Head of Procurement, Supplier Management, and Outsourcing

Supporting Education Group; London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading education services platform in the UK is seeking a Head of Procurement to drive the procurement strategy across its group. This strategic leadership role will involve optimizing supplier performance and managing relationships. Ideal candidates will possess significant procurement experience and a proven record in managing cost efficiencies. The position offers a hybrid working model and a range of attractive benefits, focusing on creating an inclusive workplace for all employees.

Benefits

Hybrid working

28 days holiday + bank holidays

Healthcare plan including access to a private GP

Life insurance from day one

Pension scheme

Access to flexible benefits

Qualifications

• Significant experience in procurement, sourcing, and outsourcing.
• Proven success negotiating contracts and managing suppliers.
• Strong understanding of procurement risks, regulations, and compliance.

Responsibilities

• Lead procurement strategy and optimization efforts.
• Manage strategic supplier relationships and outsourcing strategies.
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership teams.

Skills

Procurement

Negotiation

Stakeholder Engagement

Strategic Thinking

Tools

Procurement Systems

ERP Platforms

Job description

About Us:

At Supporting Education Group (SEG), we're here to empower the world of education. As the UK's leading education services platform, we bring together four specialist practices that support every corner of the sector - from teacher supply and SEN tutoring to qualifications, training and essential professional services.

We serve over 18,000 customers, employ 1,600 people, and generate over £288 million in revenue annually. Backed by private equity, our rapid growth - both organic and through acquisitions - means we're constantly evolving to meet the changing needs of schools, educators, and learners.

With central teams across technology, finance, people, and marketing, we're now entering an exciting transformation phase - simplifying how we work, consolidating contracts, and strengthening supplier relationships to build a more sustainable, efficient future.

About the Role:

We're looking for an experienced and commercially astute Head of Procurement, Supplier Management and Outsourcing to lead and execute our procurement strategy across the group.

This is a strategic leadership role responsible for shaping and delivering a consistent, group-wide approach to procurement, outsourcing, and supplier governance. You'll play a key role in optimising supplier performance, driving cost efficiencies, and improving procurement capabilities across our senior leadership teams.

This is your opportunity to build a function from the ground up and make a lasting impact as we continue to scale.

Key areas of focus:

• Procurement Strategy & Operations: Develop and lead our group procurement function, aligning with business goals while improving efficiencies, compliance and value-for-money.

• Supplier & Outsourcing Management: Oversee strategic supplier relationships, SLAs and KPIs, and lead our outsourcing strategy to improve service scalability and cost-effectiveness.

• Cost Optimisation & Value Creation: Use data, benchmarking and negotiation to identify synergies, reduce costs and support M&A integration.

• Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement: Act as a trusted advisor across the group, working closely with our central and practice teams to embed procurement best practice.

You'll be working with major suppliers including large IT companies, among others.

About You:

You're an experienced procurement leader with a track record of driving transformation in fast-paced, multi-entity organisations - ideally with exposure to private equity environments and post-acquisition integration.

You combine commercial acumen with strategic thinking, and have the influencing skills to build strong relationships at every level.

To succeed in this role, you'll need to bring:

• Significant experience in procurement, sourcing, and outsourcing - ideally in a service-led or multi-site business.

• Proven success negotiating contracts, managing suppliers, and delivering cost savings.

• Experience creating and executing outsourcing strategies and managing third-party governance.

• Strong understanding of procurement risks, regulations, and compliance.

• Leadership experience with the ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive change.

• Knowledge of procurement systems or ERP platforms (desirable).

It would be desirable if you had:

• Experience in the education, healthcare, or professional services sectors.

• Previous involvement in M&A procurement due diligence and integration.

Our Benefits:

• Hybrid working (minimum 3 days per week in our London office)

• 28 days holiday + bank holidays, increasing to 33 days with length of service

• Healthcare plan (post-probation), including access to a private GP

• Life insurance (x4 salary) from day one

• Pension scheme with employer contributions

• Access to flexible benefits including extra holiday, dental, electric cars, gym membership and more

Our Culture:

At Supporting Education Group, our people come first.

We're creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, supported, and inspired to do their best work. From open communication to opportunities for growth and development, we believe work should be both meaningful and enjoyable.

We're proud to foster a culture of inclusivity and authenticity, where diverse perspectives are embraced and celebrated. If you're looking for a career where you can make a difference, be yourself, and help shape the future of education - we'd love to hear from you.