FF&E Procurement Specialist

Utopia Design; South Africa; On-site; ZAR 450,000 - 650,000; Full time

Job summary

Utopia Design is seeking a Procurement Coordinator to manage relationships with suppliers and oversee FF&E budgets in South Africa. This role requires collaboration with designers and project managers, ensuring timely procurement and adherence to budgets.

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, 3 to 10 years of experience in procurement, and advanced English skills. Join a dynamic team in creating luxury hospitality experiences.

Qualifications

• 3 to 10 years experience within a procurement agency or design studio in a similar role.
• Advanced/fluent in English.
• Experience dealing with global projects and suppliers.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Sr. FF&E Procurement Manager and designer to ascertain project timelines.
• Organize the purchasing schedule, ensuring milestones are reached.
• Maintain accurate procurement and budget records.

Skills

Supply Chain Management

Vendor Relationships

Project Management

Budget Management

Logistics Coordination

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Interior Design, Architecture, Supply Chain or Logistics

Project Management degree

Job description

About The Company

Utopia is an ultra-luxury hospitality and lifestyle brand creating a global ecosystem of properties and experiences. We develop private villa retreats in beautiful locations around the world, each with high-end service. Utopia also offers a wider ecosystem of leisure experiences and services available both to those staying on property and to external visitors. Utopia designs and builds its properties in-house. Our team works across the full journey: from concept and architecture to construction, interiors, landscape, guest experience, and long-term operation. For architects and designers, this means working on properties from the ground up, with the ability to influence how each place is planned, built, and experienced. For hospitality professionals, it means joining a brand where service is personal, attentive, and built around each guest’s stay. We’re a young, ambitious team with high standards and a hands‑on approach. We value strong ideas, practical thinking, attention to detail, and people who are ready to take responsibility for their part of the work. If you’re interested in architecture, design, hospitality, or guest experience, we invite you to grow with Utopia.

About The Role

This position will work closely with Interior Designers and Senior FF&E Procurement Manager to maintain FF&E budgets, project procurement, supply chain, logistics and project installations. Orchestrate relationships with top‑tier suppliers/manufacturers and spearhead cost‑effective procurement strategies tailored to the unique demands of our UTOPIA LIVING operations. In general it will be responsible for ordering, administration and supply procurement of the FF&E, OS&E, design and supply within the team. It will be your responsibility to ensure that the orders are made on time, within budget and in the most efficient manner, ensuring that the Finance Department is kept informed of all necessary compliance.

At a Glance

• FF&E/Fit Out Budgets and Cost Planning
• Tendering and Market Research
• Contracts and Purchase Orders management
• Payment Forecast and Cost control
• Logistic, Delivery and Installation plus Handover

Key Role Outcomes

• Segment‑Specific Sourcing: Develop and execute strategic sourcing plans specifically tailored for the OS&E/FF&E
• Exclusive Vendor Partnerships: Cultivate and maintain strategic relationships with premium suppliers across OS&E/FF&E
• Cost Excellence: Identify opportunities to optimize costs without compromising the premium experience within these segments, and identify performance improvement opportunities
• Risk Mitigation: Develop and implement strategies to mitigate risks associated with procurement activities, thereby safeguarding brand reputation and guest satisfaction
• Tailored Contract Management: Oversee the negotiation, evaluation, and management of supplier contracts to uphold UTOPIA reputation for premium and exclusive experiences
• Market Intelligence: Stay attuned to evolving trends, market dynamics, and innovative technologies, leveraging these insights to drive innovation and elevate guest experiences
• Sustainability: Champion initiatives that align with UTOPIA commitment to environmental and social responsibility while maintaining the highest level of premium standards

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Sr. FF&E Procurement Manager, Architects and Senior FF&E/Interior Designer to ascertain the timeline, budget and deadlines of the project
• Assist the FF&E/Interior Designer with sourcing all the information necessary to complete the detailed specification document
• Work with the design team to build the initial procurement schedule based on the review of layouts, renderings & specifications of the project
• Responsible for the compilation of the procurement budget and coordinating all documentation ensuring all document standards are met
• Organize the purchasing schedule, liaising with the Sr. Procurement and Project managers to ensure all project milestones are reached
• Working closely with the Finance team to raise Funding Requests, produce purchase orders and pay proforma invoices in timely manner
• Receive, approve and pass invoices for payment and log on procurement schedule
• Liaise with suppliers across the globe to obtain quotes and discuss terms of service
• To work within set budgets and timeframes, ensuring items meet the required specification and can be delivered on time
• Liaise with internal teams and contractors to organize FF&E logistics and installation
• Quality control
• Ensure all supplier contacts are up to date
• Carry out existing supplier reviews & new supplier visits in order to provide a list of approved suppliers to consideration on projects
• Maintain accurate procurement & budget records & collate information for a weekly procurement review

CV Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Interior Design, Architecture, Supply Chain or Logistics, preferably Master’s degree in any of above
• Project Management degree (Master’s or equivalent) is a plus
• 3 to 10 years experience within a procurement agency or design studio in a similar role
• Advanced/fluent in English
• Experience dealing with global projects and suppliers - markets across Europe, Brazil, DR, and Latin America advantageous
• Experience in establishing and executing new processes
• Experience in preparing O&M Manuals for Hospitality projects

By submitting this application, I agree that my personal data will be collected, processed, and retained by the company solely for the purposes of managing and assessing my candidacy.