Head of Procurement – Construction

Cedar Recruitment; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Cedar Recruitment is seeking a Head of Procurement for a London-based, hybrid role with 3–4 days in the office. You will own and evolve the procurement function within a leading M&E engineering business, shaping strategy, building a high-performing team and delivering best-value purchasing.

You will lead supplier relationships, drive cost efficiencies and ensure robust controls across complex construction and maintenance projects.

Qualifications

• Experience leading procurement in M&E, building services, construction or engineering sectors.
• Proven ability to deliver significant commercial savings in project-led or maintenance environments.
• Excellent negotiation, commercial awareness and supplier performance management.
• Ability to develop strategic supplier relationships and manage complex supply chains.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the overall procurement strategy aligned with business goals.
• Lead and grow the procurement team; set objectives and drive results.
• Negotiate pricing, framework agreements and terms with key suppliers.
• Identify cost savings and procurement efficiencies across projects and maintenance.
• Manage complex supply chains for M&E installation, construction and maintenance.
• Support tenders for major projects and framework agreements.
• Ensure supplier onboarding, compliance and audit readiness.
• Monitor supplier performance and drive continuous improvement.
• Develop procurement processes, controls and reporting for senior leadership.

Skills

Leadership capability

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Communication

Procurement strategy

Supply chain management

Cost optimization

Tendering & framework agreements

Relationship building

Education

Degree-level qualification or equivalent

CIPS Level 4 or above desirable

MCIPS membership advantageous

Job description

Head of Procurement – Construction

Location: London (3/4 days per week in the office)
Salary: £90,000-£110,000 + Travel Allowance

The Opportunity

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Head of Procurement to take ownership of and develop a procurement function within an established and growing Mechanical, Electrical and Public Health (MEP) engineering business.

This is a newly created senior leadership position, offering the opportunity to shape procurement strategy, influence business performance and build a high-performing procurement team. Working closely with senior leadership, commercial, operational and finance teams, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring the business achieves best-value purchasing, strengthens its supply chain and delivers sustainable commercial efficiencies.

The business operates across complex residential and commercial environments, delivering mechanical, electrical and public health installation, upgrades and maintenance services. With a diverse portfolio of projects and planned and reactive maintenance contracts, procurement plays a critical role in supporting operational delivery and continued growth.

The Role

As Head of Procurement, you will be responsible for leading the procurement function, developing strategic supplier relationships and ensuring that procurement activities consistently deliver the right balance of commercial competitiveness, product quality and service excellence.

You will take responsibility for the day-to-day management and strategic development of procurement, ensuring robust processes, financial controls and full audit traceability from initial enquiry through to delivery.

A key part of the role will involve developing and managing a capable supply chain that can support complex M&E projects, framework agreements and ongoing maintenance requirements. You will also identify opportunities to improve procurement performance, introduce efficiencies and implement innovative commercial arrangements.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the overall procurement strategy, ensuring alignment with business objectives and commercial targets.

• Lead, manage and develop the procurement team, setting clear objectives and driving performance.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with suppliers, subcontractors and strategic supply chain partners.

• Negotiate competitive pricing, framework agreements, rebates, volume incentives and favourable contractual terms.

• Identify and deliver measurable cost savings and procurement efficiencies across projects and maintenance operations.

• Manage complex supply chains supporting M&E installation, construction and maintenance contracts.

• Support commercial and operational teams in the preparation and successful delivery of complex construction tenders.

• Ensure suppliers and subcontractors are appropriately assessed, approved and onboarded in line with company procedures and ISO requirements.

• Monitor supplier performance, quality, service levels, capability and commercial competitiveness.

• Develop processes to assess supplier capacity, identify potential supply chain risks and support effective tender planning.

• Oversee inventory management, stock control, purchasing activity and associated financial reporting.

• Ensure procurement activities comply with internal financial controls, commercial procedures and relevant regulatory requirements.

• Work closely with technical, operational, commercial, finance and legal teams to ensure procurement strategies support project delivery.

• Review and improve existing procurement processes, identifying opportunities for greater efficiency and control.

• Introduce new procurement systems, technologies and reporting tools where appropriate.

• Provide regular procurement performance reports, market intelligence and commercial analysis to senior leadership.

• Influence senior stakeholders and contribute to wider business strategy and decision-making.

About You

We are looking for a commercially driven procurement leader with a strong background in the M&E, building services, construction or engineering sectors.

You will have demonstrable experience managing complex supply chains, leading procurement teams and delivering significant commercial savings within a project-led or maintenance-focused environment.

You will be confident operating at senior management level, influencing key stakeholders and developing procurement strategies that deliver tangible business benefits.

You will ideally bring:

• Degree-level qualification or equivalent relevant professional experience.

• CIPS Level 4 or above desirable; MCIPS membership advantageous.

• Significant experience in a senior procurement or supply chain leadership position.

• Proven experience managing and developing procurement teams.

• Strong knowledge of M&E procurement and complex construction supply chains.

• Experience supporting major project tenders and framework agreements.

• A track record of delivering cost efficiencies across planned and reactive maintenance procurement.

• Excellent commercial awareness and contract negotiation skills.

• Experience developing supplier relationships and managing supplier performance.

• Understanding of inventory management, stock control and purchasing systems.

• Strong knowledge of procurement processes, financial controls and compliance.

• Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills.

This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious procurement professional to take ownership of a function, make a genuine strategic impact and play a key role in supporting the future growth of an established M&E business.

Tagged as: MCIPS construction