Location: UK (Hybrid / Project & Divisional Travel)
Engagement: Contract
IR35 Status: Inside IR35 strictly (PAYE / Approved Umbrella only)
Annual Division Spend: Circa £600m (projected to more than double over the next 3 years)
The Role
Are you an established senior leader capable of steering procurement and supply chain strategy across a high-performing Tier 1 construction environment?
We are seeking a Divisional Director - Procurement & Supply Chain to take strategic ownership of a divisional spend exceeding £600 million annually. Reporting directly to the Group Director of Procurement & Supply Chain, with matrix accountability to the Divisional Managing Director, you will sit on both the Divisional Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and the Functional P&SC SLT, serving as a peer to the Divisional Commercial Directors.
Over 80% of our delivery is driven through our external partner ecosystem. In this role, you will ensure our supply chain has the scale, resilience, and operational capability to hit ambitious targets through 2026-2029 and beyond, delivering in excess of £6m in targeted annual margin and benefit gains.
Mandatory Experience Requirement
Please Note: To be considered for this mandate, candidates must demonstrate proven experience operating at Director or Group Head level within a major Tier 1 construction or infrastructure contractor. Applications lacking direct Tier 1 main contracting leadership experience cannot be shortlisted.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategy & Spend Leadership: Own, execute, and govern the Divisional Procurement & Supply Chain strategy in alignment with wider Group objectives and Delegated Authority Matrices (DAM), maintaining ultimate accountability for £600m+ in annual external spend.
- Executive & Matrix Leadership: Serve as a core member of the Divisional SLT and Functional P&SC SLT; partner closely with the Divisional MD, Sector Heads, Commercial Directors, and Project Delivery Directors to balance competing priorities and drive P&L performance.
- Team Direction: Lead and mentor Divisional Sector Heads, establishing high performance, technical excellence, and rigorous compliance across all sector and project-level procurement teams.
- Capacity & Capability Building: Ensure the supply chain is commercially positioned to deliver predictable outcomes for complex infrastructure programs, proactively de-risking bottlenecks and expanding market capability for long-term growth.
- Strategic Relationship Management (SRM): Develop, implement, and lead the divisional SRM model, owning Tier 1 key-supplier relationships from board-level downwards.
- Commercial & Contractual Excellence: Drive complex commercial negotiation strategies, particularly across heavily amended NEC3/NEC4 subcontract suites, to secure commercial protection and margin improvements.
- Sustainable Procurement: Champion modern, sustainable procurement methodologies (including Scope 3 GHG reductions aligned to ISO 20400), embedding carbon reduction and social value metrics into sourcing activities.
- Client Engagement: Act as the primary procurement interface to major client procurement and supply chain counterparts, co-developing initiatives that support shared program objectives.
Candidate Profile
Essential Requirements
- Proven Tier 1 Seniority: A verifiable track record operating at Director or Group Head level within Tier 1 Construction / Major Civil Infrastructure.
- Experience & Scale: Minimum 15 years within procurement and commercial supply chain management, including at least 8 years in executive or director-level leadership overseeing substantial annual budgets (£500m+).
- Major Infrastructure & Contractual Expertise: Proven capability delivering major programs and navigating heavily amended NEC3 and NEC4 forms of contract.
- P&L & Commercial Acumen: High-level financial competence with a demonstrated history of delivering bottom-line margin expansion and annual benefit targets (£6m+).
- Stakeholder Influence: The executive presence, gravitas, and communication skill required to influence MDs, Clients, Project Boards, and enterprise-level suppliers.
- Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Engineering, or a related field.
- MCIPS qualification (or equivalent international certification, such as CPSM).
Desirable Attributes
- Master's degree / MBA, or formal executive leadership accreditation (e.g., ILM, MCIM).
- In-depth practical implementation of ISO 20400 sustainable procurement frameworks with measurable Scope 3 emissions reductions.
- Experience deploying procurement platforms (e.g., JAGGAER, SourceDogg, SAP Ariba) and driving category management across complex matrix setups.
- Proven leadership within long-term enterprise joint ventures or strategic framework models.
Application Process
Qualified candidates who meet the Tier 1 Director/Group Head requirement are invited to submit their CV and rate expectations for immediate consideration.
Randstad CPE values diversity and promotes equality. No terminology in this advert is intended to discriminate against any of the protected characteristics that fall under the Equality Act 2010. We encourage and welcome applications from all sections of society and are more than happy to discuss reasonable adjustments and/or additional arrangements as required to support your application.
Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK.
For the purposes of the Conduct Regulations 2003, when advertising permanent vacancies we are acting as an Employment Agency, and when advertising temporary/contract vacancies we are acting as an Employment Business.
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