Head of Procurement

We are recruiting for a newly created Head of Procurement role, to establish and lead a best-in-class procurement function from the ground up within our growing IT Services and Consulting business. Reporting to the CFO, you will set policy, establish supplier relationships, and create the procurement operating model. This role is accountable for setting procurement strategy, delivering measurable savings, ensuring compliance and governance across all external spend, and owning the full contract lifecycle. The role acts as the primary business-facing lead for supplier governance, risk management, and executive reporting. The successful candidate will be experienced and highly motivated to build, develop and lead the Procurement team and function. Job Responsibilities Procurement Strategy & Operating Model   • Define and implement the procurement strategy aligned to business growth plans • Establish procurement policies, governance frameworks, and controls • Design and embed the procurement operating model, including category management and sourcing approach • Build the procurement roadmap, including systems, processes, and capability development • Lead, develop and performance-manage the team • Report directly to CFO and hold a seat at relevant leadership discussions Cost Optimisation & Value Delivery    • Drive and coordinate the delivery of agreed annual cost saving targets • Identify value opportunities across all major spend categories (e.g., IT and software licensing, contractors and contingent workforce,, subcontractors,  facilities, professional services) • Track and report savings delivery with robust methodologies • Drive total cost of ownership (TCO) optimisation across supplier base Procurement Governance & P2P Ownership • Own the end-to-end Procure-to-Pay process and drive compliance across business units • Enforce compliance with procurement policy across all business units • Review and manage approval thresholds, controls, and audit mechanisms • Work closely with wider Finance team to ensure alignment between procurement and financial controls Strategic Sourcing & Category Management • Lead or support strategic sourcing initiatives for high-value and critical spend categories • Develop category strategies where appropriate • Run competitive tender processes (RFPs, RFQs) to drive value and reduce risk • Support business stakeholders in supplier selection decisions Software Vendor and Licensing Management • Liaise with the internal Software Asset Management (SAM) team to ensure delivery of software licencing cost savings and delivery of value for money. Contract Lifecyle Management • Own and manage contracts from inception through to renewal/termination • Ensure contract compliance, visibility, and standardisation of terms • Implement contract management practices including: • SLA/KPI tracking • Performance reviews • Renewal planning and negotiation • Maintain a centralised contract repository Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) • Build and manage strategic supplier relationships, where relevant, at senior level • Drive structured supplier performance reviews and governance forums • Manage supplier risk, including financial, operational, and compliance risk Risk & Compliance Management • Own and maintain the procurement risk register • Ensure compliance with contractual, regulatory, and data/privacy obligations • Work with Legal, Finance, and Risk teams to mitigate supplier-related risk • Implement third-party due diligence processes Maintain awareness of Irish and EU procurement regulations and their application to Version 1's purchasing and public sector supply obligations Reporting & Stakeholder Engagement • Develop and report procurement KPIs to CFO / COO and executive lea