Overview

Divisional Head of Procurement & Procurement Business Partner

The role

Responsibilities

What you’ll do

• Develop and run a divisional procurement strategy that supports commercial, operational and growth priorities.
• Lead direct-material procurement across multiple sites, setting clear priorities, measures and ways of working.
• Build and deliver category, commodity and supplier strategies covering cost, quality, delivery, service and resilience.
• Create a prioritised pipeline of sourcing, negotiation, value-engineering and cost-improvement initiatives.
• Lead strategic supplier negotiations, selection and contracting.
• Work closely with engineering, operations, quality, R&D and supply chain on specifications, standardisation, substitution, new-product introduction and make-or-buy decisions. 
• Improve supplier performance through effective segmentation, relationship management and structured reviews.
• Identify and manage supply risks such as single-source dependency, capacity constraints, supplier financial weakness and geographic concentration.
• Put in place practical mitigation and continuity plans for critical materials and suppliers. 
• Represent the division with Group Procurement, making sure business needs, forecasts, specifications and operational constraints are clearly understood.
• Coordinate divisional involvement in group sourcing projects, supplier evaluations and implementation plans.
• Lead the adoption of group agreements, approved suppliers and purchasing channels across the division.
• Track savings, cost avoidance, working-capital improvements and other benefits through to financial realisation, not just theoretical claims.
• Strengthen procurement processes, systems, data, governance and commercial capability across the division.
• Lead and develop procurement colleagues, creating clear accountability without adding bureaucracy for the sake of it

Qualifications

What you’ll bring

• Significant procurement experience gained in a complex, multi-site or international organisation.
• Strong direct-material procurement experience within manufacturing, engineering or a similar industrial environment.
• A track record of developing and delivering category, commodity and supplier strategies.
• Evidence that you’ve delivered procurement savings and successfully converted them into financially recognised business benefits.
• Strong sourcing, negotiation, contracting and supplier-management experience.
• Practical experience of managing supplier performance, continuity and supply-chain risk.
• Experience working within a matrix or centre-led procurement model.
• The confidence to influence senior stakeholders and challenge constructively, even when you don’t have direct authority.
• Experience leading, developing and improving procurement teams.
• Strong commercial, analytical and financial judgement.
• A relevant degree, equivalent professional experience or both.
• A recognised procurement qualification, such as CIPS, would be useful but isn’t essential. 

What you’ll get

• A senior, high-visibility staff role with ownership across divisional direct and indirect procurement.
• The opportunity to shape procurement strategy, capability and ways of working across a multi-site business.
• A US-based remote working arrangement.
• Travel to company sites and suppliers as required, with much of the site footprint located in the Northeast.
• The chance to influence both divisional priorities and the wider global procurement agenda. 

Interested in learning more?