Procurement Manager in Sudbury, Suffolk

Just Recruitment is working with a growing manufacturing business, based on the outskirts of Sudbury. They are looking to add a Procurement Manager to their growing team.

Required skills and Qualifications:

• CIPS Qualified - min level 5
• Substantial experience in a procurement leadership role within the food, ingredients, manufacturing or FMCG sectors.
• Experience in leading and developing high performance teams
• Strong Negotiation and Supplier Management skills

The key purpose of this role is to lead the delivery of greater strategic and operational value of the procurement function and help to deliver business-critical goals. This is a hands-on, strategic and operational role that requires a confident leader with deep procurement expertise and the ability to inspire and develop a team.

You will work closely with the Supply Chain Manager to shape and implement a fit-for-purpose procurement strategy, ensuring alignment with business goals across quality, cost, sustainability and risk management. This role is pivotal in maintaining robust and value-driven supplier relationships while enabling continuous improvement in all procurement activities.

You will also oversee raw material planning and call-offs, ensuring that the business maintains the right balance between availability and inventory control - essential for production continuity and working capital efficiency. This role includes direct line management of a Procurement Specialist, supporting their development and day-to-day activity management.

Key duties include:

• Develop and implement a comprehensive procurement strategy aligned with business objectives, operational needs and sustainability goals.
• Identify, evaluate, and manage suppliers across raw materials, packaging, and indirect categories to ensure quality, continuity and cost-effectiveness.
• Collaborate with the Supply Chain Manager and other departments to align procurement with broader supply chain goals and business plans.
• Contribute to the company's sustainability, traceability and ethical sourcing commitments through strategic supplier partnerships.
• Oversee the procurement of raw materials, packaging, indirect goods and services, and CAPEX items, ensuring optimal quality, cost and delivery performance.
• Manage tendering processes, contract negotiation and supplier onboarding activities.
• Ensure our ERP system is updated and used effectively for procurement activities and reporting.
• Monitor and report on procurement KPIs, savings and supplier performance metrics.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers and service providers, driving continuous improvement and innovation.
• Lead supplier performance reviews, audits and corrective action processes.
• Identify and assess risks within the supply base and implement mitigation strategies to ensure business continuity.
• Lead, mentor and develop the procurement team to achieve high levels of engagement, performance and professional growth.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous learning within the team.
• Support the wider Supply Chain team by contributing to cross-functional initiatives and projects.
• Ensure adherence to company procurement policies, financial controls and ethical standards.
• Support internal and external audits with relevant documentation and compliance reporting.
• Drive process improvement initiatives and embed best practices across the procurement function.
• Build and nurture key working relationships with Production, Quality Assurance, Finance, Warehousing, Sales and Commercial Teams, Suppliers, Logistics Providers and Regulatory Bodies.

This is an excellent opportunity to drive change within a business - offering a great working environment. Working hours for this role are Monday to Friday 8am - 5pm although some flexibility is required. Please note, due to the location of the business, you must have access to your own transport.

For more information on this position, please contact Just Recruitment Group Ltd on telephone 01376 528660 quoting job reference TB11. Please note that if you have not been contacted within 7 days, your application for this position has been unsuccessful.