Head of Procurement - Directs

Overview

Head of Procurement
- Directs

Zertus UK & Ireland | Hybrid (UK) with UK and occasional international travel

Love the idea of influencing the ingredients and raw materials behind some of the UK's most loved chocolate and snacking brands?

We're looking for a commercially-minded, people-focused Head of Procurement (Directs) to take ownership of our direct materials sourcing strategy across Zertus UK & Ireland. Leading a talented team of procurement professionals, you'll play a pivotal role in ensuring our factories have the materials they need to create products enjoyed by millions of consumers across the UK, Ireland and beyond.

This is a newly created leadership role reporting directly to the Procurement Director, working alongside the Head of Procurement (Indirects), giving you the opportunity to help shape procurement strategy, influence senior stakeholders and build strong supplier partnerships while delivering tangible commercial value across the business. From sourcing cocoa and chocolate ingredients to supporting innovation projects and managing supply risk, no two days are the same.

As Head of Procurement (Directs), you'll provide day-to-day leadership for our direct procurement function, leading a team of experienced category and procurement professionals while developing and executing sourcing strategies that support our commercial and operational objectives.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading, developing and inspiring a team of procurement specialists and category leaders.
• Creating and delivering the UK & Ireland direct materials procurement strategy.
• Deputising for the Procurement Director where required.
• Driving cost savings, PPV delivery, rebate opportunities and working capital improvements.
• Building strategic supplier partnerships to improve quality, innovation, service and sustainability.
• Managing commodity and category strategies across key raw material spend areas.
• Working closely with Operations, Supply Chain, Technical, Commercial and Finance teams to drive business performance.
• Supporting innovation projects through effective sourcing and supplier collaboration.
• Identifying and mitigating supply chain risks while maintaining continuity of supply.
• Representing the business externally through supplier relationships, industry forums and market engagement.
• Ensuring strong governance, contract coverage and procurement best practice across the function.
• Contributing as a key member of the wider business leadership team.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced procurement leader looking to make a significant impact within a fast-paced FMCG manufacturing environment.

Ideally, you'll have:

• Significant procurement leadership experience within FMCG, food manufacturing, consumer goods or a related sector.
• Experience leading and developing high-performing procurement or category management teams.
• Proven experience creating and executing procurement or category strategies.
• Strong direct materials, commodity buying and category management expertise.
• Demonstrable commercial negotiation and supplier management experience.
• Experience operating within complex manufacturing environments.
• A track record of delivering cost savings, value creation and business improvement initiatives.
• Experience influencing and engaging senior stakeholders up to board level.
• Experience supporting business transformation, growth or change programmes.
• Degree, CIPS qualification or equivalent procurement qualification desirable.

What will make you successful?

We're looking for someone who combines strong commercial capability with strategic thinking and natural leadership.

The successful person will demonstrate:

• Outstanding stakeholder management and relationship-building skills.
• Strong leadership, coaching and team development capability.
• Excellent commercial acumen and negotiation expertise.
• Strategic thinking balanced with the ability to deliver operational results.
• Resilience and confidence when operating in a dynamic, fast-moving environment.
• Strong analytical and decision-making skills.
• A proactive, solutions-focused approach to problem solving.
• The ability to influence across…