Global Procurement Digital Excellence Manager - Castrol

Job Family Group: Procurement & Supply Chain Management Group Job Description: This is a role within the Castrol organisation and the successful candidate will become part of the Castrol ring-fence. If you are part of the ring-fence, it is expected that your employment will move with Castrol to new ownership The Procurement Digital Excellence Manager plays a pivotal role in enabling Castrol’s procurement digital transformation. You will drive efficiency, compliance, and innovation across the full end‑to‑end procurement process, ensuring technology and process work seamlessly together. As the Product Owner for procurement digital systems - including SAP ECC, SAP S/4HANA, and S2P applications (e.g. SAP Ariba) – you will translate business needs into user stories, shape product roadmaps, and deliver solutions that support Castrol’s strategic objectives. You will collaborate closely with procurement teams, IT, and global process owners to challenge the status quo, streamline workflows, and ensure regionally compliant, globally consistent digital processes. This role requires strong influencing skills, the ability to simplify complexity, and a passion for innovation. You will unite diverse stakeholders, strengthen supplier partnerships, and champion the adoption of modern, compliant, data-driven procurement practices that create bottom line values. Key Accountabilities Digital Excellence & Product Ownership • Lead the vision, strategy, and roadmap for the procurement digital ecosystem. • Develop clear user stories and strong benefit cases for new features and enhancements. • Collaborate with IT to translate user requirements into implementable technical solutions through design, build, and deployment cycles. • Use data-led insights to manage demand, prioritize changes, and ensure system capabilities support business needs. • Incorporate regional legal, tax, and market requirements while striving for global standardization. Procurement Process Transformation • Challenge existing processes and drive innovative, future‑fit improvements across sourcing, purchasing, and Procure‑to‑Pay. • Ensure systems enable efficient working capital management — e.g. enable smooth downstream process like paying accurately and on time, ensuring clear cash‑flow visibility. • Partner with process excellence teams to simplify landscape complexity and accelerate transformation outcomes. • Promote digital adoption and data quality through compelling storytelling, stakeholder coaching, and clear communication. Portfolio Management & Continuous Improvement • Lead continuous improvement of procurement digital tools, embedding lessons learned into ongoing and future initiatives. • Know the latest with industry trends, guidelines, and emerging technologies to ensure the ecosystem remains modern and compliant. • Manage risks, issues, and change control processes in collaboration with IT and business leads. • Build a culture of risk awareness and innovation within the teams you work with. Change Management & Deployment Readiness • Support change impact assessments and readiness plans to ensure smooth ERP/S2P deployment and adoption. • Monitor adoption metrics to ensure standardized, compliant procurement processes are embedded globally. • Identify risks, gaps, and resistance, and develop mitigation plans aligned with wider ERP transformation objectives. Team Integration & Knowledge Sharing • Act as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) for procurement digital systems and processes. • Coach procurement and multi-functional teams to build digital fluency and operational excellence. • Foster an environment of psychological safety, curiosity, and collaborative learning. • Develop and mentor team members on digital tools, data-driven insights, and modern procurement capabilities. Supplier & Stakeholder Collaboration • Build trusted relationships with stakeholders across functions, regions, and levels — including suppliers. • Lead and influence through complexity, ambiguity, and multicultural environments. • Communicate clearly and respectfully, using data-driven narratives to align stakeholders and secure consensus. • Bring market insights and supplier intelligence into solution design and decision-making. • Prepare documentation and communication materials for governance forums and leadership decisions. AI Adoption and Innovation • Stay curious and open to emerging AI and automation opportunities relevant to procurement. • Explore practical AI use cases — such as pattern recognition, intelligent data processing, predictive insights, and workflow optimization — that could enhance efficiency, accuracy, and decision‑making. • Partner with digital teams to evaluate the feasibility and risks of AI-enabled improvements while ensuring alignment with procurement policy, compliance standards, and data governance requirements. • Promote responsible, ethical, and value driven adoption of AI tools to simplify processes and support long-term digital transformation goals. Essential Education • Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Procurement, Information Systems, Business, or equivalent relevant professional experience. • Postgraduate qualification related to procurement is a plus. Essential Experience and Job Requirements: Functional Expertise • Solid understanding of procurement processes and functional requirements across the S2P cycle. • Experience ensuring procurement processes are effectively enabled by technology. • Hands‑on experience with ERP and S2P platform deployments (SAP ECC, S/4HANA, Ariba), including change management. Business & Stakeholder Experience • Ability to quickly understand business priorities, regional nuances, and long-term objectives. • Experience operating within complex multinational organizations. • Strong influencing skills to secure consensus, manage resistance, and drive adoption. Leadership & Integrity • Recognized as an SME in procurement systems, enabling team a…