Category Head - Travel, Events and Hospitality Procurement

Category Head - Travel & Events - Group Indirect Sourcing

Responsibilities & Key Deliverables

Position Summary : The Category Head Procurement for Sales & Marketing Events, Travel & Hospitality is a leadership role dedicated to overseeing the entire procurement vertical across these categories. This position is responsible for strategic oversight, visionary leadership, and transformational change within the procurement division. The incumbent will lead, mentor, and drive performance excellence across specialized teams, ensuring operational efficiency, cost-effective solutions, and superior stakeholder engagement across diverse Group businesses, including Automotive, Technology, Real Estate, Finance, and Hospitality.

Key Responsibilities:

Visionary Leadership and Strategic Oversight:

• Define and implement the strategic vision for the procurement function, aligning it with broader organizational goals and market trends.
• Drive transformational change and innovation within Sales & Marketing Events and Travel & Hospitality procurement processes.
• Lead, inspire, and build a high-performing procurement organization, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement.

Strategic Cost Management and Optimization:

• Develop and execute long-term cost reduction strategies across Sales, Marketing, Travel, and Customer Experience (Cx) Spend, securing significant savings.
• Centralize and optimize spend management by leveraging market insights, analytics, and procurement best practices.

 Executive Event Management and Negotiations:

• Oversee the procurement and management of high-impact global & domestic events, ensuring they are cost-effective while enhancing brand presence.
• Lead high-stakes negotiations for signature events, conferences, and experiential marketing initiatives, delivering strategic value and operational excellence.
• Spearhead strategic negotiations with marketing agencies across the organization to ensure alignment and commercial success.
• Manage and optimize retainer agreements with social media agencies to ensure exceptional engagement and value delivery.

Travel and Hospitality Excellence:

• Direct the procurement and strategic management of travel and hospitality services on a global scale.
• Formulate and enforce comprehensive travel policies that maximize savings and optimize stakeholder travel experiences.
• Negotiate contracts with travel agencies, hotels, airlines, and other vendors to secure the best terms and service quality.

Digital Transformation Leadership:

• Lead digital transformation initiatives to enhance procurement processes, including social media agency engagements, website development, CRM campaigns, and call center operations.
• Drive cost-efficient solutions and achieve superior integration across digital ecosystems.

Operational Excellence and Benchmarking:

• Establish new benchmarks in procurement excellence by driving cost efficiencies and impactful BTL activations.
• Achieve best-in-industry customer satisfaction (CSAT) scores through visionary leadership, operational excellence, and a customer-centric approach.

Holistic Team Leadership and Development

Preferred Industries

Engineering

Education Qualification

Post-Graduate via PGP / Masters / MBA programs from tier I / II B-School.

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Hospitality Management, or a related field with a preference for advanced degrees.

Relevant certifications in Procurement, Supply Chain Management, or related disciplines are highly desirable.

General Experience

Minimum of 20 years of experience in senior procurement roles, with a focus on Sales & Marketing Events, Travel & Hospitality.

Demonstrated success in delivering cost-efficient solutions and leading high-impact initiatives.

Critical Experience

• Proven experience in senior leadership roles within procurement, specifically overseeing Sales & Marketing Events, Travel & Hospitality categories.
• Exceptional strategic thinking and visionary leadership, with a strong track record of transformational change and innovation.
• Advanced negotiation skills and experience managing high-value contracts and retainer agreements.
• Expertise in digital transformation and successful marketing agency engagement.
• Ability to drive strategic cost reduction solutions and lead organizational excellence.
• Superior stakeholder management skills, capable of leading and inspiring diverse teams.
• Deep understanding of industry trends, and procurement best practices.
• Visionary leader with a strategic mindset and a proactive approach to problem-solving.
• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal abilities.

System Generated Core Skills

Analytical ThinkingService OrientationCustomer SensitivityInfluencing SkillsProject Planning & ExecutionRisk AnalysisConflict ManagementStrategic SourcingCompetitor AnalysisIndustry AnalysisDigitizationBudgetingNegotiationTeam ManagementRisk ManagementStrategic PlanningPerformance AnalysisCapability BuildingIndustry IntelligenceTrend AnalysisCost ManagementCost OptimizationSourcing

System Generated Secondary Skills

Project ManagementRelationship ManagementSupply Chain Management (SCM)Vendor Management

Experience Level

Executive Level