Head of Procurement in Birmingham

Ford & Stanley Executive Search (Part of the Ford & Stanley Group) are a leading Executive search firm to the UK, North American and European Rail, Defence, Technology & Heavy Manufacturing industries. Our search directors, search consultants and research teams specialise in all horizontal functions of our clients' organisations with expertise spanning engineering, commercial, procurement, HR, IT, finance, HSQE, sales, projects, operations and c-suite.

We have been appointed by our client company on a retained search for a Head of Procurement to join the procurement function. Below you will find a 'candidate opportunity briefing document' developed from notes taken during the scoping meeting (Situational Discovery) held between the Head of Client Development and Principal Consultant of Ford & Stanley Executive Search and the HR Director and Finance Director of the business. This brief is designed to give candidates a deeper insight into the opportunity inherent within the role, the challenges the role presents, and provide access to the detail that sits behind the job specification.

Client Opportunity Statements:

• "We need a leader who can not only assess our current procurement capabilities but also elevate them, introducing new metrics to ensure we have a clearer, more strategic view of performance, pipeline, and activity."
• "Successful procurement isn't just about processes—it’s about people. Embedding the team within the business and strengthening stakeholder engagement is critical to driving alignment and long-term success both internally and externally."
• "As a business, we are in a key transition period, and we need someone who can navigate change with confidence. Our Head of Procurement will be responsible for managing risks, safeguarding stakeholder interests, and ensuring that we don’t jeopardise our contracts or partnerships."

Essential Hard Skills (Skills & Experience):

• Excellent understanding of complex procurement contracts.
• Transferable industry experience, such as rail, heavy engineering, aerospace, automotive, defence, energy, utilities and other highly regulated sectors.
• Proven leadership and line management experience (people, functions and stakeholder relations).
• Previous experience working in a change environment and influencing business transformation.

Essential Soft Skills (Attributes & Behaviours):

• A firm personality that can challenge the status quo, balanced with an affinity for diplomacy and an ability to reassure the group.
• An ability to handle difficult conversations with executive maturity and gravitas.
• This will be a highly autonomous role, where the Head of Procurement will need to take ownership of the function’s success and its integration within the business.
• High levels of resilience. On top of managing initial challenges, this individual’s role will likely significantly change after the business’s exit and change in governance.
• Proactive, confident communicator internally and externally.

Working Arrangements & Location:

The Head of Procurement will work out of the main Midlands office. There is a hybrid policy in place with a general rule of “Together more often than apart”; therefore, the Head of Procurement can expect to be in the office 3 days a week on average. This pattern may vary based on business needs, with some weeks present in HQ for more or fewer days. The successful individual will show flexibility and work within a give-and-take approach.

Ford & Stanley Interview Process:

• 1st Stage: Candidate Discovery: An open, conversational and consultative discussion where interested candidates are assessed on their suitability for the role in the context of the above and challenged on how the opportunity lines up with their career aspirations, motivations, financial expectations and personal circumstances.
• 2nd Stage: The ‘shortlist’: Candidates are asked to reflect on the candidate discovery discussion, take time to reflect on the opportunity and undertake subsequent research on the client business, reporting back on their thoughts, questions and providing additional specific information on their suitability (if applicable). Final checks of role, package and logistical alignments made.

Client Company Interview Process:

• 1st stage interview conducting remotely via Teams, with Finance Director and HR Director.
• 2nd stage interview conducted face to face, this will be competency-based and hosted by Finance Director and HR Director.
• Potential informal coffee meeting with Managing Director as a final stage.

Good to know:

The role of Head of Procurement has been occupied in an interim capacity for the last year. The previous Head of Procurement has brought many improvements to the function and built a team around them. The Head of Procurement will report directly into the Finance Director and will line-manage three Senior Category Managers. Each of those Senior Category Managers oversees a number of team members, bringing the total Procurement function to a headcount of 12. Consistent leadership and direction are needed in the Procurement function. While it has grown in recent years, they need to demonstrate value brought to the business. This will be achieved through reviewing and formalising KPIs and metrics, and building business-wide transparency on activity and pipeline. There is a high degree of autonomy within the role, and the responsibility of the whole function’s success will lie with the Head of Procurement. The Finance Director has a breadth of experience in various business areas and can be a resource of counsel; however, they do not have the capacity to heavily dedicate their time to Procurement, and as such, the successful candidate will need to be ready to hit the ground running.

Budget: Low: £80,000 / Mid: £85,000 / High: £90,000

Supporting benefits:

• Defined Benefit pension – one of the best in the UK, our pension scheme is a defined benefit, shared cost scheme to which both the company and you contribute.
• Free travel
• 25 days holiday allowance + Bank Holidays
• Eligible to participate in our private medical insurance - for you, your partner and any dependent children (this is a taxable benefit/P11D reportable)
• 24/7 Virtual GP service - for you, your partner and any dependent children

About Ford & Stanley Executive Search:

Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group are in the business of people and performance. Our mission is to create one million better workdays through facilitating great recruitment, leadership and occupational mental fitness. We support our clients in their most challenging business areas - recruiting, developing and retaining the best talent from shop floor to boardroom.

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Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group Ltd is a Disability Confident employer that is committed to a policy of equal opportunities for all opportunity seekers. We shall adhere to such a policy at all times and will review on an ongoing basis all aspects of recruitment to avoid unlawful or undesirable discrimination. We will treat everyone equally irrespective of sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, age, disability, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief or political beliefs and we place an obligation upon all staff to respect and act in accordance with the policy.