Background: 

Oak View Group (“OVG”) is a global development and investment company operating within the sports & entertainment industry. In just six short years, OVG has ascended to the top of the industry and now owns the space between the “What If” and the “How To.” With a client-centric approach OVG understands that it is not enough to consider what clients could be, but instead strives to build businesses by dreaming of the impossible, through strategic thought and flawless execution. Operating with a mindset of “the status quo being our adversary,” OVG takes innovation to the next level. The company has made a mark with pioneering projects like Climate Pledge Arena and UBS Arena, both part of its diverse portfolio of seven venues worldwide, while also managing over 400+ global venues, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to innovative practices in its brief yet impactful history. This innovative approach is guided by the fan-first mindset of the organization and grounds the decision-making process; ensuring that every decision is made through the lens of the fans.    

Since the company’s inception in 2015, OVG has been very disciplined in its growth and unafraid to take risks. What initially started as a dream by Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff has grown to an unexpected reality; with an international presence employing over 500 industry experts across five offices around the globe and an overall employee headcount of more than 60,000. OVG is currently comprised of nine different divisions that operate with one common goal in mind – to be a positive disruption. Each division is comprised of industry veterans who all built their careers and reputations on the premise of leaving somewhere better and stronger than where they found it. This immense practical and first-hand knowledge fosters an environment of trust, collaboration, and ingenuity. As Oak View Group rounds out its first decade in existence, the company is looking for passionate, forward-thinking talent to help expand upon the company’s meteoric rise to prominence.

Any interested candidates should contact TurnkeyZRG directly.

Contacting Oak View Group will only delay consideration of your qualifications.

Position Summary: 

As a global business poised for its next phase of growth, Oak View Group is proud to introduce the role of Head of Procurement. This newly established leadership position will represent OVG’s strategic focus on driving operational efficiency to support the company’s global growth and long-term success. With the full backing of executive leadership, the Head of Procurement is tasked with driving operational excellence, optimizing cost efficiency, enhancing commercial viability, and fostering alignment across the enterprise. The mandate of the Head of Procurement is to provide a sustainable, competitive advantage to Oak View Group by establishing and leading a best-in-class Global Procurement function, leveraging scale, and maximizing the value that vendors can bring to the business. This position offers a unique opportunity to build and lead a world-class procurement strategy and business line that will support both national and global operations.

The Head of Procurement will be able to build and shape the procurement function from the ground up, driving alignment and establishing best-in-class processes that consolidate decision-making across business lines. In this role, one will operate as the key decision-maker and strategist for procurement across all categories, ensuring financial opportunities are maximized, and cost savings are realized without compromising the integrity of the business. The Head of Procurement will develop Global Procurement strategies, establishing regional/local adaptations, where needed, resulting from extensive interactions and integration with both the business and partners. Additionally, they will leverage their deep understanding of supplier diversity and sustainability practices to integrate these values within broader organizational objectives and infrastructure.

This senior-level role requires a dynamic and strategic leader with exceptional business acumen, a track record of operational excellence, and a proven ability to deliver impactful results through leveraging influence and relationship-building. Focused on driving measurable outcomes, this leader will play a critical role in influencing change, ensuring that procurement practices align with organizational priorities and are fully integrated into the company’s strategic goals. They will also be responsible for continuously evaluating and optimizing procurement programs to enhance performance, accountability, and innovation. This role calls for someone who can envision and execute a long-term strategy in a fluid and evolving landscape, turning challenges into opportunities for growth and impact.

A successful candidate will demonstrate exceptional adaptability and the ability to devise innovative solutions that drive success, even without clear direction or fully established support systems. They will embrace the opportunity to define the future of procurement, bringing a forward-thinking vision to life. Recognizing the uniqueness of this role, they will possess resilience and determination to thrive in a complex environment, making a significant impact on the organization's cost-effectiveness, efficiency, and overall business strategy. The ideal candidate will exhibit high emotional intelligence, flexibility, strategic foresight, and the ability to inspire and lead cross-functional teams to achieve excellence. Balancing operational excellence with adaptable strategies will be essential to the success of the procurement function and broader organizational objectives. This role is not for someone seeking the security of established system/processes; instead, the individual should have an entrepreneurial mindset and be able to build success from the ground up. They will excel at making decisions and delivering results in uncertain circumstances, demonstrating self-motivation and resourcefulness while navigating an evolving business line with constrained infrastructure and support.

This is a remarkable opportunity to lead the transformation of a procurement function, driving strategic initiatives that will have a lasting and significant impact on the organization’s success.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Leverage procurement expertise to identify and capitalize on business opportunities, driving revenue growth, optimizing operational efficiency, and developing a sustainable model for long-term value creation.

• Spearhead the strategic direction and vision for the Global Procurement function, aligning procurement goals with the broader business objectives to drive organizational success and business goals.

• Identify and capitalize on strategic opportunities for procurement to drive business growth, foster synergies, unlock working capital potential, and lead innovation across the organization.

• Lead spend and demand analysis, supply market assessments, category strategy planning, and sourcing strategy development to optimize procurement performance and align with business objectives.

