Head of Procurement

Universal Business Team; Stafford; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Profit share bonus

Free lunch

Holiday purchase scheme

Ownership and influence in the role

Job summary

Universal Business Team is recruiting a hands-on Head of Procurement for a growing SME supplying healthcare packaging and equipment. You will own the procurement function, lead a small team and partner with operations to balance supply assurance with margins.

You’ll build structure, improve processes, negotiate terms and develop supplier relationships, spending ~60% on execution and 40% on strategy and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in procurement or purchasing within a product-led, trading or distribution business.
• Building structure, improving processes and preparing a department for growth.
• Experience leading teams through change and creating a culture of ownership and accountability.
• Strong commercial and negotiation skills, focusing on costs, margins, supplier performance and stock availability.
• Data-driven decision making and continuous improvement.
• Practical, hands-on attitude balancing operational detail with strategic thinking.

Responsibilities

• Building for growth: introduce the structure, processes and accountability needed to create a more efficient, scalable purchasing function.
• Leading change: challenge existing ways of working, implement improvements and bring the team with you as the business evolves.
• Developing the team: set clear objectives, coach colleagues and establish consistent working practices and performance measures.
• Driving commercial performance: negotiate supplier terms, improve purchasing costs and identify opportunities to increase margins.
• Strengthening supplier relationships: improve supplier performance, quality, reliability and continuity of supply.
• Optimising stock and availability: use data, pricing trends and lead times to make better purchasing decisions and ensure products are available when customers need them.
• Staying hands-on: support day-to-day purchasing, sourcing, ordering and supplier enquiries while delivering key improvement projects.

Job description

Head of Procurement

Stafford 70,000- 85,000 depending on experience + profit share bonus

Build the function. Drive the change. Shape the future.

Are you a commercially minded procurement professional who thrives in a growing SME? Someone who has helped build and develop a purchasing function, introduced structure and better ways of working, and led a team through change?

We're recruiting a hands-on Head of Procurement for a growing, family-run business supplying medical packaging, consumables and equipment to the healthcare sector. This is an opportunity to lead the purchasing team, strengthen supplier relationships and help shape the next stage of the business's growth.

The business understands that great procurement is about more than buying at the right price. It's about reliable supply, strong supplier partnerships, protecting margins and creating the foundations for sustainable growth.

This is an opportunity to make a genuine impact, bringing commercial focus, fresh thinking and a continuous improvement mindset to a business where you can see the difference your work makes.

The role

You'll take ownership of the procurement function, balancing day-to-day purchasing with the longer-term work needed to improve performance and prepare the department for growth.

Working closely with the Operations Director and wider business, you'll develop the team, strengthen supplier relationships, improve processes and identify opportunities to increase efficiency, protect margins and optimise stock availability.

This is a genuinely hands‑on leadership role, with approximately 60% of your time spent working alongside the team and 40% focused on strategy, projects and continuous improvement.

What you'll be doing

• Building for growth: introduce the structure, processes and accountability needed to create a more efficient, scalable purchasing function.
• Leading change: challenge existing ways of working, implement improvements and bring the team with you as the business evolves.
• Developing the team: set clear objectives, coach colleagues and establish consistent working practices and performance measures.
• Driving commercial performance: negotiate supplier terms, improve purchasing costs and identify opportunities to increase margins.
• Strengthening supplier relationships: improve supplier performance, quality, reliability and continuity of supply.
• Optimising stock and availability: use data, pricing trends and lead times to make better purchasing decisions and ensure products are available when customers need them.
• Staying hands‑on: support day‑to‑day purchasing, sourcing, ordering and supplier enquiries while delivering key improvement projects.

Requirements

We're particularly interested in someone who has worked in a growing SME operating a buy/sell, wholesale or distribution model, and who has played a key role in structuring and developing a purchasing function to support business growth and change.

You’ll ideally bring:

• Proven experience in procurement or purchasing within a product‑led, trading or distribution business.
• A track record of building structure, improving processes and preparing a department for growth.
• Experience leading teams through change and creating a culture of ownership and accountability.
• Strong commercial and negotiation skills, with a focus on costs, margins, supplier performance and stock availability.
• A data‑driven approach to decision‑making and continuous improvement.
• A practical, hands‑on attitude, with the ability to balance operational detail and strategic thinking.
  

Above all, you’ll be proactive, adaptable and comfortable working in an evolving business where you can influence decisions, challenge the status quo and make a tangible impact.

Benefits

• 70,000- 85,000 salary, depending on experience.
• Profit share bonus scheme, giving you the opportunity to share in business success.
• Free lunch.
• Holiday purchase scheme, giving you the flexibility to buy additional annual leave.
• The opportunity to shape and develop a key business function within a growing, family‑run business.
• Real ownership, influence and the chance to see the results of your work.
  

Interested?

If you've helped a growing business build a stronger purchasing function and are ready to take ownership of the next stage of its development, we'd love to hear from you.

IND25