Head of Procurement

Sidetrade is a leading gobal software solutions technology company with a vision to help companies unlock value from their customers using Artificial Intelligence. A SaaS pioneer for 20 years, our unique customer platform helps accelerate business to improve working capital and drive more revenue. Aimie, our built-in AI assistant, recognizes customer behaviour patterns, makes immediately actionable recommendations, and delivers better business results.

We are a profitable company with a double-digit growth rate, our company have been listed on the French stock exchange since 2005. With modern offices in exciting cities such as Paris, London, Birmingham, Dublin and Calgary, Together, we are transforming the way businesses work. We are creative and smart people who are passionate about the customer journey. We are on a mission to accelerate business growth using predictive analytics to re-invent the way businesses understand their customers.

**Requirements**:
**Mission**:
This is a hands-on role, sitting in Finance Leadership team meetings, it will be this person’s responsibility to identify, lead, and deliver all IT/Software's/Services procurement requirements across the business. This person will need to build strong relationships with our CEO and CFO, and be able to deliver a long-term procurement strategy.

We are a growing Software company with significant reliance on our IT/Software vendors - both to run our own business as well as to supply services to our clients. The ability to hit the ground running with deep procurement knowledge is a must.

**What you’ll be doing**:

- Develop, implement and maintain optimal sourcing strategies for all key spend areas and appropriate supplier management activities across the company.
- Manage International Suppliers to ensure competitive pricing and excellent service levels.
- Lead Tender management and implementation of new supplier agreements and ongoing supplier relationship development.
- Develop exclusive supplier arrangements, manage critical issues and support the business navigate through the existing supply chain shortages.
- Manage the ‘cradle-to-grave’ procurement process for your domain, from requirements gathering and definition, through to tendering, supplier evaluation and selection, contract negotiation and award.
- Ensure efficiency and cost effectiveness of the purchasing process.
- Develop spend analysis to identify areas of opportunities to reduce costs.
- Contribute and further develop a deep understanding of the IT software, hardware, and professional services markets to help guide and support your stakeholders and contribute category insights in order to influence current and future strategies.
- Develop and demonstrate an acute awareness of the business' priorities, which often go beyond mere cost-savings, to being able to leverage wider commercial benefits for the company through risk mitigation, strategic vendor partnerships, etc.
- Preparation of all the necessary sourcing documentation, including RFI's, RFP's, ITT's, tender evaluation reports and contract documents.
- Ensure processes are run transparently and a robust audit trail is maintained.
- Ensure supplier governance and performance management is embedded in appropriate contracts to promote a continuous improvement and risk management culture; and manage regular contract review meetings with suppliers in accordance with agreed KPIs/SLA's
- Develop suppliers ESG assessment.

**What you’ll need to be successful**:

- You will need strong negotiation skills demonstrated in previous roles gained from within a multinational business.
- Experience and deep understanding of procurement of technology equipment and services on an international scale.
- A demonstrable track record in streamlining and cost efficiencies within procurement.
- Expert in supplier relationships and managing internal stakeholders.
- A team player, approachable and professional with have a strong eye for detail.
- 5-10 years’ experience in IT procurement, with detailed experience in both software and hardware.
- Demonstrable experience developing and implementing an SRM programme in the IT space.
- Strong stakeholder management skills - preferably at c-suite and c-suite-1 levels.
- You need to be fluent in French and English.

Sidetrade is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind: Sidetrade is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment.