Director of ProcurementDepartment: Finance
Employment Type: Full Time
Location: Chicago
Compensation: $170,000 - $200,000 / year
DescriptionWe are seeking a strategic, results-driven Director of Procurement to lead our global procurement organization, vendor management lifecycle, and corporate governance frameworks. In this high-impact role, you will own company-wide indirect and direct procurement, vendor due diligence, third-party data protection, contract negotiations, and cost-optimization strategies.
You bring deep subject-matter expertise in negotiating complex enterprise agreements; specifically across SaaS, Telecom, Market Data, CapEx, and OpEx, while steering company-wide vendor consolidation and M&A integration initiatives. Acting as a key financial and risk steward, you will leverage modern procurement technology stacks (NetSuite, Coupa, Ironclad) to drive rigorous reporting, deliver measurable savings, and protect enterprise data.
Key ResponsibilitiesStrategic Sourcing & Category Management- Drive high-value, complex contract negotiations and vendor selection for SaaS, Telecom, Market Data, Capital Expenditures (CapEx), and Operating Expenses (OpEx) to secure optimal commercial terms, pricing, and service-level agreements (SLAs).
- Develop and execute multi-year procurement roadmaps aligned with corporate growth, budget constraints, and operational objectives.
- Identify redundancies across the tech stack and vendor ecosystem; lead strategic rationalization and consolidation initiatives to minimize tail spend and maximize enterprise leverage.
Vendor Management & M&A Integration- Oversee comprehensive risk assessment, financial stability checks, and compliance reviews for all third-party vendors and strategic partners.
- Play a pivotal leadership role in M&A due diligence, vendor audits, and post-merger integration of supply chains, contracts, and software systems.
- Establish robust KPI frameworks and regular review cadence with key suppliers to ensure accountability and high performance.
Contractor Lifecycle & Procurement Operations- Standardize Statement of Work (SOW) creation, ensuring clear deliverables, milestones, Acceptance Criteria, and SLA enforcement across all departmental contractor engagements.
- Implement structured vendor onboarding, performance benchmarking, and offboarding protocols to manage contractor tenure limits and mitigate co-employment risk.
- Oversee the end-to-end Purchase Requisition (PR) to Purchase Order (PO) workflow for legal, IT, and specialized non-employee labor, establishing strict spend thresholds, approval matrices, and PO variance checks to eliminate rogue spending.
- Lead high-stakes commercial negotiations for contractor rate cards, volume discounts, master services agreements (MSAs), and SOW pricing models (time-and-materials vs. fixed fee).
- Audit contract renewal and extension pipelines 60-90 days prior to expiration to negotiate favorable terms, evaluate performance, or re-bid non-performing accounts.
Financial Lifecycle & FP&A Collaboration- Partner closely with the Corporate Controller and FP&A team to ensure the complete financial lifecycle of all expenses is seamlessly captured, tracked, and reconciled from purchase requisition to general ledger posting.
- Collaborate on budget planning, rolling forecasts, and variance analysis, providing deep visibility into upcoming commitments, renewals, and milestone-based payments.
- Streamline the invoice-to-pay and accrual processes by aligning procurement milestones with accounting month-end closes and financial reporting requirements.
Compliance, Governance & Data Protection- Design, implement, and enforce robust procurement governance policies that adhere to global regulatory requirements, industry standards, and internal corporate controls.
- Partner closely with Information Security, Legal, and Privacy teams to evaluate third-party risk, conducting rigorous security assessments for all vendors handling company or customer data.
- Ensure all vendor agreements strictly align with major data protection frameworks (such as GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, and SOC 2 Type II standards) regarding data collection, processing, storage, and cross-border transfer.
- Oversee the mandatory integration of robust Data Processing Agreements (DPAs) and strict data-destruction/offboarding clauses into every contract managed via Ironclad.
- Maintain comprehensive documentation and compliance checkpoints across all vendor contracts to ensure seamless internal and external audit readiness.
Systems, Analytics & Reporting- Act as the internal champion and process owner for procurement platforms, utilizing Coupa (procure-to-pay), NetSuite (ERP), and Ironclad (contract lifecycle management) to streamline operations and ensure data integrity.
- Design, build, and present executive-level dashboards and reporting metrics tracking spend visibility, cost-avoidance, realized savings, and budget variance.
- Implement data-driven procurement methodologies to pinpoint cost-saving opportunities and forecast future cash flow needs accurately.
Skills, Knowledge and ExpertiseEssential Skills & Experience- Experience: Minimum of 8-10+ years of progressive procurement, strategic sourcing, and vendor management experience within high-growth tech, finance, or corporate environments.
- Negotiation Mastery: Demonstrated deep expertise in negotiating complex enterprise agreements for SaaS, global Telecom infrastructure, financial Market Data, CapEx, and OpEx.
- M&A & Consolidation: Proven track record of managing end-to-end M&A procurement integration and large-scale vendor consolidation projects.
- Tech Stack Proficiency: Advanced hands-on experience utilizing modern procurement and ERP platforms, specifically Coupa, NetSuite, and Ironclad.
- Governance & Privacy Knowledge: Strong understanding of third-party risk management, data security frameworks, and privacy regulations (GDPR, SOC 2 ,ISO).
Desirable Skills & Experience- Education: Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field (MBA or Master's degree is a plus).
- Certifications: Professional designations such as Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM) or Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP).
- ESG Integration: Experience implementing sustainable and ethical sourcing frameworks (ABAC, anti-modern slavery, and ESG criteria) throughout the supply chain.
- Executive Presence: Exceptional financial acumen, advanced contract law understanding, and a proven ability to influence C-suite stakeholders.
BenefitsCompetitive Benefits & Perks We offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your well-being, growth, and work-life balance.
- Health & Financial Security:
- Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
- Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) & Health Savings Accounts (HSA)
- 401(k) retirement plan
- Pre-tax transit and parking benefits
- Time Off & Flexibility:
- Enjoy the best of both worlds: the energy and collaboration of in-person work, combined with the convenience and focus of remote days. This is a hybrid position requiring three days of in-office collaboration per week, with the flexibility to work remotely for the remaining two days. Our hybrid model is designed to balance individual flexibility with the benefits of in-person collaboration, enhanced team cohesion, spontaneous innovation, hands-on mentorship opportunities and strengthens our company culture.
- 22 days of Paid Time Off (PTO) per year, with the option to roll over unused days.
- One dedicated day per year for volunteering.
- Two professional development days per year to allow uninterrupted professional development.
- An additional PTO day added during milestone anniversary years.
- Robust paid holiday schedule with early dismissal.
- Generous parental leave for all parents (including adoptive parents).
- Work-Life Support & Resources:
- Budget for tech accessories, including monitors, headphones, keyboards, and other office equipment.
- Backup child and pet care, as well as tutoring services.
- Milestone anniversary bonuses.
- Wellness & Lifestyle Perks:
- Stipend and subsidy contributions toward personally-owned cell phones
- Contributions for gym memberships and health/wellness initiatives.
- Discounted healthcare premiums.
- Healthy meal delivery program subsidies.
