Head Service Procurement

The Head of Service Procurement & Contract Management will lead the strategic sourcing, contracting, and cost optimization of all non-medical services and overhead cost categories across the hospital network. This role will establish robust governance mechanisms, streamline end-to-end service procurement processes, strengthen contract management, and drive compliance and cost efficiency across all units.

The position will ensure standardization, improved controls, and transparent procurement practices while enabling operational units with timely and quality service providers.

2. Key Responsibilities

A. Strategic Service Procurement

• Lead procurement for all service categories: housekeeping, security, facility management, biomedical maintenance, IT services, laundry, cafeteria, transport, AMC/CMC, utilities, etc.
• Develop sourcing strategies to ensure competitive pricing, quality service delivery, and long-term value creation.
• Build service category intelligence, market benchmarking, price analyses, and supplier performance metrics.
• Drive central contracting for high-value, group-wide service requirements.

B. Contract Management

• Implement and manage a central contract repository and tracking system.
• Develop standard templates, SLAs, KPIs, penalty clauses, risk frameworks, and governance documentation.
• Ensure compliance of all units with contract terms, renewals, and performance reviews.
• Conduct regular contract audits to identify gaps, leakages, and opportunities for renegotiation.

C. Overhead Cost Category Management

• Strategically manage group-wide overhead categories to reduce cost of operations.
• Track and analyse overhead spend patterns across units to identify consolidation and rationalization opportunities.
• Lead cost-optimization projects in collaboration with finance, operations, and unit teams.
• Establish budgeting guidelines and cost governance mechanisms.

D. Vendor Management & Governance

• Lead vendor evaluation, empanelment, risk assessment, and performance monitoring.
• Conduct quarterly vendor performance reviews with clear KPIs and SLAs.
• Drive adherence to policies, compliance frameworks, and audit observations.
• Support dispute management, legal escalations, and claim recoveries with internal legal teams.

E. Process Optimization & Transformation

• Strengthen procurement workflows, approvals, and control mechanisms.
• Drive implementation of technology tools such as e-procurement, contract management modules, and workflow automation.
• Standardize service procurement SOPs across the group.
• Improve TAT, compliance levels, and operational efficiency across units.

F. Leadership & Stakeholder Management

• Lead, mentor, and support regional/cluster/unit service procurement teams.
• Partner with operations, clinical engineering, HR, admin, IT, finance, and legal.
• Ensure alignment of procurement decisions with the organisations strategic and operational priorities.
• Provide leadership dashboards and MIS reports to senior management.

3. Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering / Business / Supply Chain; MBA preferred.
• 12–20 years' experience in Service Procurement or Contract Management; minimum 5+ years in a leadership role.
• Experience in the hospital/healthcare, facility management, infrastructure, or service-intensive industries preferred.
• Strong expertise in negotiation, contracting, vendor management, and cost governance.
• Knowledge of ERP platforms (Oracle/SAP), e-procurement tools, contract management systems.

4. Skills & Competencies

Technical

• Strong understanding of hospital non-medical service requirements and operational dependencies.
• Expertise in SLAs/KPIs design, benchmarking, and contract structuring.
• Strong financial acumen and cost analysis capability.
• Ability to lead RFPs, strategic sourcing, and multi-unit contracting.

Behavioural

• Leadership and team development capabilities.
• Influential communication and stakeholder management.
• Problem-solving, decision-making, and governance-oriented mindset.
• High integrity, transparency, and process discipline.

5. Key Deliverables (First 12 Months)

• Implement a central contract management system with 100% contract digitization.
• Achieve measurable cost savings through service consolidation and renegotiations.
• Standardize service procurement SOPs and SLAs across all hospitals.
• Reduce TAT for service procurement and approvals through streamlined workflows.
• Strengthen governance with compliance dashboards, audits, and performance reviews.
• Develop a robust vendor performance management framework for all service categories.