Group Director of Procurement & Cost Optimisation

Location: Stoneyford

Group Director of Procurement & Cost Optimisation

Location:

South West, Bristol or Cullompton Why This Role Matters This is a critical leadership role reporting directly to the Group Managing Director with direct influence on cost, service, risk, and operational performance across the Group. As a member of the Management Board, the Group Procurement Director will shape and deliver a unified procurement strategy across all direct and indirect spend including fleet, maintenance, tyres, contract hire, agency, technology etc , ensuring the business has resilient, well managed suppliers, sustainable cost models, and the commercial capability to support growth and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Procurement Leadership Define and deliver a Group-wide procurement strategy aligned to business objectives, operational requirements, and growth plans. Provide clear procurement insight, performance reporting, and recommendations to the Management Board. Lead sourcing initiatives to drive cost savings across the business, ROI, value improvement, and risk mitigation. Identifying, highlighting and driving cost savings initiatives across the business, including strategy for use of telematics to drive operational efficiency Support the Business Transformation Plan with procurement initiatives.

Lead the strategic approach to cost saving across the business by working closely with fleet and operational teams on site to support requirements and future planning. Embed the Supplier Code of Conduct with all key suppliers, supporting our ethical and sustainability principles including support of Ecovadis submissions and Net Zero 2038 Establish a subcontracting solution which manages our ability to subcontract/cover loads through subcontract preferred suppliers.

Establish procurement governance, policies, and best-practice frameworks across the Group. Fleet & Transport Procurement Own procurement strategy for fleet assets including vans, trucks, HGVs, trailers, forklifts, and specialist logistics equipment. Lead sourcing and contract management for fleet-related services including fuel, fuel cards, maintenance, leasing, telematics, tyres, repairs, and breakdown services. Drive total cost of ownership optimisation, compliance, sustainability, and operational efficiency across all fleet categories.

Ensure fleet procurement supports operational efficiency, compliance, sustainability, and total cost of ownership objectives. Indirect Procurement Lead indirect procurement across key categories including:
Agency labour and temporary staffing Facilities management, cleaning and security services Uniforms and PPE Company cars IT, telecoms, and office services Professional services and utilities Identify opportunities for supplier consolidation, cost optimisation, and service improvement. Ensure effective supplier selection, performance management, and contract compliance. Commercial Excellence & Risk Lead complex commercial negotiations and contract renewals. Establish robust supplier performance management through KPIs, SLAs, and regular reviews.

Manage procurement risk, supplier resilience, and business continuity planning. Ensure compliance with legal, regulatory, ESG, and internal governance requirements. People & Stakeholder Leadership Lead, develop, and mentor the procurement team, building strong commercial capability. Partner effectively with senior stakeholders across operations, finance, HR, fleet, and facilities. Drive a culture of accountability, commercial rigor, and continuous improvement. Requirements:
Essential Board level gravitas with significant senior procurement leadership experience within logistics, transport, distribution, or supply chain environments. Strong expertise across both fleet procurement and indirect spend categories. Proven track record of delivering commercial value, cost savings, and risk mitigation. Experience managing agency labour procurement and workforce supply contracts. Excellent negotiation, stakeholder management, and influencing skills. Strong people leadership and team development capability.

Experience using procurement systems, spend analysis, and…