103 Best it associate Jobs in Birmingham (May 2026)

Head of Procurement

3 days ago

Birmingham

Candidate Opportunity Brief \nPosition: Head of Procurement \nReporting to: Finance Director \nConfidentiality: Open\n\nFord & Stanley Executive Search (Part of the Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group) are a leading Executive search and talent advisory firm specialising in the following sectors:\n\nRail & Transportation \nCivils & Construction \nManufacturing & Supply Chain \nTechnology & Cyber Security \nLogistics & Intermodal Freight \nDefence \nOur search directors, search consultants and in-house research team specialise in retained opportunities at the highest level of organisational leadership and management. \n\nOur success is based upon a blend of trust-driven relationships, robust market knowledge, and working practices that ensure the best possible alignment of organisational need with experience and personal ambition. \n\nWorking with business leaders on bespoke assignments for over a decade, we understand exactly what our customers expect from an executive search and talent advisory service – whether there is a pressing business need for an executive interim or that of a long-term permanent appointment - Ford & Stanley Executive Search provide the solution. \n\nWe have been exclusively appointed by our client company on a retained search for a Head of Procurement. \n\nBelow you will find a ‘Candidate Opportunity Brief’ developed from notes taken during the scoping meeting (Situational Discovery) held between the Principal Consultant & Senior Consultant of Ford & Stanley Executive Search and the Finance Director and Head of Strategy at our Client Business.\n\nThis brief is designed to give candidates a deeper insight into the opportunity inherent within the role, the challenges the role presents, and provide access to the detail that sits behind the job specification.\n\nClient Opportunity Statements:\n\n“We are seeking a Head of Procurement to build on recent progress and firmly establish a high‑performing, commercially focused procurement function. Following a successful period of interim leadership, this role provides the opportunity to embed stability, strengthen governance, and elevate maturity across a high‑volume, fast‑paced operational environment.\n\nReporting to the Finance Director, the Head of Procurement will act as a trusted strategic partner, balancing pace and prioritisation with robust control, compliance, and risk management. The role will introduce more streamlined, commercially astute ways of working, ensuring procurement enables, rather than constrains, the business.\n\nThis role will suit a confident, hands‑on procurement leader who thrives on embedding improvement, leading capable teams, and driving tangible commercial impact within a nationally significant business.\n\nKey deliverables within the first 12 months include:\n\nStabilise, embed, and further develop the Procurement team, building on recent progress to grow capability, create clarity of purpose, and instil confidence through clear leadership, direction, and accountability.\nStrengthen procurement processes and ways of working, improving governance, pace, and effectiveness while introducing more streamlined, commercially astute approaches that enable the business to better leverage opportunity.\nAct as a trusted strategic partner to the Finance Director, operating as a key “right‑hand” advisor with responsibility for managing procurement‑related risk, ensuring appropriate controls, and supporting sound decision‑making across the business.\nEssential Hard Skills (Skills & Experience)\n\n§ MCIPS qualified\n\n§ Proven experience of operating in a highly regulated industry such as Rail, Transportation, Energy, Aerospace, Nuclear.\n\n§ Experience of the full procurement lifecycle, including running tenders, supplier engagement, tender evaluations, contract negotiations, contract management, etc.\n\n§ Robust knowledge of public procurement obligations, audit requirements and governance frameworks. Experience of running procurement tenders under either UCR 2016 or Procurement Act 2023 regulations.\n\n§ Able to challenge ways of working and implement practical improvements to processes, systems and behaviours, whilst maintaining trust and engagement.\n\n§ Able to demonstrate leadership of either a comparable function, successful deputisation for a ‘Head of’ or evidence of leading on similar challenges.\n\nEssential Soft Skills (Attributes & Behaviours)\n\n§ Ability to empower and lead a team and function through transformation. \n\n§ Resilient and able to operate effectively in an agile environment.\n\n§ Inspirational, ability to bring the team on a positive journey of change\n\n§ Strong commercial acumen\n\n§ Gravitas, with the ability to build trust and credibility at all levels.\n\nWorking Arrangements & Location:\n\n Hybrid working available; however, it is expected that the candidates are visible leaders at the West Midlands HQ 3 days a week. \n\nSearch timescale Agreement \n\nStage\n\nAgreed Date\n\nSituational Discovery (Role Scoping Meeting)\n\nCompleted – 6th May 2026\n\nTimescale Agreement & Delivery Plan - Issued to Client \n\nCompleted – 8th May 2026\n\nCandidate Opportunity Briefing Document – Client Sign Off\n\nCompleted – 11th May 2026\n\nSearch ‘Go Live’ \n\n11th May 2026\n\nMid-Search Review / Progress Update Meeting with Client \n\n29th May 2026\n\nShortlist Presentation & Review Meeting with Client. \n\n12th June 2026\n\nFirst Stage interviews between Candidates & Client. \n\n15th June 2026\n\nPsychometric Assessment (If applicable) \n\nN/A\n\nFinal Stage Interviews between Candidates & Client \n\nWC 22nd June 2026\n\nDecision to offer successful candidate\n\nWC 22nd June 2026\n\nLikely Candidate Start Date\n\n3-month notice – Sept 2026\n\nMid Notice Engagement Session between Candidate & Client\n\nJuly 2026\n\nFord & Stanley Executive Search Pre-Submission Process:\n\nFirst Engagement: A short engagement and introductory conversation to position the opportunity, gauge the candidate's early interest level, and arrange a time and date for a more detailed discussion. NDA sent (if applicable) upon receipt of signed NDA - Candidate Opportunity Brief shared\n\nCandidate Discovery: An open, conversational and consultative discussion where candidates and the executive search consultant explore and discuss the opportunity brief. Candidates are assessed on their suitability for the role in the context of the key essentials and challenged on how the opportunity lines up with their career aspirations, motivations, financial expectations and personal circumstance. The search consultant will utilise the information captured during candidate discovery to start to build your profile on suitability. Recommendations may be made at this point for adjustments or updates to your CV.