Senior Director Purchasing

The opportunity

Our client is a major player in energy, utilities and infrastructure, investing heavily in the energy transition and long-lived assets. They are appointing a Senior Director of Procurement to own indirect spend across professional services and HR services from Berlin.

This is a strategic leadership role. You will set category strategy for some of the most complex and sensitive spend in the business, build a high-performing team, and act as the trusted partner to the CFO, CHRO, General Counsel and business unit leaders.

Scope

Professional services

• Management and strategy consulting, technology and engineering advisory
• Legal, audit, tax and regulatory advisory
• Market research, communications and other corporate services

HR services

• Recruitment, executive search and RPO
• Contingent workforce and managed service provider (MSP) programmes
• Payroll, benefits, pensions and mobility or relocation
• Learning and development, and employee engagement services

Key responsibilities

• Define and deliver the indirect category strategy for professional and HR services, with clear savings, value and risk targets
• Lead complex sourcing events and negotiations, including multi-year framework agreements and preferred supplier panels
• Build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders and constructively challenge demand before spend is committed
• Design and run a contingent labour and external workforce model that is compliant with German labour law and works council requirements
• Strengthen governance: policy, approval thresholds, supplier onboarding, consultant use controls and spend transparency
• Ensure compliance with applicable procurement rules for the sector, including EU sector procurement regulations and supply chain due diligence obligations
• Drive supplier performance management, rate card discipline and demand management
• Partner with Digital and Finance on source-to-pay, spend analytics and AI-enabled sourcing
• Lead, develop and inspire a team of category managers and sourcing specialists globally
• Contribute to the wider procurement leadership team and the group transformation agenda

What you bring

Experience

• 12+ years in procurement, including 5+ years leading senior teams
• Proven record sourcing professional services and HR services at scale, ideally in energy, utilities, infrastructure or another asset-heavy sector
• Track record of delivering measurable savings and value in indirect categories
• Experience of contingent workforce or MSP models in Germany or the wider EU

Capabilities

• Executive presence with the ability to influence CFO, CHRO and Board-level stakeholders
• Strong negotiation and commercial skills across consulting, legal and HR suppliers
• Working knowledge of German employment and co-determination frameworks
• Digital fluency in source-to-pay, spend analytics and AI in procurement
• Change leadership experience in a regulated or project-driven environment

Education and languages

• University degree in business, economics, engineering or a related field
• MCIPS, CPSM or an MBA is advantageous
• Fluent English required; German strongly preferred

What is on offer

• A high-visibility leadership role in a sector central to the energy transition
• Competitive base salary, bonus and long-term incentive
• Hybrid working, relocation support where relevant, and strong benefits
• The chance to shape how a large organisation buys and manages external expertise