Purpose of the Role

The Senior Procurement Manager is responsible for leading market-informed category and supplier strategies that deliver strong commercial outcomes, robust governance, continuous improvement and enhanced customer service. The role manages a portfolio of strategic supplier relationships, working closely with internal stakeholders to ensure procurement and supply chain activity is aligned to business priorities and delivers long-term value.

The role provides high-quality commercial insight and reporting on supplier performance, contractual performance, expenditure, risk and opportunities for value improvement. It includes responsibility for leading strategic and business-critical tenders for key services, from shaping requirements and engaging the market through to evaluation, negotiation, contract award recommendations and ongoing supplier performance oversight.

The role also plays an important part in driving the Procurement and Supply Chain function forward through varied project-based activity, supporting continuous improvement, improved service delivery, stronger supplier resilience and the development of a high-quality, value-for-money supply chain.

Key Accountabilities

• Develop and lead category strategies for key areas of spend, informed by market analysis, supplier insight, business demand, risk profile and long-term organisational priorities.
• Deliver measurable procurement value across the supplier portfolio, including savings, cost avoidance, improved service outcomes, reduced risk, sustainability benefits and innovation-led efficiencies.
• Provide senior commercial challenge and advice to internal stakeholders, ensuring procurement decisions are evidence-based, compliant, proportionate and aligned to business objectives and good governance principles.
• Lead strategic and business-critical tendering activity for key services, ensuring tender strategies are aligned with business priorities, operational risk, service criticality, supplier resilience and long-term value.
• Lead strategic supplier management across the portfolio, ensuring structured engagement, effective governance, proactive performance oversight, constructive challenge and mutually beneficial outcomes.
• Strengthen supplier resilience, risk management and assurance across strategic and critical suppliers, including financial stability, cyber risk, business continuity, operational resilience, contractual compliance, regulatory compliance and exit planning.
• Drive supplier-led innovation, continuous improvement and corrective action activity to enhance customer outcomes, operational efficiency, service performance and long-term value for money.
• Lead complex and high-value commercial negotiations, including contract variations, extensions, price reviews, service changes and the resolution of commercially sensitive supplier issues.
• Develop commercial and procurement insight reporting for senior stakeholders, using data to identify trends, risks, opportunities, value leakage and areas requiring intervention.
• Coach colleagues in procurement, contract management, supplier management and commercial decision-making to strengthen functional capability.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• CIPS qualified or significant progress towards CIPS qualification.
• Significant experience in a senior procurement, category management or commercial supply chain role.
• Proven delivery of end-to-end procurement, from strategy and tendering through to contract award, implementation and supplier management.
• Demonstrable experience leading strategic or business-critical tenders for key suppliers and services where procurement decisions have a material impact on operational delivery, service continuity, supplier resilience, customer outcomes or long-term value.
• Strong track record of managing complex contracts, strategic suppliers, commercial risk and third-party governance.
• Experience working with ISO accreditation or equivalent assurance frameworks.
• Exceptional commercial judgement, advanced negotiation skills and the ability to influence senior stakeholders.
• Strong analytical capability, with the ability to convert data, market insight and risk intelligence into clear recommendations.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to present complex commercial matters clearly and persuasively.