Lead Procurement Manager - Corporate Services

Tesco UK; Welwyn Garden City; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading retail company in Welwyn Garden City is looking for a Head of Corporate Services Procurement to oversee procurement activities. The successful candidate will negotiate contracts, manage supplier relationships, and support the organization's strategic initiatives. This role values adaptability and strong communication skills. The position offers a hybrid work environment with flexible working options.

Benefits

Flexible working options

Inclusive recruitment process

Qualifications

• Experience running sourcing events.
• Proven track record managing Corporate Services Categories.
• Adaptable in a constantly evolving environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead procurement for Corporate Services team.
• Negotiate contracts to balance value and risk.
• Collaborate with senior stakeholders for sourcing strategies.

Skills

Strong negotiation skills

Category Planning skills

Attention to detail

Ability to build relationships

Education

CIPS qualified at level 4

8+ years of procurement experience

Job description

Overview

As head of the Corporate Services Procurement team, you will oversee procurement activities related to Training & Capability, Insurable Risk, Travel, Consultancy & Professional Services, Global Mobility, Benefits & Reward, and Health & Wellness. Your remit covers procurement across Tesco Group UK and Central Europe, as well as opportunities for synergy with Group Affiliates.

This position offers a valuable opportunity to join the Global Procurement Team and provide leadership for the Corporate Services division. In collaboration with senior business leaders, you will play a pivotal role in strategically aligning contracts with future initiatives, maintaining Tesco’s leadership in delivering innovative products and services to both customers and colleagues.

The successful candidate will deliver key performance metrics and industry insights to stakeholders, supporting operational excellence, change initiatives, and innovation. You will facilitate commercial negotiations and manage legal agreements, providing robust support to stakeholders when engaging new or existing suppliers, and maintain effective supplier relationships and performance management.

Procurement team members appreciate being responsible for their category and collaborating with senior stakeholders. They also value working closely with Technology as an extension of that team.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and support to the corporate services team in procuring colleague training, subscriptions, memberships, charitable donations, and event suppliers.
• Negotiate contracts for the supply of these services with a focus on value and efficiency whilst balancing and managing risk (Inflation, Cyber Security, Supply Chain, Data Privacy) in an ever evolving market
• Collaborate with senior corporate stakeholders across Tesco and its subsidiaries to offer contractual guidance, sourcing strategies, project delivery support, and robust supplier relationship management.
• Manage and lead the end-to-end procurement process for both Opex and Capex projects.
• Work alongside functional teams and technology specialists to define go-to-market strategies for new contracts, identify optimal commercial models, and facilitate RFP/RFQ activities.
• Demonstrate strong awareness of key corporate supply markets with comprehensive procurement expertise across various categories.
• Possess contract sourcing and category management experience.
• Build productive working relationships with partners through influence and constructive challenge to support, endorse, and implement sub-category plans aligned with overall procurement strategies, achieving business savings and fostering innovation.
• Develop and deliver sub-category plans that align with broader category objectives by collaborating innovatively with cross-functional teams.
• Proactively minimise revenue and capital costs through effective utilisation of tools, streamlined processes, and best practice application.x
• Drive competitive advantage by executing rigorous end-to-end tenders, negotiations, and eAuctions, making informed decisions based on total cost of ownership analysis.
• Promote performance, best value, and ongoing innovation from key suppliers through structured supplier relationship management, including thorough contract oversight from award to implementation and continuous performance evaluation.
• Support the organisation in achieving compliance with legal, ethical, and safety procurement policies, demonstrating integrity and sound judgement at all times.

Qualifications

• CIPS qualified at level 4 (diploma) preferred but not compulsory.
• 8 Years+ strong procurement experience.
• Previous Procurement management of Corporate Services Categories.
• Strong negotiation skills and experience running sourcing events.
• Adaptable in a constantly evolving environment; resilience & willingness to challenge.
• Able to collaborate well and build solid working relationships with peers and senior leadership across different teams.
• Ability to demonstrate strong written, verbal communication and presentation skills to all levels of seniority and rigors within the organisation.
• Category Planning skills, capability to build and complete strategies.
• Capability to lead sophisticated large-scale projects, driving innovation and procedure through others.
• Excellent attention to detail and using data to drive business decisions at a senior level.

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You might know us as a supermarket, technology company or even for our award-winning mobile network. Truth is, we’re all of those things, and much more. Our colleagues work with one goal in mind, helping to make every day a little better for our customers, colleagues and communities all over the world. No two customers are the same, neither are our colleagues.

At Tesco, we champion a balance that lets you thrive both in and out of work. Spend 60% of your week collaborating with colleagues at our office locations or local sites and the rest remotely. Whether you're just kicking off your career, juggling passions, or navigating big life events, we're here to support you. We always welcome a conversation about flexible working, so talk to us throughout your application about how we can support.

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