Are you ready tochart your own career path? With our refreshed strategy, we’re building on our rich heritage and transforming our business to be more scalable and efficient, unlocking the capabilities needed for future success. This includes significantly investing in technology, streamlining the way we work and creating an environment where colleagues feel engaged, empowered and accountable; where they can show up, speak up and perform - because we believe in the difference our work makes.
At a glance:
Location: Cirencester Office
Workplace Type: Hybrid
Employment Type: 12 month Fixed-Term Contract
Seniority: Mid-Senior Level
The role:
Are you passionate about driving cost savings, building strong stakeholder relationships, and shaping procurement strategies? We’re looking for a dynamic professional to become a trusted adviser within SJP, spearheading our Professional Services procurement initiatives to unlock maximum value.
As our key Procurement Partner, you will lead strategic initiatives, collaborate with the Category Lead to design and implement procurement strategies across various spend areas, including Consulting & Advisory Services and Professional Services such as Legal, Tax and Audit.
What you'll be doing:
1. Strategy Implementation – working for the Category Lead ensure that the strategy set for the category is implemented and maintained across SJP.
2. Cost Optimisation and savings – negotiate favourable commercial terms with key providers, identify and deliver opportunities for cost savings and increased ROI. Support the implementation of a cost-control approach across the category and use benchmarking to regularly test price competitiveness.
3. Stakeholder Engagement - Collaborate across SJP directorates to implement the category strategy and identify opportunities for improvement (cost/value/supplier performance) with the business.
4. Sourcing and negotiation – responsible for sourcing events including RFIs, RFPs, contract negotiation and the choice of suppliers for the category. Apply negotiation strategies to help with the selection of suppliers.
5. Risk Management – escalate risks to the strategy or suppliers to the Category lead.
6. Reporting & Analytics Feed into KPI reporting to monitor the effectiveness of procurement activities.
Who we're looking for:
You’ll thrive in this role if you’re a forward-thinking procurement professional with a passion for understanding market trends, innovative technologies, and best practices in indirect procurement. With hands-on experience in procurement and category management within indirect spend categories, you’ll have a successful track record in negotiating contracts and managing supplier relationships. Including:
7. Proven expertise in managing Consulting and Professional Services spend.
8. Strong skills in negotiating MSA’s, rate cards and volume discount structures
9. Understanding of value drivers in professional services contracts, with the ability to ensure value is contracted in.
10. Excellent communication and relationship-building skills for influencing decision-makers and fostering collaboration.
11. CIPS qualification or equivalent experience.
12. Experience with risk management in procurement is advantageous.
13. Exceptional interpersonal skills and a proactive mindset.
What's in it for you?
We reward you for the work you do, whether that’s through our discretionary annual bonus scheme that reflects both personal and company performance, competitive annual leave allowance (28 days plus bank holidays, with the option to purchase an additional 5 days), or online rewards platform with a variety of discounts.
We also have benefits to support whatever stage of life you are in, including:
14. Competitive parental leave (26 weeks full pay)
15. Private medical insurance (optional taxable benefit)
16. 10% non-contributory pension (increasing with length of service)
Reasonable Adjustments
We're an equal opportunities employer and want to ensure our recruitment process is accessible and inclusive for all, if you require reasonable adjustment(s) at any stage please let us know by emailing us at
Research tells us that applicants (especially those from underrepresented groups) can be put off from applying for a role if they do not meet all the criteria or have been on an extended career-break. If you think you would be a good match for this role and can demonstrate some transferable experience please apply, regardless of whether you tick every box.