Head of Procurement

Stratis Consulting is supporting its client Uppercross Enterprises Limited (UEL) in recruiting a Head of Procurement for a senior leadership role within a growing and ambitious organisation based in South Dublin. As the company enters an important phase of expansion, it seeks an accomplished professional to contribute to its continued success.

This is a rare opportunity for an ambitious procurement leader to step into a role in a high-performance market leading environment at the beginning of a new phase in its journey. As the company enters a critical growth phase, we seek a commercially astute and strategic Head of Procurement to lead the procurement requirements of our Plumbing, Heating and Bathroom Divisions and play a key role in driving future company success.

About the Company

Uppercross Enterprises Limited (combining the UEL Plumbing & Heating Division and NIKO Bathroom Division) stands as one of Ireland’s most prominent and respected suppliers in the plumbing, heating and bathroom sector, serving over 700+ builders’ merchants, wholesale plumbing outlets, and bathroom showrooms nationwide since 1983. One of UEL’s core values is a culture of advancement and continuous improvement with the sole desire to increase customer engagement and service levels.

UEL’s commitment to advancement is evident in its recent move to a purpose-built headquarters, featuring a state-of-the-art warehouse with automated inventory management, a cutting-edge showroom and a dedicated technical training suite. In 2026, UEL was focused on strategic initiatives such as expanding its existing product range, sourcing new product ranges and brands, developing new IT to streamline purchasing, technical support and training for trade partners.

Supporting industry professionals is at the heart of UEL’s mission. The company maintains active partnerships with leading trade organisations such as the Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractors Ireland and hosts regular training events and seminars for installers, merchants, and engineers. Continuous professional development is encouraged through hands-on workshops, and access to the latest industry insights.

UEL’s enthusiastic expert team embodies the Company’s dedication to driving progress and setting new standards for quality and service in their industry. With a forward-thinking approach, robust resources, and a genuine passion for supporting its partners, UEL is fully committed to shaping the future of the sector and empowering professionals to achieve their best.

Role Overview

Reporting to the Managing Director, you will provide strategic and commercial leadership for a high-performing purchasing function. You will collaborate with senior stakeholders across the business to deliver innovation, capture long-term market value, and shape the company’s trajectory. The role demands vision, market foresight, attention to detail across many different procurement variables together with the ability to build and lead a critical function in a dynamic sector.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute procurement strategy for the Irish plumbing, heating and bathroom product categories.

• Lead strategic activities to identify, source and quality test new products, ensuring they align to commercial objectives, customer demand, and brand reputation.

• Own category performance through sourcing plans, supplier capacity management, and continuous product optimisation.

• Build and maintain long-established, trusted supplier relationships.

• Lead commercial negotiations to secure excellent product pricing and transport costs, financial terms, lead times, and manufacturer quality guarantees.

• Support attendance at international trade shows where you will negotiate and manage supplier discussions face-to-face across all aspects of procurement.

• Manage stock quantity levels and lead times to ensure product availability.

• Coordinate supply resilience across seasonal demand peaks, particularly managing procurement and replenishment from UK, Europe and China.

• Monitor and respond to supply chain risks that affect continuity of supply, lead times, and product lifecycle timing.

• Collaborate with senior internal stakeholders to support the end-to-end flow of goods, including; logistics planning, distribution, slow moving SKU’s, delivery performance and warehousing requirements.

• Ensure procurement aligns with warehousing capacity and distribution schedules.

• Fully responsible for importer/distributor compliance requirements to ensure all products have essential EU certifications and meet relevant plumbing/heating sector regulations.

• Ensure suppliers can demonstrate sustainable and ethical sourcing practices.

• Bring in-depth knowledge of plumbing, heating and bathroom furniture categories, with the ability to manage product-related queries and commercial decisions confidently.

• Manage the technical support staff in our training and testing department.

• Demonstrate willingness and motivation to develop product knowledge further to maintain credibility with internal stakeholders and suppliers.

• Provide technical input where needed to support selection, specification, and issue resolution.

Required Skills & Experience

· Proven leadership skills to inspire and motivate procurement team.

· Excellent interpersonal and communication skills essential for building client relationships.

· Deep understanding of modern procurement processes, including product identification, negotiation, and closing techniques.

· Strong analytical and IT skills to interpret data and make timely and informed strategy decisions.

· Minimum 8 years in senior purchasing and procurement leadership roles, ideally within technical or industrial sectors, with a track record of driving double-digit growth.

· Notable achievements in margin management, strategic planning, and market expansion.

Work Environment

Based in Leinster, the role offers a very competitive salary plus bonus and benefits. This position will require flexibility for remote work and frequent international travel for supplier meetings and industry events.

Why Apply?

Exciting Future: Although over 40 years old UEL are at the beginning of a new chapter, which you will have the opportunity to lead and create.

Innovative Culture: Agile, values-led, and focused on progress.

Impact Opportunity: Play a pivotal role in driving growth and shaping strategic direction.