Director: Procurement

Mayer Brown LLP•Chicago, IL

1d•$195,000 - $281,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Mayer Brown is an international law firm positioned to represent the world’s major corporations, funds, and financial institutions in their most important and complex transactions and disputes. We are recognized by our clients as strategic partners with deep commercial instincts and a commitment to creatively anticipating their needs and delivering excellence in everything we do.We are a collegial, collaborative firm where highly motivated individuals with an unwavering commitment to excellence receive the opportunity, support, and development they need to grow, thrive, and realize their greatest potential all while supporting the Firm’s client service principles of excellence, strategic partnership, commercial instinct, integrated strengths, innovation, and collaboration across our international firm.If you enjoy working with team members whose defining characteristics are exceptional client service, initiative, professionalism, responsiveness, and adaptability, you may be the person we are seeking to join our Procurement department in our Chicago office, as a Director: Procurement. This position provides strategic leadership for the Firm’s global procurement and sourcing function with a mandate to deliver measurable commercial value - including cost reduction, supplier-driven innovation, risk mitigation, and operational efficiency. The Director: Procurement will design and execute a global procurement strategy that optimizes total cost of ownership, increases Firm-wide leverage, accelerates contract velocity, and enhances the Firm’s ability to scale. The role requires close collaboration with leadership across offices and functions to ensure procurement decisions align with Firm objectives, improve financial performance, and support long-term growth.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required in Supply Chain Management, Business or Finance
A minimum of twelve years of progressive purchasing and sourcing management experience in a corporate or consulting environment; senior or executive management level experience preferred
Demonstrated success leading procurement transformation initiatives in complex, matrixed professional services organisations (law firms, consulting firms, accounting firms preferred)
Track record of implementing triage criteria, self-service models, and process improvements that balance control with user experience
Experience managing stakeholder expectations, communicating priorities transparently, and building trust across geographically dispersed teams
Skilled at developing training programmes, playbooks, and communication strategies that drive adoption of new procurement processes and technologies
Proficiency in Microsoft Office products
Demonstrated ability to deliver bottom-line savings, cost avoidance, and value creation through strategic sourcing and negotiation.
Strong commercial instincts with a deep understanding of pricing models, cost structures, contractual risk, and TCO (Total Cost of Ownership).
Sophisticated negotiation skills with proven success managing high-value supplier relationships and complex contracts.
Expertise in spend analytics, demand management, and modeling the financial impact of sourcing decisions.
Strong leadership skills with the ability to influence stakeholders, drive consensus, and lead Firm-wide initiatives.
Strategic thinker capable of designing systems, frameworks, and processes that scale globally.
Strong understanding of procurement and supplier technologies and the ability to translate them into commercial outcomes.
Ability to influence and gain buy-in from senior partners, practice leaders, and business services leaders.
Leads staffing, performance, and development for the procurement team with a focus on commercial capability building.
Manages operational budgets and provides recommendations for financial improvement
Conducts ongoing analysis of staffing models, workloads, and productivity to ensure optimal resourcing.
Drives organizational change to improve efficiency, enhance stakeholder experience, and strengthen commercial performance.
Ensures priorities are aligned with financial and operational impact; delegates effectively to accelerate execution.

Nice To Haves

Graduate degree in business (MBA) or equivalent work-related experience preferred not required
Professional designation as a Certified Purchasing Manager (CPM) and membership in the National Association preferred not required.
Purchasing Managers is highly desirable not required

Responsibilities

Set and Execute a Commercial Procurement Strategy
Drive Enterprise-Level Value and Global Leverage
Deliver Measurable Cost Optimization
Lead High-Value Negotiations and Supplier Relationships
Optimize Contract Management and Compliance
Accelerate Digital and AI-Enabled Procurement
Establish Commercial KPIs, Reporting & Performance Management
Build and Lead a High-Performance Global Team
Supports continuous improvement initiatives, organizational change, and Firm-wide operational priorities.
Performs other duties as required to meet Firm strategic and financial