Procurement Manager

To establish and run a professional, well-governed procurement function that supports the Engineering department worldwide, secures the best commercial outcomes for the group, ensures suppliers are properly vetted and monitored, and lays the foundations for a larger procurement team as the function grows.

Key Responsibilities

1. Supplier Pricing & Engineering Support

• Reach out to suppliers and obtain accurate, timely pricing when requested by the Engineering department
• Turn engineering requirements around quickly so that live proposals and projects are not held up
• Apply sound technical understanding to make like-for-like comparisons of products and offers (deep technical assessment will be supported by the Engineering team, but you should be able to hold your own in a technical conversation)
• Challenge specifications and suggest alternatives where they offer better value without compromising quality

2. Supplier Database & Quote Management

• Build and maintain an accurate, well-structured database of suppliers, quotations and pricing history
• Keep records current so that up-to-date pricing and supplier information is always available to the wider business
• Support internal tools and workflows (e.g. our SharePoint-based procurement tracking) and improve them over time

3. Supplier Due Diligence & Onboarding

• Own supplier onboarding end to end, with support from Finance, ensuring appropriate due diligence is completed before a supplier is engaged
• Set up and run a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) process covering areas such as environmental credentials, anti money laundering, modern slavery, financial stability and insurances
• Maintain records of checks and approvals so that the group can demonstrate proper diligence at any time

4. Stock Optimisation & Reordering

• Optimise stock levels across the business, setting minimum stock levels and reorder points
• Manage reordering with suppliers to avoid both shortages and excess stock, balancing availability against working capital
• Work with Engineering and Operations to forecast demand and plan purchasing accordingly

5. Group & Multi-Country Procurement

• Support the Board in optimising procurement across multiple countries (UK, UAE, India and Ireland), working towards coverage of all categories over time
• Identify opportunities to consolidate spend, standardise suppliers and unlock group-wide savings
• Bring visibility and consistency to how the group buys across regions

6. Negotiation & Commercial Terms

• Negotiate with suppliers to secure favourable pricing, payment terms, lead times and warranties
• Build strong, long-term supplier relationships that benefit the group commercially and operationally
• Understand and manage the total cost of ownership, not just headline price

7. Supplier Performance Monitoring

• Monitor supplier performance on quality, delivery, price and responsiveness
• Address underperformance constructively and maintain a healthy, reliable supply base
• Keep the business informed of supply risks and recommend mitigations

8. Function Development & Governance

• Help define and document procurement policies, processes and controls as the function matures
• Support the Board with reporting and insight on spend, savings and supplier performance
• As the function grows, help build, mentor and eventually lead a wider procurement team

Required Skills & Experience

• A degree (essential)
• Solid procurement experience, ideally within the water treatment industry; failing that, within engineering, manufacturing or construction
• Demonstrable experience of international procurement and negotiating with overseas suppliers (essential)
• Sufficient technical understanding to compare products and offers on a like-for-like basis
• Strong negotiation skills with a track record of securing favourable pricing and terms
• Experience of supplier due diligence and onboarding, including PQQ or equivalent vetting processes
• Highly organised and detail-oriented, comfortable owning and maintaining accurate data and records
• Confident communicator with excellent written and spoken English (essential)
• Good working knowledge of Excel and comfortable with digital tools and systems
• Self-starter able to work with autonomy across time zones and build a function from the ground up

Nice to Have

• Experience with Sage and/or Microsoft Dynamics
• Exposure to the water treatment sector or related process/mechanical equipment
• Experience of stock and inventory optimisation and reorder-point planning
• Prior experience establishing or growing a procurement function

What You'll Get

• The chance to build and shape the group's procurement function from the outset
• A clear progression path towards Head of Procurement and leadership of a growing team
• Direct visibility with, and support from, the UK Board
• Broad exposure across multiple countries, categories and disciplines
• The opportunity to make a measurable commercial impact in a fast-growing international business