Head of Procurement Centre of Excellence

Make your mark for patients

We are looking for a Head of Procurement Centre of Excellence (COE) who is transformational, strategic, and innovation‑driven to join our Global Procurement department, shaping the future of procurement capabilities, digital transformation, and value creation across UCB based in Brussels, Belgium.

About the Role

As Head of Procurement COE, you will establish and lead the Centre of Excellence that powers UCB’s end‑to‑end procurement organization. You will be responsible for driving procurement transformation, advancing source‑to‑pay excellence, building next‑generation capabilities, and accelerating the adoption of digital and AI‑enabled solutions across the procurement landscape.

This is a highly strategic leadership role where you will define and execute a multi‑year capability roadmap, embed new ways of working across the enterprise, and position procurement as a key value creator and growth enabler. You will lead a global, multidisciplinary team focused on delivering measurable business impact through innovation, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.

Who You’ll Work With

You will report to the Chief Procurement Officer and serve as a member of the Procurement Leadership Team. You will collaborate closely with senior stakeholders across Finance, Digital & IT, Data & AI, Legal, Manufacturing, Research & Development, and Supply Chain functions while leading a global team spanning transformation, process excellence, analytics, AI, and advanced procurement capabilities.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the global procurement transformation agenda, ensuring delivery of strategic initiatives and measurable business value.
• Drive continuous improvement and operational excellence across the end‑to‑end Source‑to‑Pay lifecycle.
• Define and execute the procurement AI and digital transformation roadmap, embedding innovative technologies into everyday decision‑making.
• Build and lead agile procurement delivery teams focused on high‑value projects, supplier optimization, and strategic business priorities.
• Establish and develop advanced procurement capabilities, including analytics, design‑to‑value, supplier performance management, make‑versus‑buy strategies, and negotiation excellence.
• Create and govern procurement standards, policies, frameworks, and best practices across the enterprise.
• Partner with senior business leaders to align procurement priorities with broader enterprise objectives.
• Develop world‑class procurement talent through capability building, coaching, training, and leadership development initiatives.
• Drive procurement performance through robust KPIs, executive dashboards, and continuous improvement programs.
• Champion innovation, collaboration, and a culture of value creation across the global procurement function.

Interested? For this role we’re looking for:

• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or Master’s degree strongly preferred in Business, Supply Chain, Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Significant experience leading procurement transformation, process excellence, or procurement Centres of Excellence within large global organizations.
• Experience leading digital and AI transformation initiatives within procurement environments.
• Proven success leading senior leaders and complex global teams within matrix environments.
• Strong experience building advanced procurement capabilities, including analytics, supplier performance management, negotiation excellence, and value optimization.
• Outstanding stakeholder‑management, strategic thinking, and executive communication skills, with the ability to influence at senior leadership and C‑suite levels.

Internal applicants should be in their current job for at least 12 months, must meet performance standards and are not on formal corrective/disciplinary process (PIP), warning, final warning, or compliance warning letters within the last 12 months. Please inform your Manager or your Talent Partner before applying to any internal job opportunities.

At UCB, we’ve embraced a hybrid-first approach to work, bringing teams together in local hubs to foster collaborative curiosity. Unless expressly stated in the description, this role is hybrid with 40% of your time spent in the office, irrespective of your current contractual agreement. Should your current working arrangements differ, please contact your Talent Partner to discuss, before submitting your application.

UCB is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions will be made without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable laws.

Should you require any adjustments to our process to assist you in demonstrating your strengths and capabilities contact us on [email protected] . Please note should your enquiry not relate to adjustments; we will not be able to support you through this channel.

Requisition ID: 93917

Recruiter: Gavin Savage

Hiring Manager: Katiana Iavarone

Talent Partner: Julie Luypaert

Job Level: ED

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