Procurement Capability Manager

Join to apply for the Procurement Capability Manager role at First Rail. Base pay range Procurement Capability Manager 6 months FTC.

Who are we? First Rail is part of FirstGroup, one of the leading rail operators and one of the largest bus operators in the UK. FirstGroup operates services throughout the UK and Ireland, with over 30,000 employees providing services that make travel smoother and life easier. FirstGroup works hard to reduce its impact on the environment, introducing cleaner and more environmentally responsible methods of transport.

About the job: The Procurement Capability Manager is responsible for leading the delivery and ongoing development of our Procurement processes, supporting systems, team training, and reporting. This role promotes compliance, consistency, and cross‑team knowledge, enabling us to achieve our vision of becoming a best‑in‑class function within our industry. The Manager will also provide support on ad‑hoc projects as directed by the Senior Procurement Manager – Governance & Compliance. This role is a key part of the wider Procurement function which is focused on delivering best value for money and promoting ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) and Social Value benefits through sourcing and contracting.

Key responsibilities of this role will include:

• Ownership and management of processes across a wide range of Procurement activities such as sourcing and tendering, supplier and contract management, supplier assurance and due diligence and savings tracking and spend analysis.
• Input to the strategic vision for process and system/tool development for end‑to‑end procurement processes, owning the capability roadmap and ensuring alignment with broader organisational goals.
• Create and maintain a procurement process, tools and systems map with appropriate user guidance and notes.
• Collaborate with the wider procurement team to understand current and future needs, assessing gaps in capabilities and managing prioritisation of process, system and tools development.
• Work closely with wider business stakeholders promoting procurement policy and processes to raise the function's profile through clear communication and engagement.
• Support Procurement function capability development and proactively provide user support and training for systems and processes, becoming a recognised “superuser” within the function (Subject Matter Expert).
• Identify and track KPIs and establish effective reporting to provide insight into Policy and process compliance and function effectiveness.
• Create inputs to the Procurement Leadership Forum as required.
• Deputise for the Senior Procurement Manager – Governance & Compliance as required.
• Provide occasional cover for the Procurement Analyst and wider team responsibilities, such as during holidays.

As a minimum, you will need to have:

• Demonstratable accuracy and thoroughness with an ability to look for ways to improve processes and tools with effective change management.
• A wide experience of procurement systems including e‑sourcing/e‑tendering, contract repositories and supplier information management systems.
• A good working knowledge of core procurement processes such as spend analysis, sourcing, supplier assurance and supplier and contract management.
• Ability to work independently, using initiative and managing multiple tasks at any one time.
• Innovative problem‑solving skills combined with a solution‑oriented mindset.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with an ability to build credibility with internal and external stakeholders.
• Developed influencing skills in managing effective working relationships with key stakeholders at all levels.
• A self‑developer with an affinity to seek out the latest trends and best practice in procurement processes and policy.
• A high level of proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
• Broad‑based professional procurement experience with commercial awareness.
• Experience or working knowledge of supplier due‑diligence and management.
• CIPS qualified or working knowledge / experience of end‑to‑end Procurement processes.
• Experience of working in the rail & bus sectors.
• Working knowledge of procurement legislation and process (specifically Regulated Procurement – PA'23).

About the location: First Rail Holdings Ltd, 8th Floor, The Point, 37 North Wharf Road, London, E2 1AF.

We all belong at First Rail. FirstGroup's vision is to provide an inclusive environment for all colleagues, across its group of businesses, ensuring all candidates have an equal opportunity to access meaningful employment. We value our differences such as age, gender, LGBTQIA+, ethnicity, religion, and disability. We maintain a zero tolerance towards any form of prejudice towards our colleagues, customers, and future talent. We celebrate and encourage diversity of thought, progressive ways of working and seeing all our colleagues grow and thrive. We review all roles and job descriptions to ensure they are accessible and, where possible, we support and provide flexible working options; we recommend that you refer to each vacancy description for further details. If you require additional support to complete your application due to a disability or neurodivergent condition, for example, dyslexia, dyspraxia, or autism, please follow the links below. We encourage you to share any additional needs you may require so we can provide a fair and equal process for you.