Capex Procurement Manager in London

About VIRTUS

VIRTUS Data Centres is the UK’s fastest-growing data centre provider.

We own, design, build, and operate some of the most energy-efficient, flexible, and secure data centres in Europe.

In 2023, we announced our expansion into continental Europe, starting with Berlin and Milan, with plans to grow further across the region.

At VIRTUS, we aim to be a positive force in the fourth industrial revolution—delivering innovative solutions while staying firmly rooted in our core values: Clarity & Quality, Accountability, Customer Commitment, Purposeful Innovation, and Capability & Growth.

Job Summary

We are looking for a Cap Ex Procurement Manager to lead end-to-end procurement across our major capital projects and strategic Cap Ex categories — the design, construction and fit-out programmes that build VIRTUS' data centres in the UK and Europe.

You will own the commercial and procurement strategy for assigned capital programmes: packaging and route-to-market decisions, competitive tendering, complex contract negotiation, risk allocation, governance approval and contract mobilisation.

You will partner closely with Design, Construction, Engineering, Project, Finance and Operations teams, and will direct external procurement consultants and commercial advisors be supporting the portfolio.

Alongside project delivery, you will build the longer-term commercial foundations: category and supply chain strategies, framework agreements and preferred supplier arrangements that give VIRTUS the capacity, resilience and competitive position to keep building at pace.

This is a senior, high-visibility role.

Procurement decisions here carry material cost, programme and risk consequences, and you will be expected to hold your position with executive stakeholders and tier-one contractors alike.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Procurement strategy and sourcing leadership
• Own the commercial and procurement strategy for assigned capital investment programmes, ensuring procurement decisions support project delivery commitments, commercial outcomes and long-term growth ambitions.
• Develop and execute project procurement strategies covering market engagement, packaging, sourcing approach, procurement schedules, supply chain risk and route-to-market recommendations.
• Lead complex sourcing and contract award programmes end to end, ensuring robust commercial evaluation, effective negotiation, appropriate risk allocation and clean contract mobilisation.
• Provide procurement leadership across the project lifecycle, influencing business, technical and commercial decisions in partnership with Design, Construction, Engineering, Finance and Operations.
• Governance and commercial control
• Lead procurement governance and approval activity, including Procurement Steering Committee submissions, procurement reviews, tender recommendations, investment approvals and executive reporting.
• Produce high-quality, evidence-based approval papers and award recommendations that stand up to executive and audit scrutiny.
• Own procurement risk registers and change control for assigned programmes, escalating early where cost, programme or supply chain risk is emerging.
• Ensure compliance with VIRTUS procurement policy, Delegation of Authority and internal governance standards, maintaining clear audit trails throughout.
• Supplier and supply chain development
• Develop category, supplier and supply chain strategies across key Cap Ex spend areas, strengthening capability, resilience, capacity and competitive tension.
• Build and maintain senior relationships with contractor and supplier leadership, driving performance improvement, collaboration and long-term value.
• Establish and govern framework agreements, preferred supplier programmes and strategic sourcing partnerships that support standardisation, scalability and future capacity requirements.
• Drive measurable cost avoidance, value engineering and commercial improvement across the Cap Ex portfolio.
• Leading external resource
• Direct external procurement consultants, commercial advisors and specialist resources, with clear deliverables, standards, reporting cadence and escalation routes.
• Challenge consultant recommendations constructively and hold external partners to account on delivery performance and value for money.

Experience and Qualifications

Essential

• Degree qualified in Procurement, Quantity Surveying, Construction Management, Engineering, Commercial Management, Business or a related discipline.
• Significant Cap Ex procurement experience gained in construction, engineering, infrastructure, data centre, utilities or major project environments.
• Demonstrable track record leading complex sourcing activity, contract negotiations and major contract awards.
• Strong understanding of commercial contracting principles and industry-standard forms of contract such as NEC, JCT or similar.
• Experience developing procurement strategies, supplier frameworks and category management programmes.
• Experience supporting governance forums, investment approvals, board papers or formal procurement approval processes.
• Proven experience managing suppliers, consultants and multi-disciplinary stakeholder groups.

Desirable

• MCIPS qualified or working towards MCIPS.
• Experience of multi-country or European capital programmes.
• Familiarity with SAP, Ariba and spend analytics platforms.
• Key Skills and Competencies
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to balance cost, risk, quality and programme objectives.
• Excellent negotiation, influencing and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to develop and execute procurement strategies for complex and high-value projects.
• Strong supplier relationship management and category management capability.
• Experience leading governance, procurement approvals and executive-level decision-making processes.
• Ability to manage external consultants and challenge recommendations constructively.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret commercial, financial and market information.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, including the preparation of executive-level papers and recommendations.
• Strong organisational and planning skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities.
• High attention to detail and commitment to governance, compliance and continuous improvement.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, procurement systems, reporting tools and spend analytics platforms.

In line with VIRTUS’ Vetting Policy, the successful applicant must be willing to undergo a BS7858 screening process.

VIRTUS is an equal opportunity employer.

As part of our commitment to fight for equality, we work to ensure a fair and consistent interview process.

We celebrate diversity and we are committed to an inclusive work environment.

We reserve the right to close this post for applications should sufficient applications be received.

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