Procurement Business Partner

South West Water; Redhill; Hybrid; GBP 44,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading water services company as a Procurement Business Partner. You'll manage procurement strategies, advise on compliance, and ensure efficiency across operations. With a competitive salary and excellent benefits, this is a great opportunity for growth in a supportive environment.

Benefits

Generous Holiday Allowance

Discretionary Bonus

Competitive Pension

Share-save Scheme

Health Benefits

Wellbeing Support

Group Discounts

Cycle to Work Scheme

Financial Support Services

Qualifications

• Experience delivering efficiency and cost savings in supply chain management.
• Proven negotiation and client management experience.

Responsibilities

• Advise stakeholders on procurement planning and compliance.
• Lead the end-to-end sourcing process ensuring compliance.
• Monitor supplier performance and drive continuous improvement.

Skills

Commercial Mind-set

Negotiation

Stakeholder Management

Communication

Education

CIPS Qualification

Tools

ERP Systems

e-Procurement Tools

Job description

At South West Water we believe that the strongest businesses are built on solid, stable foundations - with a vision and a culture that gives them the freedom to change, improve and innovate.

We’re proud to be responsible for providing reliable, efficient and high-quality drinking water and wastewater services for the beautiful South West area.

And we have huge ambitions.

Not only are we committed to reaching net-zero by 2030, but we’ve also partnered with Wildlife Trusts, National Parks and local partners to help ensure a better future for generations to come.

So, if you want to be part of a diverse team where opportunities flow and fresh ideas are welcomed, #JustAddWater.

We currently have opportunity for 2 fixed term Procurement Business Partners to join our team for 12 months. 1 requires a base in either Exeter or Bristol. 1 can be based Exeter or Bristol, or Redhill. All roles require attendance at your base for a minimum of 2 days per week, with the remainder of time working from home. In addition, some level of travel between our main offices will also be required. You will receive a competitive salary of up to £52,000 per annum plus excellent benefits.

About the role:

One fixed term on corporate services, these being IT; FM; customer services and more and one fixed term will focus on plant and equipment for waste water service.

You will have opportunity to develop and monitor strategies for allocated categories of spend to support purchasing requirements across the business area for the full procurement lifecycle including sourcing, contract management and supplier management.

This is a great opportunity for you demonstrate a strong commercial focus and drive efficiency to support the management of commercial risks and opportunities for South West Water.

What you'll be doing:

• Procurement Business Partnering: Advise and challenge senior stakeholders on procurement planning, ensuring compliance, accountability, and risk-aware decision-making across operational and capital spend
• Category & Commercial Strategy: Own and deliver long-term procurement strategies for high-value/risk categories, providing expert market insights and aligning plans with strategic business goals
• Sourcing & Contracting: Lead the end-to-end sourcing process using best practice tools, from contract design and tendering to negotiation and award recommendations, ensuring legal, regulatory, and commercial compliance
• Contract & Supplier Management: Monitor and manage supplier performance, conduct due diligence, lead contract reviews, and drive continuous improvement through data-driven KPIs and stakeholder feedback
• Commercial Support for Projects: Provide analytical and commercial input into key business decisions and investment cases, including risk modelling and evaluation of strategic procurement projects
• Process Improvement & Governance: Ensure procurement processes align with corporate objectives, health & safety, and environmental standards, while championing continuous improvement and efficiency
• Collaboration & Knowledge Sharing: Support team resilience through cross-coverage, align internal processes, and share expertise to build capability across the Procurement team and stakeholders
  
  
  

What we're looking for:

• Strong commercial and strategic mind-set; understanding the role of Procurement in delivering corporate goals and managing risk
• Experience delivering efficiency/cost savings/value for money within a supply chain management function
• Excellent verbal communication skills at all levels and the ability to recognise, plan and deliver business change
• Proven strong negotiation and client/supply chain management experience; managing cost and value drivers effectively
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with a proven ability to communicate, support and challenge people across different business functions, backgrounds and all levels of seniority
• Working knowledge of UK/EU Procurement Regulations and different forms of contracts and commercial models
• A CIPS qualification (or working towards) would also be highly desirable
• Knowledge of ERP systems SRM sourcing and e-procurement tools
  
  
  

What's in it for you:

• We know that the support and commitment of our staff is key to our success so you will receive the opportunity for ongoing development and training for a long-term career with us. We’re one of the largest companies in the South West and are proud to have been awarded Investors in People recognition
• In return, we offer an excellent range of benefits including:
• Generous holiday allowance plus bank holidays
• A discretionary Bonus
• Competitive Contributory Pension
• Share-save Scheme
• Various health benefits
• Wellbeing support programmes
• A range of Group Discounts
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Financial support services
• And plenty more!
  
  
  

Closing date: 29th May 2025

Be yourself, we like it that way. Together, we will build a culture of belonging, where inclusion is instinctive. Diversity is our strength and a reflection of our communities. We care, we value everyone, we celebrate uniqueness.

Our core values which are essential to our success are:

Be Rock Solid - Build trust and be trusted. Be the one we all look to and can depend on.

Be You - We want you to bring your best everyday. Be yourself and make your mark in your individual way.

Be the Future - Embrace change. Drive Progress. Own the challenge.