Interim Head of Procurement - FTC, 18 months

at  Fastmarkets

Company Description
Fastmarkets is an independent commodity pricing and information organisation with over 600 staff. We are fuelled by values that bring us all together and are united by a collective passion to make a difference. We are supported by a working model that is based on a hybrid approach that allows each of us to balance home and office working while encouraging effective collaboration and accountability.
Fastmarkets is the most trusted Price Reporting Agency (PRA) in the metals, mining, agriculture, forest products, and energy transition markets. Our price data, forecasts, and market analyses give our customers strategic advantage in complex, volatile, often opaque markets. Our events provide forums for market participants to come together, trade, and talk through the critical issues of our times.
We are making a difference. Fastmarkets works to create transparent commodity markets through our reliable and trusted price data and market intelligence. The markets we serve are central to how economies work and are essential for our lives. By doing this, Fastmarkets helps our customers build a more sustainable world. We are built on a 130-year foundation while bringing a digital platform to market, combining the currency of trust with the power of digital.
Most importantly, we are fuelled by our teams that, across the globe, make the amazing possible. With a deep sense of purpose and belonging, we are building an extraordinary future – together. If you would like to help build the future, we hope you will join us on our journey.
Fastmarkets is owned by global private equity firm Astorg, a specialist investor in healthcare, software, technology, business services and technology-based industrial companies.
Job Description
Procurement is a newly created function for Fastmarkets, following separation from a FTSE 250 PLC. This role will be crucial in leading and continually developing a fit-for-purpose procurement function and team, specifically providing category expertise across all categories as required, and providing expertise in large and/or complex technology procurement activities.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Provide leadership in overseeing all major sourcing activity across Fastmarkets, ensuring alignment with organisational objectives.
• Build and develop a small team of procurement professionals that can undertake all procurement activities to support Fastmarkets in accordance with the Procurement Policy.
• Own the Procurement Policy and corresponding processes and [playbooks] and ensure these are regularly updated and communicated to the business, providing advice and guidance as required where the business can self-serve.
• Develop and implement category strategies aligned with the overarching business objectives and in conjunction with the relevant stakeholders.
• Ensure that any procurement database and subsequent tools and systems (such as spend cubes and contracts databases) are implemented and maintained to provide appropriate and useful data and can be used to facilitate clear reporting.
• Drive strategic initiatives and identify cost saving opportunities and vendor rationalisation across all categories.
• Act as a trusted procurement business partner across all Fastmarkets and build collaborative relationships with key stakeholders.
• Oversee and/or lead the drafting and negotiating of robust contract and commercial terms, identifying potential risks and implementing risk mitigation strategies.
• Stay informed about market trends and advancements to inform procurement decisions.
• Own the end to end supplier onboarding and new process and contribute as required to the supplier due diligence process.
• Agree, track and report benefits in accordance with the agreed methodology.
• Specifically, collaborate with key stakeholders to understand IT requirements and forecast future needs to help contribute to their budgeting process, focusing on cost-saving opportunities and efficiency improvements.
• Lead the engagement with suppliers for the acquisition of technology (or oversee the IT Category specialist undertaking the same) to deliver the best value for Fastmarkets.

KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

We are looking for an individual who is highly motivated, driven, and have a passion to be part of a fast-paced, successful team. Being a strong team player is also important as well as someone who is happy to work flexibly.

EXPERIENCE

• To have the presence and gravitas to engage, support and challenge procurement decisions with the Fastmarkets Senior Leadership Team.
• Extensive experience of procurement in an international organisation and preferably in a matrixed organisation.
• Extensive experience of procurement across all different commodities and categories
• Knowledge of procurement across all different IT categories such as Software including SaaS, licences and subscription, Services including Managed Service Providers, Cloud Computing, IT consulting and professional services, Data Centres and Co-Location facilities, Network and Telecoms, Information Security, Digital, IT consumables, Hardware and End User Devices).
• Experience of negotiating large and complex deals as well as outsourced and/or managed service contracts.
• Experience of developing a robust procurement presence within an organisation which has limited exposure to a quality procurement function.

SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

• A track record in leading a small Procurement team or a Procurement team within a predominantly digital environment.
• A nurturer of talent, that shapes and develops the team.
• Outstanding stakeholder management skills.
• An expert contract and commercial negotiator adept at shaping innovative deals.
• Strong intellectual and analytical abilities.
• Effective and impactful communication skills demonstrated at all organisational levels including and up to Board level.
• Strong Interpersonal skills and ability to build excellent relationships with stakeholders and suppliers.
• Ability to manage ambiguity and thrive in dynamic environments.
• Ability to manage own priorities independently.

YOU’VE READ A LITTLE ABOUT US – NOW IT’S OVER TO YOU!

If you like what you’ve read so far and think you can see yourself as a Fastmarkets person, it’s time to fill in your application form. This form is an important part of the selection process: it’s used to determine whether or not you’ll be chosen to have an interview and acts as a basis for the questions we’ll ask you on the day.
It’s vital that you try to capture all the relevant information we have asked for on the form so we can get a good feel for who you are and why you’re great

Please refer the Job description for details