Head of Purchase to Pay (P2P) Operations

Location: Birmingham, UK

Contract Duration: 12 Months

Working Arrangement: Hybrid - Up to 3 days per week in the office

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Head of Purchase to Pay (P2P) Operations to lead operational delivery, transformation and continuous improvement across a complex finance operations environment.

This is a senior leadership opportunity for a professional with extensive experience in Purchase to Pay, Accounts Payable, Finance Operations or Shared Services. The successful candidate will drive operational excellence, strengthen governance and controls, and lead the integration of multiple teams into a cohesive, high-performing function.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the implementation of Purchase to Pay policies, processes, procedures and engagement activities.

• Work closely with senior stakeholders and subject matter experts to develop and implement operational policies and standards.

• Ensure compliance with P2P policies through effective governance, controls and performance monitoring.

• Lead operational transformation, process improvement and change initiatives, ensuring business readiness and successful adoption.

• Oversee the integration of P2P support, transactional operations and shared services teams into a unified operating function.

• Build team capability, strengthen leadership and promote a culture of continuous improvement and customer service excellence.

• Monitor operational performance through KPIs, service metrics and management information.

• Manage resources effectively to support efficient and consistent service delivery.

• Develop strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to improve operational outcomes.

• Identify opportunities to optimise processes, improve efficiency and implement industry best practices.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Significant experience leading operations within Purchase to Pay (P2P), Procure to Pay, Accounts Payable, Finance Operations or Shared Services.

• Extensive understanding of end-to-end P2P processes and business-as-usual (BAU) operational delivery.

• Proven experience leading large-scale operational transformation and organisational change.

• Strong knowledge of financial controls, governance, risk management and compliance.

• Demonstrable experience integrating teams and managing operational change.

• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders across multiple business areas.

• Experience developing high-performing teams and driving service improvement.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to use performance data to support decision-making.

• Excellent communication and leadership skills.

Desirable Experience

• Professional qualification in Finance, Procurement or Business Management, such as CIPS, ACCA, CIMA or CIPFA.

• Experience within the public sector, government or another highly regulated environment.

• Knowledge of Shared Services operating models and service management frameworks.

• Experience with ERP and finance systems such as SAP, Oracle, Unit4 or similar platforms.

• Understanding of change management methodologies and organisational design.

• Experience establishing and monitoring KPIs, SLAs and customer satisfaction measures.

• Knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma or other continuous improvement methodologies.