Why Top Performers Are Leaving, And How to Win Them Back

By GROUP CPO

High-performing CPOs, Heads of Procurement, and digitally fluent category leaders are not passively “open to roles.” They are being actively courted, and increasingly, they are choosing to move.

This is not about compensation alone. It is about mandate, maturity, and meaning.

Why Top Procurement Performers Are Leaving

1. Procurement Is Still Undervalued

Many organisations continue to position procurement as a cost control function rather than a strategic lever. Top performers, particularly those capable of enterprise transformation, will not stay where they are treated as custodians of process instead of commercial leaders.

If procurement does not have executive sponsorship, transformation budget, or board access, your strongest leaders will eventually exit.

2. Mandate Without Authority

I regularly speak to leaders hired to “transform procurement” who lack decision rights, digital investment, or executive alignment. These leaders leave when their accountability exceeds their authority. High performers want to able to positively impact enterprise wide.

3. Digital Frustration

Digitally capable procurement leaders want AI enabled analytics, automation investment, and modern operating models. When organisations delay or avoid digital uplifts or underfund transformations, this stifles the leaders impact and ability to grow, those leaders look elsewhere. Stagnation can be a catalyst for attrition.

4. Cultural and Leadership Fatigue

Top procurement executives are commercially astute and governance literate. They disengage quickly in environments marked by reactive leadership, political infighting, or inconsistent strategy. High performers want clarity, alignment, and enterprise ambition to be able to progress.

5. Portfolio Career Thinking

We are seeing a growing number of senior leaders who are no longer seeking linear career progression: they are exploring advisory roles, interim mandates, and portfolio careers. If organisations cannot provide stretch, influence, and flexibility, external opportunities become attractive.

How to Win Them Back, Or Prevent Them Leaving

Elevate Procurement to be a Strategic Partner

Procurement leaders stay where they are treated as enterprise partners.

Ensure:

• Direct C-suite access

• Clear executive sponsorship

• Defined commercial mandate beyond savings

• Involvement in growth, M&A, and transformation agendas

Fund the Function Properly

Transformation promises without investment into the function will drive attrition. Digital platforms, data capability, and high calibre team hires demonstrate commitment. Top talent will stay where function ambition and expectations are matched by investment.

Offer Mandate Clarity and Autonomy

High performers want accountability, with the authority to match.

Define decision rights. Remove bureaucratic friction. Publicly endorse procurement’s role in commercial governance. Empowerment will help retain capability.

Create Visible Career Pathways

Retention at senior level often requires creative thinking:

• Enterprise wide leadership roles

• Cross functional exposure

• Governance or board committee involvement

• Flexible or hybrid structures

Progression does not always mean a new title, or an increased salary, but it must mean expanded influence.

Recognise and Reward Impact

Compensation matters, but recognition matters more. Tie incentives to enterprise outcomes, and then empower them to deliver. Publicly acknowledge procurement’s contribution to resilience, risk mitigation, and value creation.