Our client is a global leader in molecular diagnostics and applied testing, with a strong focus on areas such as infectious disease, immune response modulation, forensics, and academic research. Their commitment to building a sustainable future goes to the very core of their vision of making life improvements possible. Headquartered in the Netherlands and operating across more than 25 countries, the company employs approximately 6,000 people. In early 2023, the company sought to enhance its procurement capabilities, specifically in the domain of IT and digital services. Internal search for a suitable candidate to take on the director role yielded no results. The company decided to retain Pacific International to help them identify and attract a senior leader to address critical challenges in their procurement team.
The company’s procurement division faced several challenges in finding a suitable candidate for the role of Global Category Director for IT and Digital Services, based in Wroclaw, Poland. Reporting to the Vice President of Purchasing, the position required a proven negotiator to lead the procurement strategies for IT and digital services, who would coordinate the life cycle of these categories and optimize them, oversee a team of four as well as maintain relationships with internal stakeholders including those based in the shared service center in Shanghai, and manage the negotiations of significant contracts, including high-value agreements with communications providers.
Compounding the challenges were continuing market disruptions and increased demand due to COVID-19 and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which had impacted procurement dynamics, particularly the supply chain.
Additionally, the role demanded a blend of technical expertise, strong leadership capabilities, and cultural fit.
Pacific’s approach to addressing the client’s needs involved a meticulous search for a candidate with specific experience in IT and digital services procurement. The process began by clarifying the role’s requirements, including necessary language, technical expertise, and leadership qualities followed by mapping the talent market within the target companies.
Cultural fit played an important part in identifying the right candidate. The Pacific team spoke to many highly experienced procurement leaders who unfortunately lacked engagement and enthusiasm for the role and had to be turned down. Despite initial setbacks with cultural differences, Pacific successfully identified a female candidate who met the technical and leadership criteria and demonstrated strong communication skills and enthusiasm for the role.
Her background aligned perfectly with the client’s needs, and her positive attitude and engagement throughout the process further reassured the stakeholders that she would succeed in the role and would be an asset to the firm.
The executive search project began in October 2023 and was completed by January 2024, despite the holiday period. Out of seven high-impact candidates, six were invited for client interviews. The successful female candidate started her new role on January 1, 2024, and quickly integrated into the team, fulfilling her responsibilities and exceeding expectations.
Procurement is a broad function but IT and Digital Services is a very narrow specialty so the Pacific team was particularly pleased with presenting a diverse shortlist and securing a diverse candidate for the client who was highly satisfied with the outcome, and noted the new director’s strong fit with the company culture and her effective handling of procurement challenges.
The success of this placement led to additional projects in Europe and the US, underscoring the strong ongoing relationship between the two companies.
