Main purpose of the role

Lead and oversee supplier assurance, due diligence, and compliance activities; manage a team delivering onboarding, screening and risk management of suppliers; ensure audit ready documentation; drive standardization and continuous improvement of the process and the strategic program.

Key responsibilities

- Lead and manage the Supplier Assurance and Due Diligence function, including a team of specialists and senior specialists
- Oversee end-to-end supplier onboarding and due diligence, including screening, risk classification, and approvals
- Ensure compliance with internal policies, regulatory requirements, and client obligations across all supplier processes
- Drive audit readiness, ensuring complete, accurate, and traceable documentation and evidence always
- Manage audit activities, including preparation, response, and timely closure of findings and remediation actions
- Establish and monitor governance frameworks, including controls, policies, and standard operating procedures
- Oversee systems and tools (e.g. Coupa), ensuring data quality, integrity, and effective workflow management
- Provide risk-based advisory support to Procurement, Legal, Compliance, and business stakeholders on supplier decisions
- Monitor supplier risk exposure and escalate high-risk cases in line with defined thresholds to country & group procurement
- Track performance and delivery using structured KPIs, RAG status, and explicit ownership of actions
- Drive continuous improvement, including process standardisation, efficiency gains, and automation initiatives




- Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders to ensure alignment across procurement, finance, legal, IT, and other functional SMEs
- Report on key risks, issues, and performance to senior leadership through clear and concise executive updates
- Support strategic initiatives, including sustainability, compliance transformation, and supplier assurance programmes
- Deliver on KPIs, of supply chain compliance from both customers and internal strategic goals.

Professional experience

15+ years’ experience in procurement, supplier assurance, compliance or risk management, with proven team leadership experience.

Key Competences Hard Skills (Technical & Functional)

- Supplier Due Diligence & Risk Management: Strong knowledge of supplier onboarding, risk classification, and enhanced due diligence processes
- Risk Domain Expertise: Strong knowledge of third-party risk domains (minimum 5 risk areas) – Financial, Health and safety, geographical, information security, cyber security, carbon management, sustainability, Anti-bribery and corruption, AML & sanction screening, Products & Services, Quality management, Supply chain, business continuity, Data protection, Regulatory (Banking, Pharma), Food safety, cloud security
- Regulatory & Compliance Expertise: Understanding of ESG, anti-bribery,



sanctions, and internal control frameworks – CSDDD, CSRD, LKsG, Modern slavery etc..
- Key customer engagements & Selling compliance as a service: Experience in engaging customers during the sales process and securing buy-in from customers by positioning compliance as a service
- Audit & Controls Management: Experience in audit readiness, evidence documentation, and remediation tracking
- Systems & Data Governance: Proficiency with procurement and risk tools (e.g. Coupa), ensuring data quality and process integrity
- Risk Reporting & Analysis: Ability to analyse supplier risk data and provide clear, actionable insights

Process Design & Optimisation: Capability to standardise and improve supplier assurance processes across regions

Soft Skills (Behavioural & Leadership)

- Leadership & Team Management: Ability to lead, develop, and drive performance of specialist teams
- Stakeholder Management & Influence: Strong collaboration across Procurement, Legal, Compliance, Finance, IT functions, and other SMEs
- Risk-Based Decision Making: Balances compliance requirements with business needs using structured judgement
- Analytical & Structured Thinking: Applies a methodical approach to problem solving and execution
- Communication Skills: Communicates clearly at both operational and executive levels
- Ownership & Accountability: Drives delivery with clear ownership, deadlines, and follow through
- Change & Continuous Improvement Mindset: Proactively drives process improvements and transformation initiatives

📌 Head of Supply Chain Assurance & Due Diligence (Chennai)
🏢 ISS A/S
📍 Chennai