Senior procurement and supply chain professional

About the role

This occupation is found in small, medium, large, and multinational organisations in private, public and third sectors such as the Local Authorities, Central Government, Education, Finance, Construction, Facilities, Automotive, Manufacturing, Engineering, Health, Retail, Food, Hospitality, IT.

This occupation is found in organisations where there is a requirement to source and procure goods and/or services in line with national or international procurement laws, or internal governance processes.

The broad purpose of the occupation is to provide specialist procurement and supply knowledge to drive and set the procurement and supply chain strategy. Typically, this involves the strategic and tactical procurement of goods and services, ensuring compliance with national/international legislation and corporate governance. This occupation requires ethical leadership, driving an ethical approach through policy and sustainable supply chains. Increasingly this occupation requires a thorough understanding of the sustainability impacts of procurement and supply decisions on both upstream supply chain and the use of materials, products, or applications over their lifetime. For example, procurement and supply decisions concerning energy sources need to include the direct and indirect impacts of an occupation’s energy demand and the implementation of measures for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Procurement and supply decisions about raw material and waste generation will consider the implementation of measures toward sustainable resource consumption, whole-life and circular economy thinking.      

Senior procurement and supply chain professionals set and review procurement and supply chain strategies in line with competitive and external organisational environments, developing strategies, analysing, and managing the whole procurement life cycle. This includes the management of existing contracts; seeking opportunities to improve efficiencies; adding value by renegotiating costs; improvement of commercial benefits, driving social value, category management, price and cost analysis, management of procurement budgets, supplier performance management, setting key performance measures including contribution to Net Carbon Zero and sustainability criteria, procurement resource utilisation and conducting supplier due diligence to eliminate potential risks, supplier failure, supply disruption and changing markets. They will need to be mindful of the risks of greenwashing when tendering and engaging in contracts with suppliers where environmental, ethics, economy or sustainability claims for the business or organisation may be adversely impacted.

Senior procurement and supply chain professionals manage conflicting procurement and current political objectives such as net carbon zero, and risk management to influence successful outcomes. They work with multiple business stakeholders and committees to achieve operational, procurement and financial targets.

In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with the senior leadership team, influencing and applying best practice in procurement and delivering strategic procurement plans in line with business goals and objectives.

Senior procurement and supply chain professionals engage with internal and external stakeholders on behalf of their organisations at both strategic and tactical levels including, a range of internal stakeholders such as members of their own team and other departments such as board members, category managers and other senior stakeholders, such as functional leads (e.g., Finance, Stores and Distribution, Logistics, Sales, Marketing, Production, Human Resources). They may also engage with organisational sustainability teams, audit departments and financial teams responsible for managing and mitigating an organisations carbon footprint to ensure accurate reporting and auditing.

They work in partnership with external stakeholders to negotiate at strategic planning levels to achieve common goals and set targets for future development within the procurement profession. These include pressure groups, government bodies, members of the public, service users, and non-government organisations (NGO's).

An employee in this occupation will be responsible for...

the Procurement functions. Senior procurement and supply chain professionals lead, mentor, coach, evaluate, anticipate, and share best practice within their teams and across the department.

A senior procurement and supply chain professional at this level will develop, manage, and deliver the procurement strategy delivering specific and complex procurement objectives to internal and external stakeholders across organisations/multiple sites and/or business units.

They will deliver specific and complex procurement objectives across multiple sites or business units to internal and external stakeholders, whilst managing and supporting multiple business stakeholders with operational and financial targets, whilst also utilising buying power with new and existing key market suppliers.

Working at this level this role will be responsible for reviewing and identifying potential risk and opportunities to change and improve whilst improving existing policies and procedures of the procurement function. This role will be required to analyse and reduce continuity supply risks that impact the organisation including those related to the challenges of climate change and meeting the challenges of net carbon zero by 2050 (or in line with Government policy).

Senior procurement and supply chain professionals engage with stakeholders to influence critical supplier relationships to maximise commercial leverage or added value. This involves responsibility for leading due diligence procurement activity for acquisition targets, working with stakeholders to maximise cost and optimise cost efficiency. Leading and growing collaborative supplier relationships to meet service levels is expected at this level. Lead reviews with key suppliers, and produce detailed reports on performance, spend, concerns or opportunities.

From an operational perspective this role will evaluate and measure key performance indicators to track procurement activity and develop continuous improvement plans. They will maintain and improve processes to develop procurement operations in line with organisation standards. They will be responsible for working with stock and logistics teams to manage inventory levels.

Senior procurement and supply chain professionals will manage procurement teams and within the Procurement function. They lead, mentor, coach, evaluate, anticipate resource requirements, and share best practice within their teams and across the department.

Entry requirements

Whilst any entry requirements will be a matter for individual employers, typically an apprentice might be expected to have already achieved GCSE Maths and English on entry.

An individual will have also gained successful completion of the CIPS Level 5 Advanced Diploma in Procurement and Supply before they can start this apprenticeship

Entry requirements are ultimately set by each employer — treat these as the baseline, not the bar.