Chief Vendor Strategy & Partnerships Lead

Dis-Chem Pharmacies; Midrand; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Dis-Chem Pharmacies in South Africa seeks a Head of Strategic Supplier Management to drive value through strategic vendor relationships, trading terms, funding, and joint business planning. The role oversees vendor-facing teams to ensure governance, strong partnerships, and maximum commercial value across priority vendors.

The incumbent defines the strategy, leads negotiation efforts, and collaborates with Category, Commercial, Marketing, Wholesale and Finance teams to optimise vendor value and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Commerce, Economics, or a related field.
• (postgraduate qualification preferred) OR minimum 10-12 years’ experience in strategic vendor management, commercial leadership, or category leadership within retail or FMCG.
• Proven track record in leading senior vendor negotiations, unlocking scale benefits, and managing large supplier portfolios.
• Leadership experience, including managing commercial teams.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead the strategic vendor management strategy with tiering and value priorities.
• Oversee value extraction across strategic vendors: terms, funding & joint plans.
• Align vendor strategies with category priorities and TLC execution.
• Lead vendor-facing teams across the Dis-Chem group.
• Engage executives for vendor relationships and negotiations.
• Collaborate with Category, Commercial, Marketing, Wholesale and Finance.
• Establish governance frameworks for vendor agreements and terms.
• Monitor vendor performance, risk exposure and compliance.

Skills

Strategic vendor management

Negotiation

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Executive communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Commerce, Economics

Postgraduate qualification preferred

Job description

Dis-Chem Pharmacies in South Africa seeks a Head of Strategic Supplier Management to drive value through strategic vendor relationships, trading terms, funding, and joint business planning. The role oversees vendor-facing teams to ensure governance, strong partnerships, and maximum commercial value across priority vendors.

The incumbent defines the strategy, leads negotiation efforts, and collaborates with Category, Commercial, Marketing, Wholesale and Finance teams to optimise vendor value and