Avinash Padaki
Birmingham
Summary
Procurement and Category Management professional with over 13 years of experience in strategic sourcing, supplier management, and contract delivery within complex private sector environments, with recent exposure to public sector procurement. Proven expertise in end-to-end tendering, supplier relationship management, KPI development, spend analysis, and procurement compliance, with a strong focus on delivering value for money, governance, and operational efficiency.
Currently working as Procurement assistant at Aston University, supporting end-to-end procurement activities including supplier onboarding, tender administration, spend analysis, and procurement governance.
MBA graduate from Aston University with strong capability in applying structured, data-driven procurement practices to enhance processes, compliance, and stakeholder outcomes.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
Work History
Procurement Support
Aston University
Birmingham, UK
11.2025 - Current
- Provide end-to-end procurement support, managing inbox queries including invoice issues, supplier onboarding requests, and system access across procurement and finance processes.
- Support procurement operations through accurate processing of key documentation such as Quotation Summary Forms (QSF), Procurement Exemption Requests (PER), and ensuring compliance with internal governance and approval frameworks.
- Utilise systems including Agresso, ProContract, and Power BI to manage supplier data, support tender administration, and deliver spend analysis insights for category reporting.
Teaching Assistant – Special Educational Needs (SEN) Schools
Applebough
Birmingham, UK
01.2025 - 10.2025
- Supported classroom learning and individualised education plans for students with diverse special educational needs, fostering inclusive and supportive learning environments.
Procurement Transformation Consultant
Aston University
Birmingham
06.2025 - 09.2025
- Delivered a consultancy project evaluating Aston University’s procurement maturity using the PMA+ framework, identifying gaps in governance, category management, and digital procurement capability.
- Designed a 12-month strategic roadmap aligned with the Aston 2030 Strategy and compliant with the Procurement Act 2023, strengthening procurement governance and compliance readiness.
- Developed SMART KPIs and supplier-relationship models to improve performance measurement, social-value delivery, and data-driven decision making.
- Benchmarked practices against sector consortia (SUPC/SUMS) to recommend practical capability and system improvements.
Senior Sourcing Professional - Travel Commodity Lead
IBM
, India
05.2022 - 08.2024
- Led end-to-end strategic sourcing for the Employee Transportation category across India, managing a high-value supplier portfolio and ensuring alignment with IBM’s global procurement policies and standards.
- Consolidated supplier base from 26 to 8 vendors, achieving 38% cost savings and improving service quality and stakeholder satisfaction.
- Negotiated and implemented long-term framework agreements with tier-one suppliers, delivering USD 43K annual value through volume-based rebates and contract optimisation.
- Introduced SMART KPIs and quarterly supplier performance reviews, improving on-time fulfilment rates from 82% to 96% within one year.
Strategic Sourcing Professional – MRO (Maintenance, Repair & Operations)
IBM
, India
09.2016 - 05.2022
- Led end-to-end sourcing for MRO services, managing RFPs, RFQs, and RFIs across multi-site facility projects, achieving cost reductions of up to 12% through competitive bidding and supplier optimisation.
- Built and maintained strong stakeholder and supplier relationships, consistently meeting Client Satisfaction (CSAT) targets and improving collaboration on project delivery.
- Conducted value analysis and source selection to identify fair-value suppliers and negotiated long-term contracts, contributing to annual Procurement Contribution targets and strategic cost savings.
- Strengthened compliance and supplier governance through regular audits, performance reviews, and adherence to IBM bluebook controls, maintaining 100% audit readiness across the MRO category.
Procurement Applications Analyst and EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) Lead
IBM
, India
10.2013 - 08.2016
- Managed global procurement applications and EDI systems, improving data accuracy and transaction speed across multiple supplier platforms.
- Led EDI integration projects in North America, coordinating supplier onboarding and data alignment, which reduced order-processing time by 25% and improved supplier responsiveness.
- Partnered with cross-functional teams to streamline P2P (Procure-to-Pay) workflows, enhancing operational efficiency and compliance with IBM’s procurement governance standards.
- Delivered end-user support and system training, increasing procurement system adoption and ensuring alignment with business controls and audit requirements.
Supplier Management & Procurement Operations
IBM
, India
07.2011 - 10.2013
- Managed end-to-end procurement operations using SAP and Ariba, ensuring accurate purchase order processing, vendor selection, and timely payments.
- Supported category teams in sourcing activities and issue resolution, improving procurement cycle time and maintaining 99% on-time order fulfilment.
- Resolved supplier invoicing and payment discrepancies, enhancing vendor relationships and operational efficiency.
- Contributed to process-improvement initiatives that streamlined procurement workflows and delivered measurable cost and time savings.
Education
Bachelor of Engineering - Mechanical
Don Bosco Institute of Technology
India11-2010
Master of Business Management (MBA) - Advance Strategy
Aston University
UK09-2025
Skills
- Category Management Strategic sourcing Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) Tendering and Contract Management
- Stakeholder Management Spend analysis Cost Optimisation Supplier Performance Management
- Advanced MS Excel Power BI Procurement Reporting and Data Analysis
- E-Tendering & ERP Systems: ProContract, SAP Ariba, SAP MM, Agresso
Languages
English
Hindi
Kannada
Websites, Portfolios and Profiles
www.linkedin.com/in/avipadaki06/
Volunteer Experience
- Certified Primary Coach, The McGuire Programme - Beyond Stuttering. Provided supportive coaching to individuals who stutter, helping them develop effective communication skills and build confidence., Delivered personalised guidance and techniques based on The McGuire Programme methodology to facilitate speech improvement and overcome stuttering challenges., Fostered a positive, encouraging environment contributing to participants’ personal growth and enhanced social and professional interactions.
- Teaching Assistant – Special Educational Needs (SEN) Schools, UK. Supported classroom learning and individualised education plans for students with diverse special educational needs, fostering inclusive and supportive learning environments.
Timeline
Procurement Support
Aston University
11.2025 - Current
Procurement Transformation Consultant
Aston University
06.2025 - 09.2025
Teaching Assistant – Special Educational Needs (SEN) Schools
Applebough
01.2025 - 10.2025
Senior Sourcing Professional - Travel Commodity Lead
IBM
05.2022 - 08.2024
Strategic Sourcing Professional – MRO (Maintenance, Repair & Operations)
IBM
09.2016 - 05.2022
Procurement Applications Analyst and EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) Lead
IBM
10.2013 - 08.2016
Supplier Management & Procurement Operations
IBM
07.2011 - 10.2013
Bachelor of Engineering - Mechanical
Don Bosco Institute of Technology
Master of Business Management (MBA) - Advance Strategy
Aston University