Sr. Director, Procure to Pay

GAQ327R229

While candidates in the listed location(s) are encouraged for this role, candidates in other locations will be considered.

The Senior Director of Procure to Pay (P2P) is a senior operational and strategic leader responsible for owning the global P2P engine — spanning procurement operations, third party risk and onboarding, accounts payable, financial controls, and the systems and automation infrastructure that tie them together. This role will transform P2P from a transactional function into a scalable, intelligent operating model: automating end-to-end workflows from intake through payment, deploying AI-driven orchestration for approvals and exception handling, and establishing real-time spend visibility and controls across all third-party spend.

The impact you will have:

P2P Strategy & Operating Model

• Define and execute the global P2P strategy, establishing a unified, scalable operating model that spans procurement operations and accounts payable across all geographies and business units.
• Build and own the P2P transformation roadmap, prioritizing initiatives across automation, AI-driven workflow orchestration, systems modernization, and process standardization.
• Establish a cohesive governance framework covering policy, controls, approval authority, and compliance — ensuring the P2P function operates with financial rigor and audit readiness at all times.
• Serve as the executive voice of the P2P function, translating operational performance into clear narratives and strategic recommendations for CFO and cross-functional leadership.

End-to-End P2P Automation (Intake → Payment)

• Own the full automation agenda across the procure-to-pay lifecycle — from intake and requisition through purchase order issuance, goods receipt, invoice processing, and supplier payment.
• Lead the design, deployment, and continuous optimization of automated workflows that eliminate manual effort, reduce cycle times, and increase throughput without adding headcount.
• Partner with Finance Technology and IT to evaluate, implement, and integrate P2P platforms, ERP modules, and point solutions that support the automation roadmap (e.g., Zip, Coupa, Ariba, SAP, Zip, Tipalti, or similar).
• Drive catalog expansion, guided buying adoption, and touchless PO rates to minimize off-contract and non-PO spend.

AI-Driven Workflow Orchestration

• Champion the deployment of AI and machine learning capabilities within the P2P stack — including intelligent routing, automated approvals, exception identification, and anomaly detection.
• Define use cases and success metrics for AI-driven automation across requisition intake, invoice matching, approval escalation, and payment risk scoring.
• Partner with data and engineering teams to build AI-powered workflows that continuously learn from transaction data and reduce manual exception handling over time.
• Ensure all AI-driven processes maintain appropriate human oversight, audit trails, and compliance controls.

Real-Time Spend Visibility & Financial Controls

• Build and maintain a real-time spend management framework — providing leadership with current, accurate, and actionable visibility into committed spend, open obligations, and payment flows.
• Design and enforce financial controls across the P2P lifecycle, including three-way match, delegation of authority, supplier payment terms, and duplicate payment prevention.
• Own P2P compliance and risk management, including internal audit readiness, SOX-related controls where applicable, and supplier fraud prevention.
• Partner with FP&A and Accounting to ensure P2P data flows accurately support budgeting, accruals, and month-end close processes.
• Establish KPI dashboards and reporting cadences covering PO compliance, invoice cycle time, touchless rate, on-time payment, and supplier satisfaction.

Global Process Standardization at Scale

• Lead the standardization of P2P processes across all global regions — eliminating fragmentation, localizing where legally required, and creating a single, consistent operating standard.
• Build and maintain a global P2P playbook: documented SOPs, workflow diagrams, training materials, and control frameworks that scale across geographies and teams.
• Partner with regional finance, legal, and compliance teams to ensure global P2P processes adhere to local regulatory requirements, tax obligations, and supplier payment regulations.
• Drive change management and adoption programs to embed new processes and systems across a distributed global workforce.

Team Leadership & Organizational Development

• • Lead and develop a high-performing global P2P team spanning procurement operations and accounts payable — setting clear expectations, developing talent, and building a culture of ownership and continuous improvement.
  • Define the optimal team structure and operating model as the business scales, including decisions around insourcing, outsourcing, and shared services.
  • Build strong cross-functional relationships with Strategic Sourcing, Legal, IT, Finance, and business unit leaders to ensure P2P is a trusted, enabling function — not a bottleneck.
  • Attract, retain, and develop top operational talent with deep P2P expertise and a growth mindset.

What we look for:

Required

• 15+ years of progressive experience in procure-to-pay, procurement operations, or shared services, with at least 3–5 years in a senior leadership role.
• Proven track record designing and executing P2P transformation programs — including automation implementation, system rollouts, and operating model redesign — at global scale.
• Deep functional expertise across both procurement operations (requisition, PO management, supplier onboarding) and accounts payable (invoice processing, payment, reconciliation).
• Hands-on experience with enterprise P2P platforms and ERP systems (Zip, Coupa, Ariba, Concur, Emburse, Ramp, SAP, Oracle, or equivalent).
• Strong command of financial controls, compliance frameworks, and audit requirements relevant to third-party spend and AP operations.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and develop global, distributed teams across multiple time zones and cultures.
• Exceptional executive communication skills — able to translate operational complexity into clear strategy and crisp reporting for senior leadership.
• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business, Supply Chain, or a related field.

Preferred

• Experience deploying AI, machine learning, or intelligent automation capabilities within a P2P or finance operations context.
• Familiarity with SOX controls, internal audit processes, and risk frameworks as they apply to AP and procurement.
• Background in high-growth technology or software companies where speed, scale, and financial discipline are equally prioritized.
• Experience leading shared services or business process outsourcing (BPO) transitions.
• MBA or advanced degree; CPSM, CPM, or AP/finance certification a plus.