Procurement Manager

National Express Bus; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

National Express Bus is seeking a Procurement Manager to lead end-to-end procurement strategies for fleet and corporate spend. You will run open tenders, negotiate contracts, and manage supplier relationships with governance and ESG at the core.

You will partner with Engineering Directors and operations to maximise value, reduce risk, and ensure compliance with UK legislation. Hybrid working is offered with exposure to cross-functional teams.

Qualifications

• Proven ability to design, run, and deliver end-to-end Open Tenders in public sector contexts (<Public Sector Frameworks> and Procurement Act 2023).
• Experience delivering savings and value across direct (Engineering/Fleet) and indirect (Corporate/IT/FM) categories.
• Strong contract negotiations and supplier performance management.
• Ability to develop category strategies and manage bid conditioning, clarifications, and debriefs.
• Skilled in ESG, governance, and risk management within procurement activities.
• Experience leading a team and influencing senior stakeholders to gain buy-in.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and procurement software/systems.

Responsibilities

• Own and deliver category strategies across defined direct and indirect spend areas to deliver savings and value creation.
• Lead end-to-end procurement activity, competitive tenders, contract negotiations, market engagement, and supplier mobilisation.
• Apply ESG and governance requirements within procurement activities and challenge stakeholders where proposals fall short.
• Build relationships with internal and external stakeholders and ensure risks and compliance obligations are met.
• Lead on contract and supplier relationship management, track performance and conduct KPI reviews.
• Standardise contract templates to protect the business legally and commercially.
• Monitor supplier developments and benchmark pricing to mitigate risks and identify innovations.
• Maintain audit, governance, and assurance processes to comply with policies and UK legislation.

Skills

End-to-end procurement

Public sector frameworks

Open tenders

Contract negotiations

Category strategy

ESG & governance

Stakeholder management

SRM

MS Office

Procurement systems

Tools

MS Office

ERP systems

Job description

Join National Express Bus as a Procurement Manager and play a key role in leading end-to-end procurement strategies across both operational fleet needs and broader business overheads.

Working closely with our Engineering Director and operational teams, this is an exciting opportunity to drive value for money, support operational performance, and reduce commercial risk across direct and indirect spend categories, including Technology, Marketing, Facilities Management, HR, Professional Services, Fleet, and Maintenance Repair Operations.

Working at the heart of our bus operations, you will lead sourcing exercises, competitive tenders, contract negotiations, supplier relationship management, and governance processes. We are looking for an experienced public sector / regulated procurement professional who can hit the ground running, act as a trusted commercial adviser, lead complex open tenders from start to finish and drive innovation, value, and strong governance across the organisation.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Own and deliver category strategies across defined direct and indirect spend areas (Engineering, Fleet, Technology, FM, HR, Marketing, and Professional Services) to deliver savings and value creation.
• Lead end-to-end procurement activity, competitive tenders, contract negotiations, market engagement, and supplier mobilisation.
• Apply ESG and corporate governance requirements within individual procurement activities and challenge stakeholders where proposals fall short to maximise commercial, social, and environmental outcomes.
• Build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, working closely with operational teams to understand business requirements while ensuring risks and compliance obligations are met.
• Lead on contract and supplier relationship management (SRM), tracking supplier performance and conducting regular reviews using robust KPIs.
• Standardise contract templates (NDAs, SLAs, Master Service Agreements) to ensure the business remains legally and commercially protected.
• Demonstrate market intelligence by monitoring supplier developments, benchmarking pricing, identifying new technologies/innovations, and mitigating inflationary and supply chain risks.
• Maintain robust audit, governance, and assurance processes to ensure all procurement activities comply with company policies and relevant UK legislation.

What’s Essential

• Proven capability to independently design, run, and deliver end-to-end Open Tenders compliant with public sector frameworks, along with significant experience of Procurement Act 2023.
• Proven track record in procurement, ideally managing a mix of direct (engineering/fleet) and indirect (corporate/IT/FM) categories.
• Demonstrated ability to develop category/procurement strategies, lead tender evaluations, undertake bid conditioning and clarifications, debrief suppliers, award contracts, and manage ongoing supplier performance and contracts.
• Expertise in strategic sourcing, contract negotiations, market benchmarking, and risk mitigation in accordance with public sector and utility frameworks.
• Experience in leading a team, influencing senior management and building stakeholder credibility to obtain buy-in for proposals, systems, and new methods of working.
• Strong track record of driving procurement process improvements, maintaining compliance, and delivering against cost-reduction and value targets.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, written, and verbal communication skills with proficiency in Microsoft Office and computerised financial/procurement systems.

Location

The location for this role is NX House on a hybrid working model.