Senior Director (m/f/d), Private Equity Performance Improvement - Procurement in Düsseldorf

Description

About Alvarez & Marsal

Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) is a global consulting firm with entrepreneurial, action and results-oriented professionals. Wetake a hands-on approach to solving our clients' problems andassistingthem in reaching their potential. Our culture celebrates independent thinkers and doers who positivelyimpactour clients and shape ourindustry. The collaborative environment and engaging work—guided by A&M's core values of Integrity, Quality, Objectivity, Fun, Personal Reward, and Inclusive Diversity—are why our people love working at A&M.

The Team

The Procurement team is an integral part of A&M's Private Equity Performance Improvement (PEPI) practice, helping deliver world-class pre-deal diligence, post-deal value creation strategy and savings implementation for clients across all industry sectors. The team works across the full deal lifecycle – from buy- and sell-side commercial/procurement due diligence through to hands-on delivery of sourcing strategies and savings programmes inside portfolio companies.

How you will contribute

We are looking for an experienced, commercially minded procurement leader to join the PEPI Procurement team as Senior Director (m/f/d). This is a senior leadership role: you will own client relationships and engagement delivery, act as a trusted advisor to PE sponsors and portfolio company leadership and play a leading role in growing the practice – through business development, proposition development, and building and mentoring the wider team.

You thrive in fast-paced, hands-on delivery environments, working shoulder-to-shoulder with client teams on the ground to translate analysis into real, measurable impact – and you are equally comfortable originating and winning new business alongside A&M's Managing Directors and Senior Directors.

Business Development

• Drive business development for the PEPI Procurement practice: originating opportunities, leading proposal development, and pitching to prospective clients and PE sponsors

• Work closely with A&M Managing Directors and Senior Directors across PEPI and other service lines to identify, shape and win new engagements, and to cross-sell procurement into wider A&M relationships

• Build and maintain a personal network across the private equity, corporate and advisory community to generate a sustainable pipeline of procurement opportunities

• Represent PEPI Procurement in cross-service-line collaboration with other A&M practices (e.g. Transaction Advisory, ODD, CFO Services, Restructuring)

Engagement Leadership & Hands-On Delivery

• Lead the procurement workstream on buy- and sell-side commercial/operational due diligence engagements: shaping the procurement opportunity assessment, quantifying benefit ranges and value levers, and directing the analytical pathway and evidence base that supports investment recommendations

• Own end-to-end delivery of post-deal procurement value creation programmes: setting the sourcing strategy, structuring the delivery approach, overseeing execution, and signing off realised savings with client and PE sponsor stakeholders

• Operate as a hands-on, delivery-focused leader who thrives in fast-paced environments – working side by side with client teams on the ground, embedding into their day-to-day operations to drive real, sustained impact rather than staying at the strategy level

• Act as the senior day-to-day client contact, building trusted relationships with C-suite, portfolio company leadership and PE deal teams

• Ensure the quality, rigor and commercial impact of all client deliverables, and manage engagement economics, risk and timelines

Practice & People Leadership

• Lead, develop and mentor a high-performing team of Analysts, Associates, Senior Associates and Directors, building procurement capability and career development pathways within the practice

• Help define and evolve the PEPI Procurement proposition, methodologies and toolkits, working closely with the Global Capability Center (GCC) to build a world-class technical, analytical and research service supporting the delivery team

Qualifications

• A degree from an accredited university

• +15 years of relevant experience in procurement, strategic sourcing or category management, including substantial time in a senior leadership and consulting or client-facing delivery role

• A strong track record of leading complex procurement due diligence and/or savings delivery programmes, ideally within a private equity or transaction-driven environment

• Hands-on experience applying design-to-value (DtV) and should-cost approaches to challenge product/service specifications and unlock structural cost reduction, not just commercial re-pricing

• A sharp understanding of category cost drivers and savings levers, including global supply market dynamics and routes to value, and the judgement to identify and sequence both structural levers and commercial levers to deliver full impact

• Strong data and analytical capability – able to translate large, often unstructured data sets into clear insights, hypotheses and a compelling narrative for senior stakeholders

• A proven track record leading complex, high-value supplier negotiations, including multi-stakeholder and cross-border negotiations under time pressure

• Confident, credible and persuasive when engaging with and presenting to senior client and investor stakeholders, including at Board and Investment Committee level

• A demonstrated track record of business development and selling consulting services, including leading proposals and pitches

• Business Fluency in German and English

Your journey at A&M

We recognize that our people are the driving force behind our success, which is why we prioritize an employee experience that fosters each person’s unique professional and personal development. Our robust performance development process promotes continuous learning, rewards your contributions, and fosters a culture of meritocracy. With top-notch training and on-the-job learning opportunities, you can acquire new skills and advance your career.

We prioritize your well-being, providing benefits and resources to support you on your personal journey. Our people consistently highlight the growth opportunities, our unique, entrepreneurial culture, and the fun we have together as their favorite aspects of working at A&M. The possibilities are endless for high-performing and passionate professionals.