Director Business Process Outsourcing & Contract Performance

The organisation

AkzoNobel creates everyday essentials to make people’s lives more liveable and inspiring. As a leading global paints and coatings company and a major producer of specialty chemicals, we supply essential ingredients, essential protection and essential color to industries and consumers worldwide. Backed by a pioneering heritage, our innovative products and sustainable technologies are designed to meet the growing demands of our fast-changing planet, while making life easier. Headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, we have approximately 45,000 people in around 80 countries, while our portfolio includes well-known brands such as Flexa, Sikkens, Alabastine and Jozo. Consistently ranked as a leader in sustainability, we are dedicated to energizing cities and communities while creating a protected, colorful world where life is improved by what we do.

Our Global Business Services (GBS) provide a range of services to all our business areas and business units worldwide. This demands the highest levels of BPO Contracts and Performance. Within this context, your mission in this role is to assume responsibility for the quality of the contracts we negotiate with providers, along with all other aspects of the provider relationship. Thus you ensure governance of the contracts and the delivery of services, and the corrective actions necessary to keep all GBS-managed provider contracts operating optimally.

Is this a challenge that matches your background as an outstanding negotiator with strong persuasive skills, in both one-on-one and group situations? Do you have a deep background in Legal and/or Procurement? Can you work under pressure while expertly connecting the business contract solutions with legal counsel? Do you have the ability to solve problems creatively decisively and quickly, in such a way as to meet the needs of GBS and its clients? Above all, do you have what it takes to make a real difference within our dynamic, multinational and multicultural business environment?

If you offer all this and more we invite you to apply for the role of Director Business Process Outsourcing & Contract Performance.

Tasks & responsibilities

This is a high profile position in which you are a member of the GBS senior management team. You are responsible for the negotiation and oversight of Business Process Outsourcing / Information Technology Outsourcing (BPO/ITO) provider contract(s), and ultimately responsible for the BPO/ITO programs’ success. A further key task is to build and deploy a SIAM (Service Integration and Management) system. Working from either Amsterdam or Arnhem in the Netherlands, you manage a team of BPO/ITO providers, and you collaborate with Legal and Procurement to negotiate commercials, escalating to senior GBS and/or AkzoNobel leadership as needed. You also negotiate non-core services and take the lead in renewal, extension or setup of new contracts.

Thus you establish, negotiate, modify, and manage the contractual agreements. You also develop innovative contracting and governance approaches to achieve positive outcomes for users of the BPO/ITO services. In doing so you ensure that both the BPO/ITO providers and AkzoNobel stakeholders comply with the agreements and commitments stated in the contract.

Further, you draft training material and execute training for stakeholders on the provider contracts and their structure, and you act as a reference point for GBS for all queries and information request regarding the provider contracts.

In addition you monitor and report on the financial performance of the contract and other relevant documents such as change requests. You also review and validate provider invoices and contract rates, and draft and review all other contracts with third party providers initiated by GBS.

On an ongoing basis you conduct contract strategy meetings to identify issues and client requirements, facilitate pricing discussions, and obtain senior management input on timelines and deliverables. At all times you support the continuous improvement process with insights and suggestions to improve the relationship with, and performance of, the service providers.??

You will require powerful expertise in the leading practices around commercial operating terms and conditions, typical legal clauses, pricing models, ARC/RCC variable resourcing/pricing structures, FTE and volume based deal formats, contract governance models, and compliance and controls for BPO/ITO contract management.

Alongside this knowledge you should have demonstrable experience of managing and working through tough situations specific to sourcing and contracting processes.

You must be available to travel globally, as necessary, up to 25% of your time.

Candidate profile

To apply for this position you must possess the following attributes:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in General Business or Engineering-related field. MBA is preferred; 
• 15+ years relevant work experience in contract/SLA management, negotiations, working with outsourcing providers, project management;
• Experience and process knowledge of: Finance and accounting, Procurement (NPR/indirect), HR, IM (infrastructure and applications) and other business support functions such as real estate, facilities management etc. in a multinational environment;
• Able to advise and interact with all levels of management and influence their decision making process;
• Legal or procurement background is preferred;
• Outstanding written and oral communications skills including fluent Dutch and English.

Interested?

You are invited to apply to this position by using the link below. For further information, please contact Marjan van Grinsven, Talent Resourcing Manager, +31 (0)88-010 6789, option 2. Only online applications will be accepted.

A pre-employment screening may form part of the selection process.

Agency or sales calls are not appreciated.