FM Procurement Manager

Unite Students; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Unite Students is seeking a Facilities Management (FM) Procurement Manager to join our Procurement team in a hybrid role based in Bristol office three days a week, with flexibility on-site. You will develop and deliver the procurement strategy for Hard FM and capital expenditure projects, including fit-outs and refurbishments, partnering with stakeholders to drive commercial value and risk management.

Reporting to the Head of FM Procurement, you’ll lead supplier relationships, negotiate

Qualifications

• Procurement and category management experience, ideally within Hard FM or related field.
• Strong relationship-building and stakeholder management with ability to influence.
• Commercially astute with negotiation and contract management expertise.
• Customer-focused mindset balancing business needs with supplier performance.
• Analytical and proactive with problem-solving skills.
• Highly organised with ability to manage competing priorities.
• Knowledge of supplier relationship management and procurement best practices.
• CIPS qualified (or working towards it) or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic procurement of Hard FM, fit-out, refurbishment and capex projects.
• Build partnerships to develop procurement strategies meeting needs.
• Source, negotiate and manage supplier relationships to maximise value and minimise risk.
• Lead complex contract negotiations with governance.
• Champion innovation, sustainability and ESG initiatives across the supply chain.
• Influence change and promote procurement best practice.
• Develop the Procurement function and foster a one-team approach.

Skills

Procurement

Category management

Stakeholder management

Negotiation

Contract management

Supplier relationship management

Analytical thinking

Organisational skills

ESG awareness

Influence skills

Education

CIPS qualification (desirable)

Job description

The Role

Unite Students has an exciting opportunity for a Facilities Management (FM) Procurement Manager to join our Procurement team. This is a hybrid role, based in our Bristol office three days a week, with flexibility over which days you choose to work on‑site. Reporting to the Head of FM Procurement, you’ll be responsible for developing and delivering the procurement strategy for Hard Facilities Management and associated capital expenditure projects, including fit-outs and refurbishments. Working closely with stakeholders across the business, you’ll lead strategic procurement activities that deliver commercial value, drive best practice, and support business objectives. You’ll also build and maintain strong supplier relationships to optimise performance, reduce supply chain risk, and identify innovative solutions that enhance the services we deliver.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Lead the strategic procurement of Hard FM, fit‑out, refurbishment and capital expenditure projects, delivering commercial value across the business.
• Build strong partnerships with stakeholders to develop procurement strategies that meet operational needs and drive continuous improvement.
• Source, negotiate and manage high‑performing supplier relationships, maximising value while minimising risk.
• Lead complex contract negotiations, providing commercial expertise and ensuring robust governance.
• Champion innovation, sustainability and ESG initiatives across the supply chain.
• Influence change, challenge the status quo and promote procurement best practice throughout the organisation.
• Play a key role in developing the Procurement function, fostering collaboration and a one‑team approach.

What We’re Looking for in You

• Proven procurement and category management experience, ideally within Hard FM or a related field.
• Strong relationship‑building and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence at all levels.
• Commercially astute, with excellent negotiation and contract management expertise.
• A customer‑focused mindset, balancing business needs with supplier performance.
• Analytical and proactive, with strong problem‑solving skills and the ability to turn insights into action.
• Highly organised, able to manage competing priorities and deliver results.
• Knowledge of supplier relationship management and procurement best practices.
• CIPS qualified (or working towards it) or an equivalent professional qualification is desirable.

What You’ll Get in Return

• A discretionary annual bonus so you can share in the company’s success.
• 25 days of paid holiday and an annual holiday buying scheme, with 5 additional days awarded for long service.
• A generous pension scheme – employer contributions between 5 % and 11 % depending on how much you save.
• Various benefits to support your health and wellbeing, including a Healthcare Cash Plan, an Employee Assistance Programme, a Wellbeing platform and a Gym benefit that you can share with your family and friends.
• Enhanced Family Leave including 18 weeks full pay for birthing parents and 4 weeks for non‑birthing parents.
• Lots of other great benefits, including an annual ShareSave scheme, Employee Life Assurance, a discounts portal and more.

About Unite Students

Founded in 1991, Unite Students is the UK’s leading provider of purpose‑built student accommodation. We have 23 leading university towns and cities, with 70,000 students calling United Students home. We are driven by our values, culture, and a commitment to develop diverse and inclusive teams, filled with positive energy and new ideas.

Instinctive inclusion. We know that to create and maintain a happy healthy organisation, we have to work hard to ensure inclusion isn’t just what we do but who we are.

People make Unite Students. Employees, students and neighbours all contribute to building environments where we can all thrive.

Room for Everyone

We’re proud to be an employer that embraces individuality, and we’re passionate about building inclusive teams. We focus on creating a collaborative culture where you can be you, where your voice is heard, and where you can truly belong. We take great pride in being rated Gold Investors in People and are constantly striving to provide the highest standard of learning and development opportunities and professional pathways for our people.

We are US.