Associate Director

About the Team

The Procurement Team serves as a strategic business partner driving value creation across the organization through intelligent sourcing, vendor management, and cost optimization initiatives. Our team is responsible for managing the entire procurement lifecycle - from strategic category management and supplier selection to contract negotiation and ongoing vendor relationship management. We focus on delivering measurable cost savings, ensuring compliance with procurement policies and regulatory requirements, and implementing innovative digital solutions to enhance operational efficiency. The team plays a critical role in risk mitigation through comprehensive vendor risk management programs and maintains strong governance frameworks to support business continuity. As a forward-thinking function, we continuously drive process improvements, automation initiatives, and best practice implementations to create competitive advantages for the organization.

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Associate Director - Procurement &Operations to join our organization in Gurgaon and lead strategic procurement initiatives across Marketing, Commercial, and Consulting categories. This senior leadership position plays a critical role in driving cost optimization, managing vendor relationships, and ensuring procurement excellence across the organization. The role directly impacts our P&L through innovative cost savings initiatives and strategic sourcing decisions. You'll be responsible for implementing best-in-class procurement practices, driving digital transformation in procurement operations, and establishing robust vendor risk management frameworks. This position offers significant visibility across the organization and the opportunity to shape procurement strategy in a dynamic, growth-oriented

Responsibilities:
Lead end-to-end procurement operations for Marketing, Commercial, and Consulting categories

Drive cost optimization initiatives and deliver measurable savings targets that directly contribute to P&L

Apply advanced procurement strategies, tactics, and negotiation methodologies to maximize value

Negotiate and close complex commercial terms, conditions, and watertight contracts/agreements

Establish and manage contracting frameworks for PayU CPT

Lead comprehensive vendor risk management programs to ensure business continuity

Build and maintain strategic supplier relationships

Ensure strict adherence to procurement policies, processes, and best practices

Maintain compliance with all regulatory requirements and audit standards

Drive process simplification and quality improvements across business units

Implement automation tools and digital solutions to enhance procurement efficiency

Conduct timely reviews and provide comprehensive reporting to business stakeholders

Champion the adoption of best practices and innovative procurement technologies

Requirements:
10+ years of procurement experience with strong negotiation and operations management background

5+ years of hands-on experience managing core categories (Marketing, Commercial, Consulting, Admin, HR)

5+ years of experience in large corporates or listed companies

5+ years of team leadership experience managing 4-6 direct reports

Proven track record in contract negotiations and legal agreement closures

Undergraduate degree: Engineering from a reputed university OR Science degree in core sciences

MBA from a reputed business school

Proficiency in enterprise systems: SAP/Oracle

Advanced skills in analytics tools: Power BI/Tableau, Data Analytics

Expert-level MS Office 365 capabilities

Experience with procurement automation tools and digital technologies

Excellent communication and presentation skills

Strong analytical and strategic thinking capabilities

Leadership and team development abilities

What we offer?

A positive, get-things-done workplace

A dynamic, constantly evolving space (change is par for the course – important you are comfortable with this)

An inclusive environment that ensures we listen to a diverse range of voices when making decisions.

Ability to learn cutting edge concepts and innovation in an agile start-up environment with a global scale

Access to 5000+ training courses accessible anytime/anywhere to support your growth and development (Corporate with top learning partners like Harvard, Coursera, Udacity)

About us:
At PayU, we are a global fintech investor and our vision is to build a world without financial borders where everyone can prosper. We give people in high growth markets the financial services and products they need to thrive. Our expertise in 18+ high-growth markets enables us to extend the reach of financial services. This drives everything we do, from investing in technology entrepreneurs to offering credit to underserved individuals, to helping merchants buy, sell, and operate online. Being part of Prosus, one of the largest technology investors in the world, gives us the presence and expertise to make a real impact. Find out more at

Our Commitment to Building A Diverse and Inclusive Workforce

As a global and multi-cultural organization with varied ethnicities thriving across locations, we realize that our responsibility towards fulfilling the D&I commitment is huge. Therefore, we continuously strive to create a diverse, inclusive, and safe environment, for all our people, communities, and customers. Our leaders are committed to create an inclusive work culture which enables transparency, flexibility, and unbiased attention to every PayUneer so they can succeed, irrespective of gender, color, or personal faith. An environment where every person feels they belong, that they are listened to, and where they are empowered to speak up. At PayU we have zero tolerance towards any form of prejudice whether a specific race, ethnicity, or of persons with disabilities, or the LGBTQ communities.