Our client is seeking an experienced procurement leader to take ownership of its Banking Services portfolio within a global procurement and vendor management function.

Supporting a business with approximately €6bn of third-party expenditure, this is a high-profile leadership opportunity at the intersection of procurement, supplier strategy and business transformation. The successful candidate will partner closely with senior stakeholders across the Corporate, Investment and Private Banking divisions, shaping category strategy, strengthening key supplier relationships and driving commercial value across a complex international environment.

This is a role for an accomplished procurement professional who combines strategic thinking with strong delivery capability and enjoys leading teams, influencing senior stakeholders and delivering tangible business outcomes.

The Opportunity

As Portfolio Lead, you will be responsible for defining and executing the procurement strategy across a critical Banking Services portfolio. Working closely with business leaders and strategic suppliers, you will identify opportunities to create value, improve performance and support the delivery of broader organisational objectives.

Alongside strategic delivery, you will lead and develop a team of Category Directors, helping to foster a collaborative and high-performing culture.

Key Responsibilities

1. Develop and execute strategic account plans and category strategies across the Banking Services portfolio, ensuring maximum value is realised from the supply base.
2. Build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders across the Corporate, Investment and Private Banking businesses, aligning procurement priorities with wider commercial objectives.
3. Lead strategic supplier management activities, working collaboratively with key partners to drive innovation, service improvement and long-term value creation.
4. Manage and develop a team of Category Directors, providing leadership, coaching and direction.
5. Identify and deliver cost optimisation opportunities whilst maintaining appropriate governance and risk controls.
6. Drive sourcing excellence across a complex global supplier and contractual landscape.
7. Champion best practice procurement processes and contribute to the ongoing evolution of the procurement function.

Candidate Profile

The successful candidate is likely to bring:

1. Significant procurement experience within Financial Services, ideally across Investment, Corporate or Private Banking.
2. Strong experience procuring banking technology, software and operational services.
3. A proven track record of managing complex strategic supplier relationships within large, global organisations.
4. The credibility and gravitas to influence senior stakeholders and build trusted business partnerships.
5. Excellent commercial judgement, negotiation capability and an appreciation of balancing value creation with effective risk management.
6. Previous experience leading and developing high-performing procurement teams.
7. A strategic and forward-thinking approach, coupled with the agility to identify and implement innovative solutions.
8. MCIPS or an equivalent professional qualification would be advantageous, together with a sound understanding of UK and international contract law.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

This is an opportunity to join a leading global financial institution and play a key role in shaping the future direction of a strategically important procurement portfolio.

The successful individual will benefit from:

1. Exposure to senior business leadership across multiple banking divisions.
2. The opportunity to influence strategic decision-making and supplier innovation.
3. Leadership responsibility within a high-performing global procurement function.
4. A flexible hybrid working model and a highly competitive reward package.
5. A culture that values continuous learning, professional development and career progression.

Our client is committed to fostering an inclusive and collaborative working environment where talented individuals can develop their careers whilst making a meaningful impact on the organisation's success.