Job Description Director, Procurement (IT & Software)
Location: Hyderabad
Function: Corporate Procurement
Reports To: Managing Director & General Manager
About the Role
We are seeking a highly experienced Director Procurement (IT & Software) to lead our global procurement function, focused on IT spend categories. The role is pivotal in driving strategic sourcing, vendor management, cost optimization, and ensuring compliance across all procurement activities.
This individual will be responsible for managing a significant spend portfolio (USD 3040 million annually), particularly across software buying, licensing, cloud services, and IT infrastructure sourcing, while building and nurturing high-trust supplier relationships and internal partnerships.
The ideal candidate will bring strong commercial acumen, negotiation excellence, and a deep understanding of software procurement in a product company or Global Capability Center (GCC) setup.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Procurement Leadership
- Lead end-to-end commercial, strategic sourcing, and procurement processes across all IT categories including Hardware, Software, Cloud, SaaS, Outsourced Services, and Infrastructure.
- Develop and execute a comprehensive procurement strategy aligned with business priorities, ensuring cost savings, efficiency, and risk mitigation.
- Own the Procure-to-Contract (P2C) lifecycle and ensure adherence to corporate sourcing policies, compliance frameworks, and audit requirements.
- Manage and optimize the software licensing lifecycle, ensuring compliance, renewals, and cost optimization across enterprise agreements.
Commercial & Contract Management
- Lead RFP/RFQ processes, vendor evaluations, contract negotiations, and deal structuring.
- Draft and review detailed Statements of Work (SOWs), defining performance measures (KPIs, SLAs), risk/reward mechanisms, acceptance criteria, and commercial terms. Advise business and technical stakeholders on engagement models such as Managed Services, Managed Capacity, Gain-share, and Outcome-based models. Ensure contracts are commercially sound, risk-balanced, and deliver measurable value.
Vendor & Stakeholder Management
- Build and maintain strong relationships with key software and technology suppliers, ensuring performance excellence and innovation in delivery.
- Engage closely with internal business partners (Finance, Legal, IT, and Product teams) to understand requirements and translate them into effective sourcing outcomes. Lead cross-functional negotiations and drive strategic alignment between business goals and vendor capabilities.
- Conduct periodic supplier performance reviews, market benchmarking, and spend analytics to ensure continuous improvement.
Financial Management & Reporting
- Manage annual IT procurement budgets of $3040 million, ensuring cost-effectiveness, transparency, and measurable savings.
- Implement cost optimization initiatives through vendor consolidation, volume leverage, and commercial re-engineering.
- Track and report procurement KPIs, savings, and financial impact to senior leadership. Continuously identify and deliver year-on-year savings and operational efficiencies through strategic sourcing initiatives.
Governance, Risk & Compliance
- Ensure strict adherence to global procurement standards, audit requirements, and ethical practices.
- Lead Supplier Risk Assessments and ensure compliance with supplier screening, due diligence, and data security requirements.
- Champion a culture of integrity, transparency, and compliance across all procurement processes.
Qualifications & Experience
- 1215 years of overall experience in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement, or Vendor Management.
- At least 810 years of specialized experience in IT and Software Procurement, including Cloud (AWS, Azure, GCP) and SaaS licensing.
- Proven experience managing multi-million-dollar IT budgets and delivering measurable cost savings.
- Deep understanding of category cost structures, procurement tools, and negotiation frameworks.
- Proficiency with e-procurement and sourcing tools (e.g., Ariba, Ivalua, PeopleSoft, or equivalent).
- Strong knowledge of end-to-end Source-to-Pay (S2P) processes and related compliance frameworks.
- Excellent negotiation, stakeholder management, and contracting skills, with the ability to influence senior executives.
- Strong analytical, presentation, and communication skills, with proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint.
- Engineering or Business Graduate (MBA preferred).
Ideal Candidate Profile
- Proven track record in software buying, enterprise licensing, and vendor negotiations.
- Experience in product-based software organizations or Global Capability Centers (GCCs).
- High ethical standards, integrity, and strong governance mindset.
- Tenacious, resilient, and collaborative leader who can thrive in a fast-paced, high-growth SaaS environment.
- Excellent at managing ambiguity and driving business outcomes with minimal supervision.
Target Backgrounds
- IT / Software Product Companies
- Banking / Financial Technology (FinTech)
- BPO / Consulting / Shared Services / GCCs
