Chief Procurement Officer

Cushman & Wakefield • Chicago, IL

1d

About The Position

The CPO will lead a global procurement transformation with a strong emphasis on technology enablement, change management, and redefining how procurement supports the business. They will lead Americas and Corporate business planning around procurement savings and benefits, build out global capabilities, and oversee the identification and realization of cost reduction programs. The position will report to the Americas CFO/COO and will have four key areas of responsibility: Global Transformation – Drive and deliver a comprehensive global procurement transformation, including the implementation of a new global vendor management system, process modernization, and the development of a high-performing, adaptable team to achieve strategic objectives. Supplier Management & Monetization – Continue efforts to build a robust global supplier network. Optimize supplier management functions, and monetize third-party spend through effective negotiations and vendor price discount strategies to enhance EBITDA. Strategic Operating Model & Category Management – Design and implement scalable operating models and category management frameworks, ensuring governance, transparency, and dedicated ownership for key spend areas across the organization globally. KPIs including Financial and Operational Reporting – Oversee the creation and tracking of project plans, key performance indicators, and financial and operational reports to monitor progress, enforce accountability, and provide clear status updates to executive leadership. Outcomes (specific objective outcomes that this position should accomplish) Transformation Outcomes: Successfully lead and deliver a global procurement transformation program over two years, resulting in improved technology enablement, streamlined processes, and a redefined procurement function. Achieve full deployment and adoption of a new global procurement technology suite, with measurable increases in process efficiency, data transparency, and user engagement. Establish a globally aligned supplier management framework, reducing fragmentation in EMEA and APAC, closing category ownership gaps, enhancing local supplier network in the US and increasing supplier performance and client value delivery. Drive organization-wide change management initiatives, resulting in high stakeholder engagement, rapid adoption of new processes, and a culture of continuous improvement. Strategic & Financial Outcomes Monetize $5B+ in third-party spend, capturing additional EBITDA through vendor price discounts (VPDs) and innovative procurement strategies. Develop an ongoing program to identify and realize new opportunities to reduce corporate spend Reduce time to generate business unit spend analytics and increase the granularity of spend data, enabling more informed decision-making and improved financial reporting. Talent & Organizational Outcomes Assess and elevate procurement team capabilities, identifying top performers and strengthening overall bench strength through targeted coaching and development programs. Stakeholder & Client Outcomes Build strong partnerships with service line leadership, balancing local/regional needs with global frameworks and delivering measurable improvements in stakeholder satisfaction. Enhance client value through improved procurement solutioning, pricing strategies, and risk management, resulting in increased account profitability and retention.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree and at least 15 years of related professional work experience desired
• Proven executive experience in procurement or with a track record of leading large-scale transformation initiatives.
• Demonstrated ability to modernize functions through technology enablement, process redesign, and team development.
• Expertise in driving organizational change, fostering stakeholder engagement, and ensuring rapid adoption of new processes and systems across global teams.
• Strong ability to build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including service line leadership, suppliers, and clients.
• Skilled at balancing local/regional needs with global frameworks to deliver measurable improvements in satisfaction and value.
• Executive Leadership – Ability to drive performance from direct team and overall corporation. Ability to instill confidence in mission with Corporate Partners, Suppliers and Employees.
• Strategic Planning – Experience in designing and implementing scalable operating models and category management frameworks, with a focus on governance, transparency, and ownership of key spend areas.
• Deep understanding of financial management within procurement, including spend analytics, reporting, and strategies to optimize EBITDA through vendor negotiations and cost reduction.
• Procurement Infrastructure and Data Governance – Experience and expertise in developing/designing and running all aspects of a Procurement Center of Excellence.
• Experience and expertise in developing a ground-up data warehouse/cube/lake approach to provide the required data to make critical financial decisions and report status to key stakeholders
• Strategic and Analytical skills: Demonstrates ability to quickly and proficiently understand and absorb new information and develop penetrating insights. Able to structure and process qualitative or quantitative data and draw insightful conclusions from it and ability to convert data into well thought out strategies.
• Ability to lead complex, enterprise-wide transformation initiatives, particularly within procurement.
• Proven success in driving technology adoption, process redesign, and cultural change.
• Results oriented and bias for action: Delivers tangible, measurable results rapidly by driving procurement transformation, optimizing spend, and ensuring accountability for strategic objectives.
• Communication: Communicates complex ideas clearly and persuasively to all audiences, ensuring alignment and understanding across the organization.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Global Transformation – Drive and deliver a comprehensive global procurement transformation, including the implementation of a new global vendor management system, process modernization, and the development of a high-performing, adaptable team to achieve strategic objectives.
• Supplier Management & Monetization – Continue efforts to build a robust global supplier network. Optimize supplier management functions, and monetize third-party spend through effective negotiations and vendor price discount strategies to enhance EBITDA.
• Strategic Operating Model & Category Management – Design and implement scalable operating models and category management frameworks, ensuring governance, transparency, and dedicated ownership for key spend areas across the organization globally.
• KPIs including Financial and Operational Reporting – Oversee the creation and tracking of project plans, key performance indicators, and financial and operational reports to monitor progress, enforce accountability, and provide clear status updates to executive leadership.

Benefits

• Cushman & Wakefield also provides eligible employees with an opportunity to enroll in a variety of benefit programs, generally including health, vision, and dental insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life, and disability insurance programs, and paid and unpaid time away from work.
• In addition to a comprehensive benefits package, Cushman and Wakefield provide eligible employees with competitive pay, which may vary depending on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire, total hours worked, job type, business line, and applicability of collective bargaining agreements.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive