Procurement Manager

Avanti West Coast · London

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Are you an experienced Procurement Manager with strong commercial acumen, excellent negotiation skills and a passion for delivering value?

This is an exciting opportunity to influence strategic decisions, lead high-value tendering exercises and work collaboratively with senior stakeholders to deliver efficiencies, manage risk and ensure robust procurement practices.

The Role

As Procurement Manager, you will lead procurement activity across key spend categories and business-critical contracts, ensuring procurement strategies meet national, regional and local business requirements.

 You will manage the end-to-end procurement process, from project initiation and tendering through negotiation and contract handover, while acting as a trusted procurement business partner to designated Directorates.

Working closely with FirstGroup Procurement, other Train Operating Companies (TOCs) and internal stakeholders, you will maximise commercial opportunities, improve efficiency and deliver value for money.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead procurement and contract negotiations for goods and services across your portfolio.

• Develop and implement effective procurement and category management strategies.

• Manage end-to-end tendering activity in line with the Procurement Act 2023 requirements and FirstGroup policies and procedures.

• Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders, suppliers and cross-functional teams.

• Ensure contracts effectively manage cost, risk and compliance, aligned with legal and governance requirements.

• Collaborate with FirstGroup Procurement and associated TOCs to identify opportunities for savings and efficiencies.

• Provide procurement business partnering support, including guidance on procurement and purchase-to-pay processes.

• Drive continuous improvement, innovation and best practice across the Procurement function.

What We’re Looking For

Knowledge and Expertise

• Strong understanding of the end-to-end procurement process and category management.

• Knowledge and practical application of the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016 and/or Procurement Act 2023 requirements.

• Experience with procure-to-pay and finance systems, particularly SAP and Neptune.

• Project management knowledge and experience managing tendering activities.

Skills and Competencies

• Excellent negotiation skills and strong commercial awareness.

• Exceptional stakeholder management and collaboration skills.

• Strong relationship-building and influencing skills.

• Excellent organisation, planning and prioritisation abilities.

Experience

• Extensive experience delivering procurement solutions across multiple spend categories.

• Experience in business planning, budgeting, expenditure analysis and developing cost-efficiency strategies.

• Experience managing medium-to-large-value tenders, ideally contracts exceeding £500,000, under the relevant public procurement regulations.

Qualifications

MCIPS qualified or actively working towards the qualification.

 Please review the role profile for more detail.

 What’s In It for You?

• Final Salary Pension Scheme

• Free Travel on Avanti West Coast for you and your family

• 75% Off Leisure Travel with other train operators

• 30 Days Holiday, increasing to 37 with service (including bank holidays)

• 10 Free Journeys with other First Group train services

Be You. With Us.

 At Avanti West Coast, we believe our strength comes from the unique perspectives, experiences and backgrounds of our people. We are proud to build a workplace where diversity is embraced, and everyone is supported to thrive.

We welcome individuals of all races, religions, ages, genders, gender identities, sexual orientations and abilities. Our goal is to reflect the

Communities we serve and create an environment where everyone feels valued and heard.

When you join Avanti West Coast, you become part of a close-knit team that encourages authenticity. We want you to bring your whole self to work. No need to change who you are to fit in. Your individuality is what makes us better.

 We celebrate it, we respect it and we put it to great use.

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