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Head of Direct Procurement
Head of Direct Procurement
Location: United Kingdom (Hybrid with frequent international travel)
Scope: International (all Vital Medtech businesses)
Reporting to: Chief Operations Officer
About Vital Medtech
Vital Medtech is a leading European Medtech organisation specialising in the development, sale, and distribution of high-quality medical devices for minimally invasive endoscopic diagnostic and surgical procedures. With a strong focus on gastroenterology and urology therapies and procedures, Vital Medtech operates in multiple countries and regions through direct presence in Benelux, DACH, France, and the UK with ~600 employees, and through a global network of distributors. Revenue in 2025 was +€200m.
Vital Medtech is part of the Vital Healthcare Group, an Investindustrial portfolio company. Investindustrial is a leading European investment group with a strong track record in supporting quality mid-market companies. For further details, visit https://www.investindustrial.com.
Role Purpose
The Head of Direct Procurement is responsible for the strategic leadership, governance, and operational delivery of procurement across the Vital Medtech organisation. Key responsibilities include:
- Owning the end-to-end procurement lifecycle
- Ensuring supplier selection, qualification, and relationship management
- Managing supply continuity
- Delivering sustainable cost efficiencies through collaboration with Operations teams
- Driving value through supplier partnerships, especially for new product launches
The role will focus on establishing a world-class procurement function aligned with business priorities, regulatory requirements, and industry health standards, all while supporting growth, innovation, and operational excellence. The scope encompasses:
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- Direct procurement categories
- Raw materials, semi-finished components
- Packaging materials, finished goods and sterilization
- Predominantly European and Asian supplier base
Key Responsibilities
1. Strategic Leadership
- Define and execute a global procurement strategy aligned with Vital Medtech’s strategic objectives, integrating a category-led approach and consistent market intelligence infrastructure.
- Establish a Supplier Relationship Management Program to achieve Supplier of Choice status and foster long-term partnerships.
- Work as part of the Operations Leadership Team to contribute to strategic decisions such as make vs. buy, geographical footprint, financial planning, and risk management, especially concerning supply continuity and spend control.
- Ensure supplier compliance with the Vital Healthcare group standards in alignment with ESG and Quality aspects.
- Collaborate with executive leadership and business units to ensure procurement aligns with operational and clinical priorities.
2. Spend & Cost Management
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Oversee and manage group-wide spend across all procurement categories (direct) with indirect operational categories, as applicable.
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Identify and execute cost optimisation and value creation initiatives.
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Drive cost transparency and develop strong spend analytics across the organisation.
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Establish a clear pipeline for cost-down initiatives with regular reviews and expectations for guaranteed delivery.
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Work closely with Supply Chain and Production teams to ensure:
- Accurate forecasting
- Effective inventory management
- Optimal lead times to align with both supplier and internal operational objectives.
3. Supplier & Contract Management
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Lead in identifying and selecting suppliers at a global level.
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Negotiate and execute contracts in collaboration with Legal, Technology, and Franchise teams.
- Ensure contracts are aligned with current and future business needs.
- Prioritise suitable flexibility around key considerations.
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Establish strong supplier performance management frameworks.
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Develop strategic partnerships amongst suppliers to achieve goals such as:
- Innovation
- Enhanced quality
- Increased value delivery
4. Governance, Risk & Compliance / ESG
- Ensure procurement policies, controls, and governance frameworks are global and adhered to.
- Proactively manage supply resilience.
- Establish risk mitigation procedures, particularly for critical supplies.
- Manage and identify risks linked with third-party suppliers.
- Align with requirements from Legal, ESG, Regulatory, and Quality Compliance, including:
- Ethical sourcing
- Sustainability standards
- Ensure routine business reviews and recommended supplier governance align with feedback from key stakeholders, including those from Production, Quality, and ESG.
5. Operational Excellence
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Optimise procurement processes and systems for efficiency, scalability, and compliance, particularly in alignment with Supply Chain Planning and Production teams.
- Focus on achieving optimal order quantities, lead times, and inventory levels.
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Implement relevant procurement technologies such as:
- E-sourcing
- Contract management tools
- Spend analytics software
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Drive continuous improvement across procurement operations.
Next Steps
If this role resonates with your expertise and ambition, we would love to hear from you! Please get in contact and submit your CV.
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