Procurement Operations Lead

Ultra Personnel; Midrand; On-site; ZAR 1,000,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Ultra Personnel in South Africa is seeking a senior procurement leader to design and embed a centralized procurement function, moving the business from fragmentation to a unified, best-in-class operating model. You will drive governance, systems, and controls aligned to global standards while leading Ariba and productivity initiatives.

You will deliver sustainable cost savings through strategic sourcing, improve supplier performance, and enforce compliance across S2P.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or postgraduate degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, or a related field.
• Minimum 5+ years’ experience in procurement or supply chain leadership.
• Healthcare industry experience is advantageous.
• Global/multinational experience is advantageous.
• Experience building or centralizing procurement functions within complex organizations.
• Solid knowledge of S2P processes, governance, and compliance frameworks.
• Success in strategic sourcing, cost savings, supplier performance, and contract management.
• Experience leading transformation and change initiatives, including system implementations.
• Strong analytical, commercial skills, and ability to translate data into insights.
• Confident communicator able to influence senior stakeholders and lead cross-functional teams.
• Proven track record in people leadership and capability development.
• Certifications such as CIPS, CPSM, PMP/PRINCE2, Lean Six Sigma are advantageous but not required.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and embed a centralized procurement function for the company.
• Move the organization from a fragmented state to a unified, professional procurement operating model.
• Create structures where none exist and drive momentum across the business.
• Design, establish, and embed a centralized procurement operating model.
• Lead transformation from a decentralized to a unified and mature function.
• Define and implement procurement governance, processes, systems, and controls.
• Drive procurement transformation initiatives including Ariba implementation and productivity programs.
• Deliver sustainable cost savings through strategic sourcing and supplier consolidation.
• Embed discipline, compliance, and audit readiness across S2P activities.
• Lead and represent Procurement with vendors, auditors, and global stakeholders.
• Develop procurement capability, succession planning, and leadership pipeline.
• Drive engagement, learning, and performance management across the team.

Skills

Procurement leadership

Strategic sourcing

S2P governance

Stakeholder management

Change management

Contract management

Data analytics

Global/multinational experience

Education

Bachelor’s or postgraduate degree in Business/Supply Chain Management

Job description

The role is responsible to:

• Design, build, and embed a centralized procurement function for the company
• Move the organization from fragmented state to a unified, professional, and best in class procurement operating model
• Creating structures where none fully exists, and drive momentum across the business

Centralized Procurement Design & Transformation

• Design, establish, and embed a centralized procurement operating model
• Lead the transformation from a decentralized, fragmented procurement environment to a unified and mature function
• Define and implement procurement governance, processes, systems, and controls aligned to global standards
• Drive procurement transformation initiatives including Ariba implementation, productivity programs, and operational excellence initiatives

Value Creation & Performance Delivery:

• Deliver sustainable cost savings through strategic sourcing, supplier consolidation, and commercial optimization
• Achieve measurable improvements in supplier quality, performance, and reliability
• Embed strong process discipline, compliance, and audit readiness across all Source to Pay (S2P) activities
• Increase overall procurement maturity and professionalism across the organization

Stakeholder & Governance Management

• Lead and represent the Procurement function internally and externally, including vendors, auditors, and global stakeholders
• Actively participate in budgeting and forecasting processes, aligned with Supply Chain leadership
• Represent South Africa in Global Procurement routines, including Monthly Performance Reviews
• (MPRs) and functional forums
• Collaborate closely with Global Business Services (GBS) and Shared Services on transactional and accounting related procurement activities

People Leadership & Capability Building

• Build and lead a high performing procurement team, including recruitment, role design, and
• succession planning
• Develop procurement capability, functional skills, and future leadership pipeline
• Drive engagement, learning, and performance management across the team

Skills & Experience:

• Bachelor’s or postgraduate degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, or a related field
• Minimum 5+ years’ experience in procurement or supply chain leadership, ideally in a country or multi category role
• Healthcare industry experience will secure
• Global / multinational experience will secure
• Proven experience building, transforming, or centralizing procurement functions within complex
• organizations
• Strong understanding of Source to Pay (S2P) processes, procurement governance, and compliance frameworks, preferably within a regulated or pharmaceutical environment
• Demonstrated success in strategic sourcing, cost savings delivery, supplier performance management, and contract management
• Experience leading transformation and change initiatives, including system implementations and productivity programs
• Strong analytical and commercial skills, with the ability to translate data into actionable insights.
• Confident communicator with the ability to influence senior stakeholders and lead cross functional teams
• Track record in people leadership, capability development, and team engagement
• Professional certifications (e.g. CIPS, CPSM, PMP/PRINCE2, Lean Six Sigma) are advantageous but not required