Group Buyer

ABOUT CFM

CFM is an established building services and facilities management contractor operating across Northern Ireland, with a growing footprint. With a team of over 350 dedicated staff and access to all major public sector procurement frameworks including Fusion
21, PFH, NHMF and M3

NHF, CFM group delivers reactive maintenance, planned works, M&E, decarbonisation, fit out, manufacturing and property development services to housing associations, local authorities, healthcare trusts and education bodies.

As CFM scales towards its next phase of growth, the creation of this role reflects a strategic commitment to building a procurement function that matches the ambition of the business, protects margin, manages risk, and builds a supply chain that is a genuine competitive advantage.

THE ROLE

This is a standalone role and a significant opportunity for an experienced Buying professional to take ownership of buying across the CFM group.

You will be responsible for leading and evolving buying strategy and controls across subcontract, labour-only, materials, depot buying, and group supply requirements, ensuring consistency, commercial rigour and scalability across all business activities.

You will work closely with finance, operational, projects, commercial and SHEQ teams. The role combines strategic leadership with hands-on delivery, ensuring that procurement and buying is both well-governed and commercially effective.

CFM currently operates with capable and experienced people and is now focused on formalising and enhancing its buying structure to support continued growth. Your role is to formalise, enhance and lead this function, ensuring it is fit for scale and aligned across all areas of the business.

A key element of the role remains oversight of all buying activity across CFMs four depots at Mallusk, Omagh, Derry and Castledawson, which operate as internal trade counters supporting operational teams.

Supplier on-boarding, performance management and regional supply chain development will also form a key element of this role. You will work closely with teams ensuring commercial and contractual requirements are embedded in their processes and that performance data informs your procurement decisions.

We are seeking applications from those currently in a similar role as well as those seeking to step-up to a new challenge from Senior QS, Senior Estimators and similar construction roles.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Supply Chain Strategy & Structure

• Conduct a full audit of current supply chain spend, relationships and risk exposure across all categories
• Segment the supply chain into strategic partners, preferred suppliers, approved suppliers and conditional or one-off relationships
• Define category structure across subcontractors, labour-only and materials and products
• Build and maintain a live approved supplier register with compliance status, tier classification and performance data
• Develop and manage a named supplier and approved product list, embedded into all subcontract packages

Agreements & Commercial Controls

• Develop and implement standardised subcontract agreements, labour-only agreements and supply chain framework agreements, back-to-back with main contract and framework obligations
• Manage and enhance the subcontractor buying discount programme, negotiating group pricing with named suppliers
• Ensure all agreements include CIS and IR35 compliance obligations, H&S requirements, performance KPIs, named product compliance and variation and final account mechanisms
• Implement a back-to-back order and contract process ensuring all obligations flow down from client to subcontractor to named supplier
• Maintain a central contract repository with version control and automated expiry alerts

Stores & Depot Buying Mallusk, Omagh, Derry & Castledawson

We operates four depots across Northern Ireland, each functioning as an internal trade counter serving operational teams in the field. The Buyer is responsible for all buying activity across these four sites.

• Develop and manage supplier agreements and pricing frameworks for all depot stock categories including consumables, materials, small plant and tools
• Work with the procurement team to negotiate volume-based pricing with key suppliers, ensuring consistent pricing is applied across all four depot locations
• Work with depot and operational managers to understand stock requirements, usage patterns and seasonal demand
• Rationalise the supplier base across depots to reduce duplication, increase volume leverage and improve commercial terms
• Ensure all depot suppliers are on the approved register and trading under agreed terms
• Monitors spend across depots by category and supplier, reporting quarterly and identifying further savings opportunities
• Work with the procurement team to implement minimum stock levels, reorder triggers and Vendor Management Inventory arrangements with key suppliers where appropriate

SHEQ Interface

Supplier on-boarding and compliance and regional supply chain development are fully owned by the SHEQ…