Procurement Manager in Bolton

Location: Bolton (Hybrid working 2 days in the office)

Contract: Permanent

Hours: 37.5 hours per week, Mon-Fri 9-5

Salary: Up to £55,000 per annum (dependent on experience and qualifications)

About Us

Outcomes First Group (OFG) is the largest independent provider of high‑quality special needs education and care in England, Scotland and Wales. We deliver exceptional, research‑led education with smaller class sizes and personalised learning plans. Our vision is to empower every child with a world‑class education that nurtures potential and inspires lifelong learning.

The Role

As Procurement Manager, you will lead the procurement function across multiple categories including infrastructure, fleet management, and operational resources. You will be responsible for ensuring procurement activities meet high standards of quality, compliance, sustainability and cost‑effectiveness while aligning with strategic growth objectives.

What You’ll Do

• Lead, plan, and coordinate procurement exercises across the business in a cost‑effective and efficient way.
• Lead procurement for new site openings, including sourcing of equipment, utilities, and vehicles.
• Manage and develop the procurement team, providing leadership, guidance, and support to ensure high performance and continuous improvement.
• Ensure all procurement processes adhere to internal policies and external regulatory requirements.
• Monitor supplier performance and ensure delivery of goods and services meets quality standards.
• Carry out due diligence checks on suppliers to ensure compliance and quality standards.
• Maintain supplier databases, contracts registers, and succession planning strategies.
• Oversee tenders, price reviews, and onboarding of new suppliers.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to forecast needs and align procurement with operational plans.
• Manage the whole fleet, including ordering new vehicles, ongoing support, and vehicle de‑fleet and reallocation processes.
• Manage procurement reports to track suppliers and costs.
• Negotiate supplier contracts, ensuring favourable terms and value for money.
• Provide a customer‑focused procurement service, handling supplier complaints and disputes effectively.

What We’re Looking For

• Proven experience in procurement management, ideally within education, healthcare, or multi‑site operations.
• Strong understanding of compliance frameworks, quality assurance, and sustainability requirements in procurement.
• Strong commercial acumen and negotiation skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills.
• Familiarity with procurement systems and compliance frameworks.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and drive decisions.
• Commercial acumen and a track record of achieving cost efficiencies.

Benefits

• Life Assurance
• Pension scheme with options to increase contributions
• Wellbeing support, including first‑class mental health services and physical health checks
• Family Growth Support – enhanced maternity and paternity leave, paid fertility treatment support
• Wide range of health, wellbeing, and insurance benefits
• 100s of discount options valid in the UK and abroad
• Cycle to Work Schemes
• Electric Car Purchase Scheme
• Critical illness cover

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all employees to share this commitment and undertake appropriate checks. All applicants will be subject to social media checks and, upon success, a fully enhanced DBS check. We are an Equal Opportunities Employer.

Please note: 4‑Day Working Week is subject to successful completion of your probation period and is not a contractual benefit. We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications. Outcomes First Group is committed to carrying out a fair, thorough and efficient recruitment process in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education. Whilst we aim to keep applicants informed throughout, we do not accept liability for any loss of earnings or other associated costs incurred by applicants as a result of delays or changes in the compliance process.