Head of Procurement

Role Summary Lead procurement operations end-to-end vendor sourcing and negotiation, purchase order follow-up, purchase invoicing, and warehouse coordination while managing the PI Team and PO Follow-up Team to their goals. Key Responsibilities Sourcing & Vendor Management Collect and compare vendor quotations; negotiate pricing and marginsBuild strong vendor relationships; resolve escalationsIdentify and onboard new vendors as neededPO Follow-up Ensure timely PO placement, follow-up, and closure with vendorsResolve out-of-stock/out-of-print issues quickly; suggest alternatives to SalesFulfill specimen and teacher copy requests within agreed timelinesCoordinate warehouse delivery, GRN closure, and dead stock reductionPurchase Invoicing (PI) Ensure invoices are verified, created, and approved accurately and on timeResolve invoice discrepancies with Finance (credit notes, MRP, freight, etc.)Ensure purchase credit memo reconciliation and audit-ready documentationPayments & Reconciliation Manage credit notes, debit notes, and order cancellations with vendorsEnsure vendor statements are reconciled regularlyTeam & Process Set and track KRAs/KPIs for PI and PO Follow-up teamsDrive process improvements (e.g., move manual follow-ups to ticketing systems)Ensure procurement compliance and audit readinessWork closely with Finance team for payments. Work closely with Sales team for discounts & quotations. Requirements 12+ years in procurement/purchase operations (publishing, book distribution, retail, or FMCG preferred)Experience managing PI/PO teams and vendor negotiationsFamiliar with ERP (D365/SAP) and Power BI reportingStrong negotiation, coordination, and team leadership skills .