Procurement Specialist in London

My client specialises in the delivery of essential public services, with over 50,000 people working in defence, transport, justice, immigration, healthcare, and other citizen services across our four regions: UK & Europe, North America, Asia Pacific and Middle East.

They are looking for a Procurement Bid Manager to come and join the team on an initial 6-month contract, with the potential to extend. The role is home based; however, there is a need to go into the organisation's offices once a month in London and twice a month in Hook, Hampshire. There is also the requirement to attend supplier sites throughout the UK in line with bid requirements. All related travel and accommodation costs will be covered in line with the organisation's travel policy, however, the position does require flexibility to ensure these visits are undertaken. The successful candidate will be required to undergo a Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) as part of the screening process.

In this role you will be supporting with the organisation's bids within the defence sector. Acting as the interface, you will need to understand the bid, customer requirements and work closely with both suppliers and stakeholders within the organisation.

• Understand customer drivers to influence wider supply chain strategies.
• Lead supplier engagement.
• Provide the key interface between Bid Team and the relevant Procurement subject matter experts (Risk, Sustainability etc).
• Ensure bid alignment with the organisation's evolving procurement category strategies.
• Support the bid team in drafting compelling bid responses to procurement and supply chain related responses.
• Engage Category Team where appropriate.
• Develop supply chain strategy with Solution and Commercial managers.
• Support the bid transition plan for phasing in/out of supplier contracts.
• Input into Make Vs Buy and associated Greed/Black Hats.
• Identify and mitigate supply chain risks.
• Negotiate supplier pricing & KPI’s with Commercial team support.
• Agree best subcontracting method with Commercial Contracts (flow downs etc).
• Review Indexation risk and support associated assumptions.
• Develop supply chain sustainability & Social Value commitments.
• Manage Procurement Governance gates (PLRT).
• Conduct supplier due diligence, including D&B finance reports and ethics checks.
• Support/Lead supply chain benchmarking exercises.
• Manage supplier tender process.
• Support supplier selection process.
• Leverage cross-BU buying power and innovation.
• Input into Make Vs Buy.

• Procurement Expertise: Proven experience in procurement for bids/tenders, ideally in complex or regulated sectors. Strong supplier engagement, negotiation, and commercial modelling skills. Knowledge of assigned business units and ability to apply global and strategic thinking while adapting to local requirements. Expertise in risk management, governance processes, and due diligence. Ability to develop supply chain strategies and integrate sustainability/social value. MCIPS or equivalent professional qualification desirable; APMP advantageous.
• Leadership & Influence: Ability to “sell” procurement internally and externally. Demonstrated capability to develop and maintain strong senior stakeholder relationships up to MD and Board level. Excellent communication and influencing skills at multiple levels.
• Analytical & Decision-Making: Strong planning, organising, and analytical skills. Fact-based decision-making ability.
• Change & Compliance: Experience working in complex, changing environments with demanding objectives. Ability to drive compliance with procurement policies and standards.
• Personal Attributes: Professional credibility and resilience. Flexibility to work across multiple business units. Role model for organisational values.

Candidates will ideally show evidence of the above in their CV to be considered.

Please be advised if you haven't heard from us within 48 hours then unfortunately your application has not been successful on this occasion, we may however keep your details on file for any suitable future vacancies and contact you.

We use generative AI tools to support our candidate screening process. This helps us ensure a fair, consistent, and efficient experience for all applicants. Rest assured, all final decisions are made by our hiring team, and your application will be reviewed with care and attention.

Our commitment is to provide equal opportunity regardless of, for example, your gender, age, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or beliefs. We also engage with employers to develop programmes and pathways that embrace diverse talent and promote more inclusive employment worldwide through partnerships and other initiatives. We recognise and celebrate the value of difference and how it makes us faster, smarter and more innovative than our competition.