety. Integrity. Respect. Teamwork. Inclusion.

OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

• High-Performance Culture
• Customer Focus
• Operational Excellence
• Innovation
• Financial Strength

VERTIV BEHAVIORS

• Own it
• Act with urgency
• Foster a customer-first mindset
• Think big and execute
• Lead by example
• Drive continuous improvement
• Learn and seek out development
• Promote transparent & open communication

About Vertiv

Vertiv (NYSE: VRT) brings together hardware, software, analytics and ongoing services to enable its customers’ vital applications to run continuously, perform optimally and grow with their business needs. Vertiv solves the most important challenges facing today’s data centers, communication networks, and commercial and industrial facilities with a portfolio of power, cooling and IT infrastructure solutions and services that extend from the cloud to the edge of the network. Headquartered in Westerville, Ohio, USA, Vertiv employs around 34,000 people and does business in more than 130 countries. Visit Vertiv.com to learn more.

Work Authorization

No calls or agencies please. Vertiv will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States. This is not a position for which sponsorship will be provided. Individuals with temporary visas such as E, F-1, H-1, H-2, L, B, J, or TN or who need sponsorship for work authorization now or in the future, are not eligible for hire.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Vertiv is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. We promote equal opportunities for all with respect to hiring, terms of employment, mobility, training, compensation, and occupational health, without discrimination as to age, race, color, religion, creed, sex, pregnancy status (including childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity / expression (including transgender status or sexual stereotypes), genetic information, citizenship status, national origin, protected veteran status, political affiliation, or disability. If you have a disability and are having difficulty accessing or using this website to apply for a position, you can request help by sending an email to [e-mail]