Job Title: Director – Procurement
Reporting To: Global Head of Procurement
Location: Gurugram, India with a minimum of 2 days per week’s work from office
Shift Timing: 3:30 PM IST to 12:30 AM IST
Role Overview
We are seeking a high-caliber strategic negotiator to lead our Indirect Procurement function with a primary focus on Technology (Software & Hardware). This is not a transactional purchasing role; it is a strategic position responsible for high-volume, high-dollar negotiations. You will act as the primary commercial partner to our US-based CIO and leadership teams, driving value across complex enterprise agreements and hardware lifecycles with a high degree of autonomy and decision-making authority.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Category Management (IT Focus):
- Lead the end-to-end procurement strategy for Software (SaaS, Enterprise License Agreements, Cloud Services like AWS/Azure/GCP) and IT Hardware (Laptops, Servers, Networking, Data Center infrastructure).
- Manage complex renewals and net-new negotiations for major publishers (e.g., Microsoft, Salesforce, Oracle, ServiceNow) to optimize Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).
- Analyze software utilization with stakeholders and licensing models to prevent shelf-ware and ensure compliance.
High-Value Negotiations:
- Champion and drive negotiations for multi-million-dollar contracts, focusing on commercial terms, service level agreements (SLAs), and risk mitigation.
- Create, manage, and analyze RFP/RFQ’s for high-volume indirect spend categories.
US Stakeholder Management:
- Serve as a trusted advisor to US-based C-level executives (CIO, CTO, CPO, CHRO).
- Present procurement strategies, savings analysis, and vendor risk assessments directly to US leadership.
- Bridge the time zone and cultural gap, ensuring seamless communication with US counterparts.
HR & Benefits Procurement (Bonus Area):
- Partner with the HR/Benefits leadership team to manage commercial negotiations for Employee Benefits providers (e.g., Health & Wellness platforms, Insurance carriers, 401k record keepers, and staffing agencies).
- Review broker agreements and third-party administrator contracts to ensure market-competitive pricing.
Candidate Qualifications:
- Experience: 12+ years of progressive procurement experience, with at least 5 years dedicated to IT/Technology Procurement (Software & Hardware).
- Global Exposure (Must Have): Proven track record of reporting to and negotiating on behalf of US-based executives. You must be culturally fluent in US business norms and negotiation styles.
- Technical Knowledge: Deep understanding of software licensing structures (Perpetual vs. Subscription, User-based vs. Consumption-based) and hardware supply chain dynamics.
- Education: MBA or Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, or Finance.
- Certifications: CPSM, CIPS, or similar procurement certifications are preferred.
About GLG / Gerson Lehrman Group
GLG is the world’s insight network. Our clients rely on GLG’s global team to connect with powerful insight across fields from our network of approximately 1 million experts (and the hundreds of new experts we recruit every day).
We serve thousands of the world’s best businesses, from Fortune 500 corporations to leading technology companies to professional services firms and financial institutions. We connect our clients to the world’s largest and most varied source of first-hand expertise, including executives, scientists, academics, former public-sector leaders, and the foremost subject matter specialists.
GLG’s industry-leading compliance framework allows clients to learn in a structured, auditable, and transparent way, consistent with their own internal compliance obligations and the highest professional ethical standards. Our compliance standards are a major competitive differentiator and key component of the company’s culture.
To learn more, visit www.GLGinsights.com.
Gerson Lehrman Group, Inc. (“GLG”) is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of age, race, religion, color, marital status, disability, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any classification protected by federal, state, or local law.
