Head of Purchasing & Procurement

1st Executive Ltd; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

1st Executive Ltd, part of a FTSE 100 group, seeks a Head of Commercial Buying & Procurement in Manchester to lead and shape the procurement function within a growing business. You will drive category strategies, supplier partnerships and commercial performance, reporting to the Managing Director and guiding two direct reports.

Ideal candidates will have a strong background in food, hospitality, care or healthcare sectors, with proven ability to deliver margin growth and value through strategic

Qualifications

• We are seeking an experienced Buying/Procurement leader with a proven track record in delivering results through category management.
• Strong strategic buying and procurement experience across relevant sectors.
• Excellent negotiation and relationship management skills with a commercial mindset.

Responsibilities

• Develop category strategies to improve margin, cost savings and rebate income.
• Build and manage strategic supplier relationships and negotiate commercial agreements.
• Develop supplier segmentation and rationalisation strategies.
• Strengthen supply resilience through risk management, multi-sourcing and supplier performance monitoring.
• Identify opportunities for innovation, new products and improved customer value.
• Embed procurement governance, compliance and data-led decision making.
• Collaborate with Finance to support pricing strategy and benchmarking.
• Champion ethical sourcing, sustainability and product safety.
• Lead, mentor and develop the procurement team.

Skills

Strategic buying

Procurement negotiation

Supplier relationship management

Margin management

Total cost of ownership

Procurement analytics

ERP systems

Job description

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Head of Commercial Buying & Procurement to lead the buying and procurement function for a smaller growing business part of a FTSE 100 business.

This is a newly created role with the opportunity to shape the procurement strategy, develop supplier partnerships and drive commercial performance across the business.

Reporting directly to the Managing Director, you will have 2 direct reports

Ideally you will come from the food, hospitality, care or healthcare industries

Key Responsibilities

• Develop category strategies and drive improved margin, cost savings and rebate income.
• Build and manage strategic supplier relationships and negotiate commercial agreements.
• Develop supplier segmentation and rationalisation strategies.
• Strengthen supply resilience through risk management, multi-sourcing and supplier performance management.
• Identify opportunities for innovation, new products and improved customer value.
• Embed effective procurement governance, compliance and data-led decision making.
• Work closely with Finance to support pricing strategy and market benchmarking.
• Champion ethical sourcing, sustainability and product safety.
• Lead, mentor and develop the procurement team.

What I am looking for

We are looking for an experienced Buying / Procurement manager with a strong commercial mindset and a track record of delivering results through suppliers and category management.

You will ideally bring:

• Strong strategic buying and procurement experience.
• Excellent supplier negotiation and relationship management skills.
• Strong commercial and margin management capability.
• Understanding of total cost of ownership and procurement analytics.
• Experience working with ERP systems and procurement dashboards.

This is a great opportunity for a commercially focused procurement professional to make a real impact, shape the procurement function and play a key role in the future growth of the business.