Head of Procurement

About Illovo

Illovo Sugar (Malawi) plc is the leading producer of raw, refined, and specialty sugars in Malawi, employing a workforce exceeding 9,000 individuals. The company is a part of ABF Sugar, a subsidiary of Associated British Foods plc.

About the Role

The Head of Procurement will take ownership of Illovo Malawi's sourcing of goods, services, and contracts across its diverse multi-site operations. This role is designed to drive strategic sourcing initiatives, enhance supplier performance, and strengthen procurement governance. The Head of Procurement will lead a dedicated team focused on delivering exceptional value, ensuring business continuity, and supporting a safe, quality-focused operational environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the end-to-end procurement and inventory functions, encompassing strategic sourcing, supplier relationship management, contract administration, procurement operations, and data analytics.


• Develop and implement effective procurement strategies that safeguard business continuity, improve supplier reliability, and promote cost efficiency across all multi-site operations. This includes leading sourcing efforts for critical spend categories, balancing cost, quality, availability, supplier risk, and long-term commercial value.


• Foster robust supplier partnerships, overseeing the selection, onboarding, and performance management of suppliers against established cost, quality, delivery, and service benchmarks.


• Achieve demonstrable cost savings and added value through competitive sourcing, strategic negotiation, demand management, product standardisation, and disciplined contract enforcement.


• Ensure consistent stock availability and readiness of materials by optimising inventory levels and planning for critical spares, thereby preventing supply chain disruptions.


• Maintain stringent procurement governance, including adherence to approval limits, audit requirements, ethical sourcing practices, and anti-bribery protocols. Collaborate with Finance on budget discipline, working capital management, and payment processes, and with Legal to mitigate commercial and contractual risks.


• Utilise procurement and inventory data to monitor supplier performance, lead times, cost savings, and risk factors, and to promptly resolve supply-related issues in conjunction with site and functional teams.


• Champion the continuous improvement of procurement workflows, control mechanisms, and internal customer service levels, aiming for enhanced efficiency and ease of collaboration.


• Lead and develop a high-performing procurement team, escalate significant material risks to executive leadership, and uphold all company health, safety, environmental, food safety, and quality standards.

Qualifications and Experience

• A Bachelor's degree in Procurement, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Commerce, Finance, Engineering, Operations Management, or a closely related discipline.


• A professional qualification in procurement or supply chain management, such as CIPS or an equivalent certification, is strongly preferred.


• A minimum of 8 to 10 years of progressive experience in procurement, sourcing, or supply chain roles, including a minimum of 5 years in a senior management position.

Application Deadline: Friday, 6 November 2026.

How to Apply: To submit your application, please click "Apply" and follow the step-by-step instructions.