Director of Procurement - R & D

Strategic Procurement Director with extensive experience leading global R&D procurement across Clinical, Pre-Clinical, Laboratory Services and Outsourced Research categories. The ideal candidate will have expertise in Clinical Studies sourcing, CROs and R&D outsourced services, with a proven track record of delivering cost savings, innovation, risk mitigation and supplier performance improvements.

Client Details

A large global pharmaceutical company who is growing and developing their R & D division and they need an experience Procurement Director to help lead this.

Description

As the Director of Procurement you will be responsible for developing and executing global category strategies across a diverse and complex R&D spend portfolio. Leading a team of Procurement professionals, you will influence key business decisions, build strategic supplier partnerships, manage large-scale negotiations, and ensure procurement delivers competitive advantage through cost optimisation, innovation, quality, compliance and risk management.

This role requires a commercially astute and culturally aware leader capable of operating effectively across multiple regions, functions and stakeholder groups.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and develop global sourcing strategies across R&D outsourced services, laboratory services and associated categories.
• Partner with senior R&D and business leaders to identify strategic opportunities and align procurement objectives to organisational priorities.
• Lead complex commercial negotiations and oversee end-to-end contract management activities.
• Develop compelling business cases to gain stakeholder alignment and drive transformation initiatives.
• Deliver measurable value through cost reduction, quality improvement, innovation, supplier performance and risk mitigation.
• Build and maintain executive-level supplier relationships across global markets.
• Ensure supply continuity and compliance with regulatory, quality and governance requirements.
• Drive procurement excellence through market intelligence, category expertise and strategic supplier management.
• Lead, coach and develop a team of Procurement Managers, building capability for future organisational growth.
• Support cross-functional and cross-business unit initiatives that enhance procurement''s value proposition globally.

Profile

As a Global Procurement Director you will lead a critical procurement portfolio covering Pre-Clinical, Clinical, Laboratory and R&D Outsourced Services and should have;

• Significant strategic procurement experience within a global organisation.
• Demonstrable leadership experience managing and developing high-performing procurement teams.
• Strong category expertise in Clinical Studies, Clinical Research Organisations (CROs), R&D Outsourced Services, Lab Services or adjacent life sciences categories.
• Proven track record delivering complex, multi-year sourcing strategies and transformation programmes.
• Experience managing substantial procurement spend and complex supplier networks.
• Strong commercial acumen with extensive contract negotiation and supplier management expertise.
• Experience influencing senior stakeholders across multiple business functions and geographies.
• Ideally Bachelor''s Degree in Procurement, Supply Chain, Business, Science or a related discipline.
• Previously worked within healthcare, pharmaceutical, life sciences or a similar environment

Job Offer

What''s on Offer?

• Competitive Salary
• Comprehensive benefits package
• Opportunity to influence global R&D procurement strategy
• Leadership role with significant organisational visibility
• Global stakeholder exposure and international collaboration
• Ability to shape innovation, supplier partnerships and business performance at scale

Please note you will be based in the office in London/ South East (hybrid) with some travel.

If you are a strategic procurement leader looking to make a significant impact within a global innovation-led organisation, we would love to hear from you.