Director, Procurement EMEA - IM

Role Summary

This role is accountable for shaping, championing, and delivering Procurement strategies that accelerate the EMEA Innovative Medicine (IM) Commercial agenda. The Director is a trusted thought partner to senior leaders—able to table bold ideas, build compelling business cases, and secure sponsorship to drive value at scale. You will lead the EMEA Agile Team in the operational execution of global category strategies and regional implementations, ensuring Procurement’s activities are aligned, adopted, and measured against IM business outcomes.

Primary Objectives

1. Strategic Alignment & Executive Partnership

Ensure Procurement delivers measurable results that advance the EMEA IM business strategy. Proactively engage the EMEA Commercial Leadership Team (ELT), Regional Vice Presidents, Country Managing Directors, Regional Business Leaders, and the Regional Finance Leadership to shape Procurement’s agenda, translate business priorities into sourcing strategies, and secure alignment and adoption across markets.

2. Category Leadership & Regional Execution

Lead the strategy and execution of IM Commercial categories (and other categories as required) across EMEA. Drive innovation, speed-to-value, risk management, and supplier performance through differentiated category plays, bold sourcing strategies, and disciplined execution via the EMEA Agile Team.

Scope of Responsibilities

• Set IM Priorities & Strategy Translation: Determine IM Commercial business priorities and partner with Procurement Category Leaders to design forward-looking strategies that directly advance those priorities, balancing cost, growth enablement, risk, speed, and sustainability.
• Influence & Adoption: Collaborate with senior business leaders to ensure Procurement strategies meet business needs, are socialized effectively, and are adopted within the business—creating executive-ready narratives and clear decision paths.
• Trend Sensing & Market Intelligence: Identify critical pharmaceutical market and supply trends and embed them into category strategies to maintain sustainable relevance for IM.
• Embed Digital & AI Capabilities: Identify opportunities to apply AI and advanced analytics in category strategies, supplier performance management, and risk mitigation to drive speed, precision, and innovation.
• Agile Team Leadership & Delivery: Lead and provide oversight to the EMEA Agile Team on the operational execution of global category strategies and their regional implementation, including sourcing, negotiations, and contracting services for designated activities.
• Major Strategic Negotiations: Lead complex, high-stakes negotiations for owned categories, or on behalf of the IM business, ensuring value creation, risk mitigation, compliance, and relationship outcomes.
• Functional Leadership: Participate in the IM EMEA Procurement Leadership Team to shape regional functional strategy, operating model improvements, and delivery against IM business objectives.
• Performance Management: Own delivery against Procurement performance targets within the role’s remit; establish dashboards and lead reviews to ensure target achievement.
• Supplier Innovation & Partnership: Build strategic supplier partnerships that unlock innovation, pilot bold commercial solutions, and scale proven plays across EMEA.
• Risk, Compliance & Governance: Uphold ethical sourcing, data privacy, anti-bribery/anti-corruption standards, and contracting governance; anticipate and address regional risks proactively.

Approximate Time Allocation

Tasks/Duties/Responsibilities

45%: Key business partner to IM Commercial leadership teams in strategy development and Procurement delivery

40%: Lead the EMEA Agile Team in the operational execution of the global category strategies

10%: Attract, retain, develop, and motivate talent in the team

5%: Participate in Global/Regional team meetings and provide updates to Procurement Leadership

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong business acumen – ability to understand challenges through the eyes of regional business leaders
• Exceptional influencing skills – able to persuade, align, and secure sponsorship for bold ideas across senior stakeholders
• Executive-level leadership & collaboration with credibility among senior leaders and peers
• Superior communication skills – confidently present complex information in clear, compelling narratives
• Broad Procurement expertise across spend management, category strategy, and supplier management
• Project & change management excellence
• Digital & AI Fluency – Ability to leverage advanced analytics, automation, and AI-driven insights to optimize sourcing strategies, enhance decision-making, and deliver innovative solutions.
• Demonstrated learning agility and ability to thrive in dynamic environments

Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Executive presence and ability to present to large audiences
• Proven track record in attracting and developing talent
• Ability to inspire organizations to achieve stretch goals
• High credibility with internal customers and supplier community
• Experience leading cross-functional teams and executing significant change programs
• Multi-country and multi-industry experience across diverse geographies
• Flexibility in responding to external change while enabling teams to move effectively through transitions

Preferred Qualifications

• Preferred Minimum Education: Bachelors or Equivalent (Other: N/A)
• Preferred Area of Study: BS/BA in an applicable field of study; advanced degree is preferred, MBA a plus
• Preferred Related Industry Experience (if applicable): Life Sciences, MedTechnology, FMCG
• Experience with AI-enabled tools and digital procurement platforms – Familiarity with leveraging AI for predictive analytics, spend optimization, and supplier innovation.

Required Skills:

Budget Management, Communication, Procurement, Stakeholder Collaboration, Team Management

Preferred Skills:

Business Data Analysis, Business Process Management (BPM), Business Savvy, Category Management Strategy, Change Management, Compliant Spend, Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA), Creating Purpose, Critical Thinking, Developing Others, Financial Competence, Inclusive Leadership, Industry Analysis, Leadership, Negotiation, Operational Excellence, Performance Measurement, Risk Management, Supplier Collaboration

Hybrid Wo