Head of Procurement

A leading organisation is seeking a Head of Procurement to play a pivotal role in shaping the procurement strategy, diversifying sourcing channels, and maximising margin through effective purchase price optimisation. This position offers you the opportunity to lead a dedicated team of specialists, ensuring optimised terms and pricing with suppliers, as well as prioritised and timely payments that balance working capital challenges with supplier order commitments.

You will be at the heart of supplier due diligence and management, underpinning robust commercial relationships while driving process improvements across internal functions. The role provides flexibility with hybrid working arrangements in London, empowering you to collaborate across departments and make a tangible impact on both customer delivery expectations and organisational profitability. If you are passionate about building strong supplier networks, championing efficiency, and fostering a supportive team culture, this is your chance to join an organisation committed to continual growth and operational excellence.

Shape the procurement strategy to diversify sourcing channels, reduce dependence on specific suppliers or vendors, and leverage competitive tension for optimal terms. Lead a team of procurement specialists, motivating and mentoring them to deliver streamlined processes that enhance both customer satisfaction and supplier relationships. Drive cost savings initiatives by negotiating best pricing and terms, implementing scalable RFP processes, and continuously improving ways of working within the team.

What you'll do:
As Head of Procurement and Purchasing Operations, you will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of procurement strategy development, supplier relationship management, payment prioritisation, and process optimisation. Your day-to-day activities will involve collaborating closely with various internal teams to ensure seamless operations from supplier onboarding through to order fulfilment. You will guide your team in maintaining industry knowledge, negotiating favourable terms with suppliers, managing payment schedules efficiently, and identifying opportunities for cost savings.

Lead, manage, motivate, and mentor the procurement and purchasing team to ensure high performance and professional development. Maintain industry knowledge and cultivate strong relationships with suppliers and distributors while actively diversifying sourcing options. Negotiate optimal pricing and commercial terms with suppliers to maximise profitability and proactively prevent margin erosion. Prioritise orders across a diverse portfolio of suppliers to ensure timely fulfilment of customer delivery expectations.

Manage supplier payments on a weekly or daily basis as required, balancing working capital needs with order commitments. Identify alternative supply sources to reduce dependency on specific suppliers and drive efficiencies through supplier consolidation. Ensure negotiation of payment terms aligns with agreed company standards while maintaining accuracy in all transactions. Collaborate effectively across departments including treasury, purchasing, and other functions to support organisational goals.

Supervise supplier onboarding processes for efficient completion and oversee supplier order processes for timely delivery. Lead procurement optimisation programmes aimed at achieving both short-term cost savings and long-term process improvements.

What you bring:

Your extensive experience in procurement strategy development will enable you to bring fresh perspectives on sourcing diversification while leveraging your proven negotiation skills to secure advantageous terms for the organisation. As Head of Procurement and…