At a Glance
- Tasks: Manage procurement activities and improve commercial outcomes for our schools.
- Company: Join Woodard, a leading educational charity dedicated to high-quality Christian education.
- Benefits: Flexible remote work, competitive salary, and the chance to make a real difference.
- Other info: Opportunity for career growth in a supportive and collaborative environment.
- Why this job: Be part of a mission-driven team impacting over 30,000 pupils across the UK.
- Qualifications: Experience in procurement, contract management, and strong analytical skills required.
The predicted salary is between 45000 - 55000 £ per year.
Woodard is a significant educational charity, founded on the vision of Canon Nathaniel Woodard, and committed to providing high-quality education within an actively Christian school environment for all. Today, Woodard educates more than 30,000 pupils across academy, independent and state-maintained schools. This role offers the right candidate a distinctive opportunity to contribute to that mission by providing valued support across the Corporation, its Board and its schools.
The post sits within a small Head Office team which supports Woodard’s work across its family of schools. Although we have an office in London, Head Office staff work remotely from locations across the UK, and this role will primarily be home-based.
About the role: Procurement Manager (FM & Group Services)
Reporting to the Head of Procurement, the Procurement Manager is responsible for delivering value, governance and commercial control across the Woodard independent school group third-party spend, with a particular focus on estates and externally procured services. The postholder will support the group and individual schools in managing procurement activity, improving commercial outcomes and strengthening contract governance. Whilst bringing experience in facilities management and estates, the role operates as a generalist, applying commercial expertise across a broad range of expenditure areas including professional services, utilities, catering supply chains and operational spend.
Key Responsibilities include:
- Procurement & Commercial Management Estates, Hard FM & Specialist Services
- FM Commercial Oversight
- Contract Management & Governance
- Group Support & Advisory
- Data, Reporting & Continuous Improvement
The Ideal Candidate will bring/demonstrate:
- Experience in procurement and contract management roles.
- Experience in estates, FM or built environment sectors.
- Strong understanding of cost drivers in facilities, maintenance or operational services.
- Demonstrable experience of tendering and supplier negotiation.
- Strong analytical capability and financial awareness.
- Excellent stakeholder engagement and influencing skills.
- Highly organised, with strong attention to detail.
- Proficient in Microsoft 365, particularly Excel.
- Ability to operate across both strategic and operational activity.
- Willingness to travel across sites and to undertake an Enhanced DBS check (or hold a current certificate).
- Sympathetic to Christian values.
Desirable Criteria:
- Experience working in multi-site or decentralised organisations.
- Exposure to outsourced and in-house service delivery models (e.g. catering, cleaning).
- Experience of benchmarking, cost modelling or value-for-money analysis.
- Knowledge of estate compliance, lifecycle planning or capital programmes.
The Woodard Schools have retained Wild Search to support them on this appointment. For more information please visit our website.
Deadline for applications: 29 July 2026.
Procurement Manager in London employer: Woodard Schools
Woodard is an exceptional employer that fosters a supportive and collaborative work culture, allowing employees to make a meaningful impact in the education sector. With a commitment to professional development and a flexible home-based working environment, particularly for the Procurement Manager role, staff are encouraged to grow their skills while contributing to the mission of providing high-quality education in a Christian context. The unique opportunity to work across a diverse range of schools adds to the rewarding nature of this position.
