Dee O'Brien

Leading cross-industry procurement initiatives with a strategic focus on sustainability, value creation, and supplier performance across the tech, pharmaceutical, and semi-state sectors.

• Developed category strategies for marketing and digital services with embedded ESG goals.
• Led RFx processes focusing on supplier innovation, compliance, and cost reduction.
• Supported SRM frameworks and integrated CSRD and CSDDD requirements into supplier evaluations.

10 years of diverse procurement experience at Novartis, spanning various roles, projects, and responsibility levels 2014-2024

• Led 'Project Seed,' a global initiative to reduce demand and costs for Marketing Print and Promotional Materials, driving sustainability in the category.
• Change management project, challenging demand and spend reduction, endorsement by C-Suite Leadership across Sustainability, Commercial and Procurement divisions globally, transforming ways of working
• Reduced spend from $178Mi in 2019 to $64Mi in 2023 – Award-winning sustainable procurement project presented at Global Townhall in 2021 and formed part of all procurement's objectives from then on.
• Enhanced SC sustainability by integrating environmental considerations into category management practices.
• I was Seconded as the "Sustainability Procurement Champion" for commercial categories, working with categories and vendors to promote "Novartis Green Expectations"

• Promoted to Global Category Manager - Key Marketing Projects
• Key contributor to RFI/RFP with Media 20:20 team, building productivity pipeline for 2020 and beyond for Novartis's largest commercial contract, valued at $1Bn. Responsible for liaising with legal in contract drafting and review, working closely with legal teams to ensure supplier agreements aligned with company standards, compliance requirements, and category strategies.
• Key member of the global procurement team reviewing agency media spend globally using spend analysis, reporting, and dashboard to provide procurement insights. Led RFP of all agency holding groups globally, resulting in negotiated contracts with three international agencies, achieving $18.7M savings in Year 1.

• Promoted to Marketing Procurement Manager - Shared Services
• Led Creative, Digital, Consultants, Medical Communications, and IT categories strategically and tactically, driving Operating Model Transformation and end-to-end Procurement strategy, including supplier selection, RFPs, tenders, and supplier relationship management.
• Managed team of eight digital contractors.
• Spoke at Procurecon London 2016 on "Innovating your Digital Spend."

• Directed strategic and tactical aspects of Creative, Digital, Consultants, Medical Communications, and IT, steering Operating Model Transformation and comprehensive Procurement strategy from supplier selection through RFPs, tenders, contract negotiation to supplier management
• Supported agreement development and compliance, partnering with legal on risk mitigation and contract standardisation.
• Led strategic renegotiation of key contract through innovative technology application, achieving 63% reduction in cost

• Oversaw agency/client relationships, providing strategic direction and leading teams to meet objectives.
• Managed outsourced consultants across media buying, print, outdoor, promotional items, and PR.
• Fostered client relationships and resolved issues, ensuring high-quality service delivery.
• Trained and led team of junior digital marketers.

• Lectured to Post Graduate IT Students in the principals of Marketing.

• Implemented national advertising campaign (ATL, BTL, Digital) with a €250K budget, improving performance.
• Trained call center team for performance enhancement, ensuring ROI on media spend.
• Reduced child sponsor costs by 35% through targeted media placements,
• Doubled fundraising goals to build two girls' schools in Togo, West Africa.

• Led National Advertising Campaign for WEEE Ireland, boosting awareness for EU's Electrical Recycling Directive.
• Managed campaign, coordinated recycling events with councils, and developed strategies with directors, EPA, and Department of Environment.
• Achieved a 36% increase in recycling scheme awareness.