Head of Procurement

The World Economic Forum, committed to improving the state of the world, is the international organization for public-private cooperation.

The Forum engages the foremost political, business and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.

Why we are recruiting

To ensure the efficient financial management and controls necessary to support all business activities, the Head of Procurement will develop an enhanced procurement system responding to Forum-specific requirements. This includes overseeing efficient, effective, and expert procurement while achieving the best value for money and ensuring a competitive, fair, and transparent process in accordance with established regulations, rules, and procedures.

Reporting Lines & Interactions

The Head of Procurement will be in daily interaction with various internal stakeholders, as well as working closely with teams involved in end-to-end purchase-to-pay operations, such as the Legal and Compliance Team and the Risk, Assurance & Process Improvement Team. In addition, the Head of Procurement will manage the procurement team, ensuring accurate, timely, and efficient processing of financial documentation.

Breakdown of main responsibilities- Improve existing procurement process and framework, and policies that effectively and efficiently support the organization's goals and objectives- Oversee the organisation's procurement needs and processes on a day-to-day basis, including identifying and mitigating procurement risks, monitoring, and evaluating supplier performance- Ensure delivery of the organisation’s objectives through the procurement team- Negotiate and manage contracts with suppliers- Providing procurement leadership to stakeholders across the organisation and the Procurement Team- Managing projects- Setting ambitious targets for group & central functions and the Procurement Team, and owning the improvement and delivery of the procurement methodology and framework to achieve those targets- Leading on the development of procurement-related policies and procedures- Bringing external insights and thought leadership to the organization- Improving the quality of the procurement-related documentation along the whole procurement and controlling processes- Developing and maintaining procurement metrics to measure the effectiveness (quantitative and qualitative) of procurement activities and identifying and addressing areas for improvement- Working effectively with a broad range of senior stakeholders and other key decision-makers to evaluate options in taking account risks and value implications- Creating a strong, collaborative relationship with stakeholders in other functions, providing guidance- Reinforcing compliant user behaviour by communication and by customized support provided to stakeholders- In the event of non-compliance, dealing professionally with colleagues at all levels to minimize risk to the business, escalating issues as appropriate and resolving any conflicts- Staying current on procurement legislation and evolving professional practice in light of changes to legislation and case law

Preferred Requirements and Experience- University-level education in Business Administration, Law, or comparable exam, ideally with a focus on business or procurement- At least 12 years of experience in procurement, with at least five years in a leadership role, incl. experience in enhancing procurement functions and managing teams- Experience in developing suitable procurement methodology and framework suit the organization's needs- Experience and understanding of complex contractual issues- Excellent communication and negotiation skills and drive to get things done- Strong work ethic and sense of compliance, communication skills, flexibility, attention to detail, problem-solving- Good presentation skills, analytical thinking, and problem-solving oriented- High flexibility and the ability to work under pressure- Excellent oral and written communication skills in English, and knowledge of French or German are an advantage

Why work at the Forum:
The Forum believes that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to improve the state of the world by building awareness and cooperation, shaping mindsets and agendas, and driving collective action. Join us and become a driver for positive change