Head of Procurement

Canada Life UK looks after the retirement, investment and protection needs of individuals, families and companies. We help to build better futures for our customers, our intermediaries and our employees by operating as a modern, agile and welcoming organisation.

Part of our parent company Great-West Lifeco, Canada Life UK has operated in the United Kingdom since 1903. We have hundreds of respected and supported employees committed to doing the right thing for our customers and colleagues.

Canada Life UK is transforming to create a more customer-focused business by providing our customers with expertise on financial and tax planning, offering home finance and annuities propositions, and providing collective fund solutions to third party customers.

**Job Summary**

This role is accountable for controlling and overseeing the processes for procurement and supplier governance. They will not have control of a large budget but will have oversight and influence of all third party spend of approx. £800m per annum. They will provide challenge to the Executive and senior stakeholders and across various risk forums. As a leader they will have full accountability for their team from resource planning to recruiting and exit and full managerial accountability.

The role exists to ensure the business is making sound supplier and procurement decisions to support business needs both now and future. This role will provide guidance and support to contract owners and ensure all contacts are managed effectively. They will also be a sounding board for senior stakeholders related to large contracts and the third party strategy.

**What You'll Do**
- Develop, implements, communicates, and maintains a robust Procurement Strategy (inc category plans) for the organisation that reflects and supports the current and future needs of the Organisation. Ensure ongoing adherence by contract managers through regular monitoring and oversight.
- To lead the team including through regular meetings with direct reports to drive their performance outcomes so that maximum productivity is achieved, and the team have the motivation and training to deliver the required levels of performance
- To ensure robust policies and processes are in place for the end to end supplier life cycle, to enable high quality business decisions relating to supplier selection and ongoing management.
- To have personal accountability for the oversight of key business critical contracts - ensuring Contract Managers are fulfilling their responsibilities effectively and risks are well migrated.
- Accountable for collecting, collating and producing supplier governance and procurement information
- To inform internal committees, Boards and demonstrate adherence to regulatory requirements as appropriate.
- Management of internal and external stakeholders to ensure robust Contract negotiations, supplier selection and drive a competitive buying behaviour including liaison with the Canada Legal team as needed.
- Ensure procurement preferred supplier list (PSL) is maintained, developed and communicated effectively to the business users and drive spend through those suppliers.
- Ensure the tooling is effectively managed and maintained (data integrity) with strong communication and guidance to contact owners/users

**Who You Are**

**_Essential_**
- Strong evidence of e-auctioning, sourcing and driving cultural change
- Good communication and influencing skills
- Strong written and verbal communication including presentation skills for engaging stakeholders and making a robust business case for change
- Strong business planning skills, able to drive change
- Strong team player
- Good knowledge of contract law
- Advanced user of MS Word / Excel / Powerpoint / Visio - especially Excel and Powerpoint

**_Desirable_**
- Financial Services experience - knowledge of the regulatory environment
- MCIPS qualified (or studying towards)
- Strong presentation skills for engaging stakeholders and making a robust business case for change

**Benefits of working at Canada Life**

We believe in recognising and rewarding our people, so we offer a competitive salary and benefits package that’s regularly reviewed. As a Canada Life UK colleague, you’ll receive a competitive salary and comprehensive reward package including a generous pension and bonus scheme, along with, income protection, private medical insurance and life assurance. We have a fantastic number of other benefits and support services as well as regular personal and professional development.

**How we work at Canada Life**

Our culture is unique and incredibly important to us. We care about doing the right thing for our people, customers and community and helping others to build better futures. Our blueprint behaviours shape and influence how we work, and are central to the relationships we have with others. Every day we are encouraged to be more curious, own the outcome, face into things together and find a way forward.

We want col