Icebolethu Group is an Authorised Financial Service Provider FSP45714 and a Level 1 BBBEE Contributor is South Africa's second largest Funeral Assurance Group. Winner of the Standard Bank KZN - Top Brand award for 2022 provides a centre of excellence and a leading provider of dignified burial solutions.
We are currently seeking a Group Procurement Manager to lead, standardise, and optimise procurement across the Group to achieve value for money, cost savings, and effective spend control. The role ensures ethical, transparent, and compliant procurement practices, manages supplier relationships and procurement risk, and supports operational efficiency and strategic business objectives. It is also responsible for developing and enforcing a group-wide procurement strategy, policies, and controls in line with governance, audit, and regulatory requirements.
Skills and Competencies
• Strong numerical and analytical skills
• Strategic sourcing and procurement planning
• Contract negotiation and management
• Spend analysis and cost optimisation
• Procurement governance and compliance frameworks
• High ethical standards and integrity
• Strong leadership and people management skills
• Excellent negotiation and stakeholder management abilities
• Analytical and commercially astute decisionmaking
• Ability to operate effectively under audit and regulatory scrutiny
Qualifications
• Matric (Grade 12)
• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Finance and/or Commerce or a related field
• Professional certification in CIPS (Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply) CPSM or equivalent are advantageous.
Experience
• Minimum 7–10 years’ procurement experience, with at least 3–5 years in a senior or group-level role
• Proven experience managing procurement across multiple entities or business units
Key Responsibilities
Group Procurement Strategy & Governance
• Develop and implement a Group Procurement Strategy aligned to the Group’s financial, operational, and growth objectives
• Establish and maintain group-wide procurement policies, procedures, and delegation of authority frameworks
• Ensure procurement practices comply with company policies, applicable legislation and regulations and king IV principles of governance
• Provide strategic procurement input to executive management and board committees where required
Supplier Sourcing and Management
• Oversee supplier sourcing, evaluation, appointment, and onboarding processes
• Negotiate commercial terms, pricing, service levels, and contracts to maximise value and minimise risk
• Establish preferred supplier panels and framework agreements
• Monitor supplier performance through KPIs, SLAs, and periodic reviews
• Manage supplier disputes and underperformance proactively
Cost Control & Value Optimisation
• Analyse group-wide spend to identify cost reduction opportunities, volume leverage and consolidation benefits and contract optimisation opportunities
• Deliver measurable procurement savings and efficiencies without compromising quality or service
• Support budget preparation and cost forecasting in collaboration with Finance
Contract Management
• Ensure all procurement contracts are appropriately reviewed, approved within delegated authority and properly executed and stored
• Track contract expiry dates and renewals to mitigate operational and financial risk
• Work closely with Legal and Finance on contract governance and risk mitigation
Compliance, Risk & Audit Support
• Ensure procurement processes are auditready at all times
• Provide procurementrelated support during internal audits, external audits and risk assessments and regulatory reviews
• Implement controls to prevent fraud, conflicts of interest and irregular, fruitless, or wasteful expenditure
• Ensure required procurement documentation and approvals are properly maintained
Team Leadership & Capability Building
• Lead, mentor, and develop procurement staff across the Group
• Set performance objectives and conduct regular performance reviews
• Build a culture of ethical conduct, accountability, and continuous improvement
• Ensure procurement teams are adequately trained on policies, systems, and best practices
Stakeholder Engagement
• Partner with Operations, Finance, and Business Unit leaders to understand procurement needs
• Act as a trusted advisor on sourcing strategies and supplier decisions
• Balance commercial objectives with operational realities and service requirements
BBBEE Procurement Compliance & Audit Coordination
• Coordinate and lead the Procurement function’s contribution to BBBEE verification audits across the Group.
• Ensure ongoing readiness of procurement documentation, systems, and data for BBBEE verification purposes.
• Take accountability for procurementrelated elements of the BBBEE scorecard, including but not limited to preferential Procurement, supplier development and enterprise Development (where procurementled).
• Ensure accurate tracking, classification, and verification of supplier BBBEE credentials, including valid affidavits, certificates, and SANASaccredited verification reports.
• Work closely with Finance, Transformation, and external BBBEE consultants to validate procurement spend analysis, confirm qualifying spend categories and resolve audit queries and findings relating to procurement
• Ensure procurement systems and controls support correct supplier classification, spend traceability and auditready reporting
• Proactively identify risks, gaps, or underperformance in procurementdriven BBBEE targets and implement corrective actions.
• Support strategic initiatives to improve BBBEE procurement outcomes through supplier selection, development initiatives, and targeted sourcing strategies.
Working Conditions
• Office-based with periodic travel to group sites
• High interaction with executive management and external suppliers
• Time-critical deliverables during audits and highprocurement cycles
Authority and Decision-Making
• Approve procurement decisions within delegated authority limits
• Recommend supplier appointments and contract awards to EXCO / CFO
• Enforce procurement controls and noncompliance remediation
ICEBOLETHU EMBRACES THE PRINCIPLES OF THE EMPLOYMENT EQUITY ACT
• We are an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to creating a diverse and inclusive company culture.
• Successful candidates will undergo employment security checks such as Criminal, Employment reference and Credit Checks.
• Ensure Recent Contactable References
• Persons living with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
(NB: Applications with no clarification for the position applying for will not be considered)
Please submit all CV’s to financerecruitment@icebolethu.co.za
Closing date for CV submissions is Friday, 15 May 2026.