FF&E Procurement & Purchasing Manager

Utopia Design; South Africa; On-site; ZAR 550,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Utopia Design is seeking a procurement professional to manage FF&E budgets, oversee design-linked procurement, and coordinate with suppliers globally. You will ensure timely orders within budget while maintaining compliance and quality across the project lifecycle.

The role requires 3+ years in procurement within design studios or agencies, with fluency in English and Portuguese and a strong focus on cost control and project delivery.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years experience in procurement within a design studio or agency.
• Bachelor’s degree in a related field is required.
• Fluent in English and Portuguese is required.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with FF&E team to determine budgets and timelines.
• Source information to complete detailed specification documents.
• Build procurement schedule from layouts, renderings and specs.
• Compile procurement budget and ensure documentation meets standards.
• Coordinate purchasing schedule with project managers to hit milestones.
• Raise funding requests and issue purchase orders in a timely manner.
• Liaise with global suppliers to obtain quotes and negotiate terms.
• Ensure items meet specifications and deliver on time.
• Coordinate FF&E logistics and installation with internal teams.
• Perform supplier reviews and identify approved suppliers.

Skills

Procurement

Budget management

Vendor management

Bilingual English-Portuguese

Education

Bachelor's degree in Interior Design

Bachelor's degree in Architecture

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain

Master's degree (advantage)

Job description

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 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

You will:

• 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

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Interior Design, Architecture, Supply Chain or Logistic, preferably Master's degree in any of above
• Project Management degree (Master's or equivalent) is a plus
• Must have a minimum of 3 years experience within a procurement agency or design studio in a similar role
• Advanced/fluent in English and Portquese - required
• 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

Benefits Salary and benefits are competitive and based on candidate experience. Note: Please submit your CV in English.