• Establish and define key performance indicators (KPIs) for the organization and department, and consistently measure and monitor performance to ensure alignment with strategic objectives and operational goals.

• Design and implement tools and processes that provide visibility into procurement spend, leveraging data to drive a more strategic and informed approach.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with vendors, subcontractors, and suppliers and internal stakeholders across various business units. Negotiate contracts, terms, and pricing to ensure favorable agreements that meet quality standards, cost objectives, and project timelines with a continuous commitment to enhancing supplier diversity initiatives.

• Establish and execute strategic procurement guidelines, ensuring alignment with long-term business goals and industry best practices.

• Drive the continuous evolution of the Procurement Function, focusing on process optimization, operational efficiency, and organizational improvements to enhance overall performance.

• Collaborate with finance and project management teams to establish procurement budgets, forecasts, and cost-saving strategies. Continuously monitor expenses, track key procurement metrics, and implement cost-control initiatives to ensure projects stay within financial targets.

• Oversee the end-to-end lifecycle of sourcing and procurement projects, including strategic planning, bid preparation, budgeting and forecasting, negotiation, invoicing, and performance reporting.

• Design, build, lead and develop a high-performing team of procurement professionals from the ground-up, overseeing operational procurement activities across a broad range of categories, from market and supplier evaluation to contract negotiation and management.

• Proactively identify and mitigate procurement risks, including supply chain disruptions, vendor reliability, and geopolitical factors. Develop contingency and sourcing strategies to ensure operational continuity.

• Deliver comprehensive reports and strategic insights to senior leadership, highlighting procurement activities, performance metrics, cost-savings, and identifying key opportunities for continuous improvement.

• Ensure the procurement organization is equipped with the necessary skills and expertise to effectively engage with business partners, understand their needs, and deliver value that meets or exceeds expectations.

• Stay ahead of industry trends and market innovations, integrating relevant technologies and practices into procurement strategies. Leverage market intelligence to negotiate optimal terms and pricing while driving strategic procurement initiatives aligned with business objectives; develop and implement sourcing strategies informed by comprehensive market insights and future business needs.

• Oversee contract management to safeguard organizational interests, ensuring both short-term and long-term business requirements are met.

• Lead the ongoing evolution of the group sustainability procurement strategy, ensuring suppliers align with sustainable practices and contribute to long-term environmental goals.

• Ensure procurement activity complies with all relevant regulatory and best practice frameworks.

Qualifications:

• A minimum of 10 years of experience in Procurement, with a proven track record in leadership positions.

• Excels in dynamic, evolving, fast-paced and hyper-growth/scaling environments; balances process and structure with pace and change.

• Inspires and leads teams by setting a clear direction and fostering commitment, driving engagement through a collaborative, open environment that values diverse perspectives.

• Builds and leverages both formal and informal networks to extend influence, gather insights, and secure stakeholder buy-in across organizational boundaries.

• Demonstrates exceptional cross-functional collaboration, mobilizing teams to tackle challenges, embrace change, and seize new opportunities.

• Combines strong analytical, strategic thinking, and consulting skills to drive forward-thinking, innovative solutions while challenging conventional approaches.

• Empowers others by sharing knowledge, facilitating open communication, and motivating stakeholders to actively contribute to decision-making and transformational initiatives.

• Exhibits advanced influencing and negotiation capabilities, building trust-based relationships to drive alignment and achieve high-impact outcomes.

• Utilizes a future-oriented mindset to identify emerging trends, anticipate challenges, and proactively shape organizational strategies that create lasting value.

Skills and Attributes:

• Proven Procurement Expertise: Extensive experience in managing procurement, including sourcing strategies, supplier relations, and optimizing costs to deliver maximum value.

• Strategic Integration of Procurement: Ability to align procurement seamlessly with broader business strategies, ensuring it’s not an isolated function but a key driver of overall organizational success.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Strong understanding of roles within the organization and the ability to collaborate across disciplines, driving change and improving performance through effective teamwork.

• Leadership in Complex Environments: Demonstrated success leading in large, established organizations, with a combination of adaptability, resourcefulness, and the ability to thrive in dynamic, fast-paced settings.

• Global Business and Cultural Awareness: Ability to navigate the global marketplace with strong business acumen and cultural sensitivity, facilitating strategic decision-making and collaboration across international teams.

• Transformational Leadership: Proven track record of driving impactful, long-term change with a focus on strategic innovation and creating sustainable value, beyond just cost reduction.

• Relentless Drive and Commitment: Highly motivated, with a passion to achieve exceptional results. Sees each opportunity as pivotal, bringing relentless energy to build solutions and drive transformation.

• Commercial Mindset and Executive Presence: A results-driven leader with the ability to combine strategic business thinking with executive presence, inspiring confidence and influencing key stakeholders to achieve high-value outcomes.

• Resilient Leadership and Emotional Intelligence: Over 10 years of experience leading lean teams, demonstrating calm, emotional intelligence, and professionalism while navigating complex challenges and driving success.

• Persuasive Influence: The ability to effectively address objections and align proposals with the interests of stakeholders, using clear communication, empathy, and data-driven insights to gain buy-in and drive consensus.