Head of Group Procurement | Skipton, UK

Skipton; Skipton; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent financial institution in the UK is seeking an experienced Head of Group Procurement and Supplier Management. This role involves leading procurement strategies, managing supplier relationships, and collaborating with senior stakeholders to enhance operational efficiency. The ideal candidate will have significant experience in procurement within a regulated financial services environment and demonstrate exceptional leadership skills. The position offers a supportive work culture with flexible working options and a variety of benefits.

Benefits

Annual discretionary bonus scheme

25 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Matching employer pension contribution

Private medical insurance

Hybrid and flexible working options

Qualifications

• Significant experience in a procurement role in a regulated environment.
• Advanced knowledge of supplier relationship management.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Formulate and implement vision and strategy for procurement.
• Design and implement third-party risk management policies.
• Oversee category management performance.

Skills

Change management

Cross-functional operations

Indirect procurement

Supplier management

Stakeholder management

Expert negotiation

Leadership

Education

Member of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (MCIPS)

Job description

Hours:
Full time, permanent

Closing Date:
Fri, 22 Aug 2025

We've got a great opportunity for an experienced Head of Group Procurement and Supplier Management to join our Finance Leadership team, reporting into our Group CFO.

The key purpose of this role is to build and lead Group Procurement and Supplier Management within Skipton Building Society, and the Group Insurance function across Skipton Group. However, you'll also collaborate with senior stakeholders across the Skipton Group businesses to formulate Group-wide procurement strategies and initiatives in line with our Group ambitions.

For the Building Society you'll focus on embedding our procurement transformation programme and our refreshed supplier management framework, enhancing, and evolving these as required to enable our corporate plan delivery. You'll maximise purchasing power and minimise third party risk, oversee and approve key procurement activities and ensure we continue to meet our third-party regulatory obligations and Group insurance requirements. You will work as a key member of the Group Finance Leadership Team contributing to the finance function's continuous development.

For Skipton Group you'll build strong and effective relationships with senior stakeholders across the Group businesses, leading the development of procurement and supplier management best practices, enabling the Group to truly maximise purchasing power and deliver our corporate plan.

To be successful in this role you'll need to be an experienced senior people leader with expertise in change management, cross-functional operations, indirect procurement and supplier management within a similar regulated sector. This would ideally be Financial Services, so you have experience of the FS landscape and regulatory requirements such as the management of material supplier relationships and regulatory reporting requirements.

In addition to technical excellence, the role requires strong business acumen and a track record of transformation delivery and building successful teams as well as exceptional communication and influencing skills due to the range of stakeholders you'll interact with in this role.

Who Are We?

Not just another building society. Not just another job.

We're the fourth biggest building society in the UK and what makes us a bit different is that we're a mutual organisation. We don't have shareholders; we're owned by our members.

Our colleagues say Skipton's a great place to work, and you could be one of them, bringing with you new ideas on how we can keep customers at the heart of what we do.

Whatever your background, and whatever your goals, we'll help you take the next step towards a better future.

What's In It For You?

Skipton values work/life balance and we are proud to support hybrid and flexible working, where possible. We have a newly refurbished head office which offers a vibrant and collaborative working space.

We have a range of other benefits available to you including;

• Annual discretionary bonus scheme
• 25 days standard annual leave + bank holidays + rising 1 day per year of service to a maximum of 30 days
• Holiday trading scheme allowing the ability to buy and sell additional annual leave days
• Matching employer pension contribution (up to 10% per annum)
• Colleague mortgage (conditions apply)
• Salary sacrifice scheme for hybrid & electric car
• A commitment to training and development
• Private medical insurance for all our colleagues
• 3 paid volunteering days per annum
• Diverse and inclusive colleague networks available for you to join including our Carers and Pride Alliance groups
• We care about your health and wellbeing - we provide a range of benefits that support this including cycle to work initiative and discounted gym membership

What Will You Be Doing?

As our Head of Group Procurement and Supplier Management you'll be responsible for formulating, communicating, and implementing the vision, mission, strategy and objectives of the Group Procurement and Supplier Management and Group Insurance functions in line with the overall goals of the Society. You'll design and implement the third-party risk management policies, practices and reporting on behalf of the Group CFO.

Key accountabilities include:

• Working collaboratively with colleagues from across the Group, reviewing and approving Group-wide category strategies, sourcing initiatives and savings targets.
• Oversee category management performance and benefits realisation.
• Establish and manage effective procurement governance and clearly accountable decision-making.
• Oversee robust and consistent supplier management through the embedding of the revised supplier management framework within the Society and share and support implementation of proportionate supplier management practices in other Group companies.
• Ensuring the Group's insurance requirements are fit for purpose, cost effective, any claims are managed effectively and timeously and any renewals are managed to ensure continuity of coverage.

What Do We Need From You?

To be successful in this role you'll need:

• Significant experience of operating in a similar level procurement role in a regulated environment, ideally within the FS sector, with a proven track record of delivering strong results.
• Advanced knowledge of supplier relationship management and procurement methodology, with the ability to act as the subject matter expert in a Group environment.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to clearly interpret and concisely explain the impact on the Group of procurement matters
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence senior and diverse stakeholder groups to an aligned direction.
• Expert negotiation skills
• Exceptional leadership skills, providing technical guidance, support and challenge and fostering an inclusive and dynamic team culture.
• Member of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (MCIPS)

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