\n\nThe ‘shortlist’: Shortlisted candidates, having taken time to reflect on the opportunity and undertake subsequent research on the clients business are reengaged where they are asked to provide additional specific information on their suitability (if/where applicable). Final checks of key notes, package details and logistical alignments made. Finishing touches are then made to your profile prior to submission along with our notes and recommendations.\nOur Client Business’s Interview Process: \n\n1st Stage interview: Face-to-face interview with the Finance Director and the Head of Strategy.\n2nd Stage interview: Face-to-face interview with 2 chosen Head of functions.\nGood to know: \n\nThe Head of Procurement will be accountable for the mentorship and development of a capable Procurement and Property team, comprised of 12 heads.\nThe business navigates a deeply regulated procurement environment with long lead times, and therefore, they are looking for someone to bring continuity to the function.\nThe Head of Procurement is also accountable for property and facilities\nThere is a continued focus on ensuring all procurement activities meet regulatory and internal governance requirements, including the owning group’s Procurement Policy, Code of Conduct, Procurement Act 2023, and obligations under additional legislation.\nThere is a significant opportunity to shape and leave a lasting impact on both the function and the wider business. The company is clear about the scale of transformation required and ambitious in what it needs to deliver, with strong senior leadership backing and the necessary tools and support in place to enable success.\nA strong, welcoming team feeling is clear, making it obvious the business is all striving for the same outcome and on the same journey.\nEnergy and pride are in abundance within the team and wider business; the people make it a special and unique place to work.\nKey Responsibilities:\n\nStrategic Procurement Leadership\n\nLead the development and delivery of the Procurement strategy aligned to business objectives and policies, embedding sustainability and ethical practices.\nWork to enhance commercial outcomes across all categories of spend, identifying opportunities to secure value and improve contract effectiveness and ensuring benefits are tracked and assured.\nProvide advice and guidance on tendering, negotiations, contract management and supplier performance and act as procurement workstream lead for key business-critical projects (including Business Plan Commitments), including attendance at Portfolio Board.\nDevelop knowledge of key supply markets and suppliers to support effective procurement, sustained performance across outsourced services and the delivery of value for money \nCompliance and Assurance\n\nEnsure all procurement activities meet regulatory and internal governance requirements, including group policy, Code of Conduct, Procurement Act 2023, and obligations under additional legislation with the Secretary of State.\nMaintain strong assurance standards, robust audit trails and transparent processes to meet internal, DfT and external audit requirements and support reviews, audits and assurance activity as required.\nMaintain and develop targeted monitoring and reporting of key procurement activities and compliance metrics, and ensure financial and operational risks are appropriately escalated, monitored and mitigated. \nSupplier & Contract Management\n\nUnderstand the company’s supply chain, determine key suppliers and produce supplier relationship plans.\nStrengthen supplier performance through robust KPIs, performance monitoring and proactive engagement.\nPromote effective, consistent contract management discipline across the company and ensure clear ownership of contract management, performance monitoring and change control.\nProperty\n\nDirect and support the delivery of facilities and property from initial lease of premises to planned and preventive maintenance for all aspects of the company’s scope of operations.\nMaintain statutory, health & safety and compliance standards across the company’s estate. \nLeadership\n\nLead, support and develop the Procurement and Property team, building capability and talent development, confidence and professional expertise.\nFoster collaborative relationships across the business, promoting commercial awareness and stakeholder engagement.\nChampion continuous improvement, data quality and best-practice procurement.\nOperating in a High-Scrutiny Environment\n\nNavigate complex governance, audit processes and multi‑stakeholder oversight with professionalism and resilience.\nProvide concise, evidence‑based insights and recommendations to senior leadership.\nBuild productive relationships with DfT, parent group and other external bodies.\nBudget & Supporting benefits:\n\nCompetitive (Please reach out to Emma Barlow for full breakdown of package available) \n\nExecutive Search Delivery Team: \n\nBilly Jackson – Principal Consultant: (Client Recommendations/Advisory, Offer Negotiations, Consulting, Networking)\nEmma Barlow – Senior Associate: (Network, Research, Search, Interviews, Market intelligence, Longlisting, Shortlisting, Headhunting)\nRalitsa Kuzeva – Executive Assistant: (Data, diary management and coordination)\nAbout Ford & Stanley Executive Search:\n\nPlease see supporting appendix: Executive Search Candidate Journey\n\nFord & Stanley Talent Services Group Ltd is a Disability Confident employer that is committed to a policy of equal opportunities for all opportunity seekers. We shall adhere to such a policy at all times and will review on an on-going basis all aspects of recruitment to avoid unlawful or undesirable discrimination. We will treat everyone equally irrespective sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, age, disability, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief or political beliefs and we place an obligation upon all staff to respect and act in accordance with the policy.\n\nServices advertised by Ford & Stanley Executive Search are that of an executive search and talent advisory business

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