Procurement Manager

A hands-on Procurement Manager role for someone who has already led a procurement team in manufacturing, and wants to build the function rather than just run it.

Procurement Manager - Manufacturing

Lincolnshire

£65,000 + up to £7,500 annual performance bonus + benefits

Initially site-based for the first few months, then 3 days on site / 2 days from home

Permanent

The Opportunity

We’re supporting a growing specialist manufacturer with the appointment of a Procurement Manager to lead its procurement team.

This isn’t a role for someone who wants to manage suppliers from a distance, or one where everything is already in place. The business has strong foundations and clear growth ambitions, and now needs procurement to become more structured, proactive and commercially focused to support the next stage.

You’ll lead a team of three, a Procurement Lead and two Buyers, across a broad supplier base covering direct materials, ingredients, packaging, services and indirect spend, with a good share sourced internationally.

It would suit someone who can think strategically but stays close to the operation, and who is as comfortable resolving a supply issue with production as presenting savings to the senior team.

Key Responsibilities

You’ll own procurement performance end to end, working closely with Supply Chain, Production, Technical, Quality, NPD and Finance.

• Lead, coach and develop a team of three procurement professionals.
• Source and negotiate with UK and international suppliers, improving commercial terms through tenders, contracts and total cost of ownership.
• Strengthen supplier performance on quality, service, OTIF and risk, using scorecards and regular reviews.
• Support supplier diversification and reduce supply chain risk across key materials.
• Build stronger sourcing, contracting and supplier review processes, and better procurement controls.
• Deliver cost savings and cost avoidance that show up in the P&L.

What We’re Looking For

You’ll have led or developed a procurement or purchasing team in a manufacturing environment. This is essential rather than preferred, as building capability in the existing team is central to the role.

Alongside that, we’re looking for strong supplier negotiation, experience of managing a broad supplier base including international suppliers, a track record of cost savings and commercial improvements, and good Excel and ERP/MRP capability.

Relevant backgrounds include food, FMCG, pharma, nutraceuticals, ingredients, packaging or another complex manufacturing environment. Other manufacturing sectors will be considered where you can show strong procurement leadership, supplier complexity and commercial delivery.

You’ll be commercially sharp, resilient and practical, and comfortable bringing structure without needing every process to be perfect from day one.

Why Join?

This is a genuine chance to shape a procurement function rather than inherit a finished one.

The business has strong customer demand, established manufacturing capability and ambitious plans, and is open that it needs stronger process and fresh thinking to deliver them. Procurement has senior visibility and a direct influence on margin, supply resilience and how the operation scales.

The package is £65,000 plus an annual performance bonus of up to £7,500 linked to procurement savings, with hybrid working of 3 days on site and 2 from home once you’re established.

If you’re interested in learning more, we’d be happy to have a confidential conversation.