Senior Procurement Manager

Thirsti Water; KwaZulu-Natal; On-site; ZAR 180 000 - 250 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading water solutions company in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal is seeking a Senior Procurement Manager to lead their procurement function. This key role involves managing sourcing strategies, supplier relationships, and cost optimisation to align with business growth and sustainability goals. The ideal candidate will have over 8 years of procurement experience, preferably in FMCG/manufacturing supply chains, and a Bachelor's degree in a related field. This position requires on-site presence for effective leadership and operations.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of procurement experience, with at least 3 years in a senior or strategic role.
• Deep understanding of FMCG/manufacturing supply chains and commodity sourcing.
• Willingness to be based in Newcastle, KZN and work on-site.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a long-term, strategic procurement roadmap.
• Oversee the procurement and inbound logistics of raw materials, packaging, and services.
• Lead and mentor the procurement team, driving continuous improvement.
• Identify and implement cost-saving opportunities across the supply chain.

Skills

Leadership

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Financial acumen

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's degree in Procurement, Supply Chain, Commerce, Engineering

Tools

ERP systems (e.g., Syspro, SAP, Oracle)

Job description

Senior Procurement Manager

Newcastle, KwaZulu Natal | R180000 - R250000 Y | THIRSTI Water

Posted today

Job Description

We're seeking an experienced, strategic, and commercially minded Senior Procurement Manager to lead our group procurement function based at our Newcastle facility. This is a key leadership role responsible for managing the full spectrum of procurement activities — from sourcing and supplier negotiations to cost optimisation and supply risk management — across our national operations.

You’ll work closely with the General Manager, operations, production, and finance teams to ensure that our sourcing strategies align with business growth, cost efficiency, and sustainability goals.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and execute a long-term, strategic procurement roadmap
• Oversee the procurement and inbound logistics of raw materials, packaging, indirect goods, and services
• Lead and mentor the procurement and inbound logistics team, driving continuous improvement
• Build and maintain strong supplier relationships, contracts, and performance metrics
• Identify and implement cost‑saving opportunities across the supply chain
• Collaborate with R&D, operations, and quality teams to support product innovation and compliance
• Manage procurement risk, including supply continuity, price volatility, and supplier compliance
• Ensure accurate and timely reporting, data‑driven decision making, and ERP optimisation
• Stock management and optimise working capital
• Bachelor's degree in Procurement, Supply Chain, Commerce, Engineering, or related field (CIPS certification advantageous)
• Minimum
  8+ years of procurement experience
  , with at least
  3 years in a senior or strategic role
• Deep understanding of
  FMCG/manufacturing supply chains
  and commodity sourcing
• Strong leadership, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills
• Experience working with
  ERP systems
  (e.g., Syspro, SAP, Oracle, or similar)
• High attention to detail, financial acumen, and commercial thinking
• Willingness to be based in
  Newcastle
  , KZN and work on‑site in a high‑performance environment