Business Operations & Procurement Lead

Business Operations & Procurement Lead

A broad, commercially influential role with visibility across an entire business, and a direct line to the Managing Director.

This is a brand-new Business Operations & Procurement Lead role with a growing logistics business, based in Gosport.

As a Business Operations & Procurement Lead you will sit at the intersection of finance, operations and procurement, helping drive the profitability and performance of a growing logistics business. Reporting directly to the Managing Director, you will manage supplier relationships, control expenditure, negotiate freight and commercial agreements, analyse where the business makes and loses money, and turn that insight into real savings.

It is a varied, hands-on commercial role with genuine influence, where you own the supplier network, the freight spend and the recovery of what the business is owed. If you are commercially sharp, enjoy finding the value others miss and want a role you can shape and make your own, this newly created position offers exactly that.

• Analysing customer profitability, supplier expenditure and operational costs to improve margins and reduce spend
• Producing commercial reporting and management information to support decision-making
• Reviewing customer pricing structures to protect and improve profitability
• Overseeing purchasing activities across all departments and sourcing new suppliers and solutions
• Negotiating supplier contracts and commercial agreements, and running tenders and contract reviews
• Developing supplier performance measures and monitoring service delivery
• Identifying opportunities to consolidate suppliers and leverage the company's purchasing power
• Managing relationships with freight providers and courier partners, and negotiating freight rates
• Reviewing freight spend, challenging cost increases and sourcing alternative carriers where needed
• Managing supplier claims, disputes and recoveries, and securing credits, rebates and refunds
• Working closely with finance to ensure supplier costs and recoveries are accurately recorded
• Coordinating business travel and accommodation, negotiating preferred rates and value for money
• Supporting business improvement initiatives and developing procurement policies and procedures

To succeed as a Business Operations & Procurement Lead you will need:

• Strong commercial awareness and business acumen
• Experience managing suppliers, procurement activities or business services
• Experience analysing financial and operational information and presenting business data
• Strong negotiation, influencing and stakeholder management skills
• Excellent organisational and problem-solving abilities
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills
• The ability to work across multiple departments and competing priorities
• A track record of identifying cost savings and process improvements
• Procurement experience, which is desirable
• Logistics or transport industry experience, which is desirable
• An understanding of supplier contract management and experience managing claims or disputes, which is desirable
• Experience with Business Central or a similar system, which is desirable

• Salary up to 40,000
• 40-hour working week
• Permanent, head office-based role in Gosport, with occasional travel
• Newly created role you can shape and make your own
• Direct exposure to senior leadership and influence over key business decisions