Job Advert
Role Purpose
The Head of Procurement is responsible for leading the end-to-end project management of A2V's tendered and confirmed customer orders, ensuring exceptional delivery against customer CPAs, internal critical paths, and margin/profitability expectations. This role is the lynchpin between commercial agreements and operational execution — owning the "how we deliver" once a deal is signed.
You will manage and elevate the entire Production & Planning function, driving high performance, operational precision, and seamless customer experience. You will oversee both live order management and tender fulfilment, embedding a robust culture of ownership, risk mitigation, and proactivity across the teams.
This is a hands-on leadership role requiring deep commercial understanding, operational excellence, and an ability to simplify complexity and unblock progress.
Key Responsibilities
1. Strategic Procurement & Project Leadership
2. Own the entire CPA delivery pipeline from order confirmation to customer on-sale.
3. Act as the strategic integrator between Sales, Supply Chain, Creative, Compliance, and Logistics.
4. Ensure every confirmed order and every awarded tender has a clear, owned critical path and is progressing on time and on budget.
5. Lead customer communication on project timelines, issues, and resolutions — being the point person for escalations.
6. Team Leadership & People Management
7. Line manage both the Tender and Live Order Management teams including the Tender Team Lead (Liz).
8. Embed a "no surprises" culture — championing proactive updates, early warnings, and cross-functional clarity.
9. Build and mentor a strong second tier of delivery managers across both functions.
10. Lead with confidence, structure, and calm authority — especially under pressure.
11. System & Process Excellence
12. Champion the use of, the Live Order Tracker, and our evolving AI tools — ensuring accurate inputs, visible risks, and clean project flow.
13. Hold the teams to account for compliance approvals, sample sign-offs, pricing confirmation, production start, and shipping handover.
14. Standardise templates and checklists for handovers, sample stages, and pre-shipping reviews.
15. Risk Management & Customer Communication
16. Act as the senior contact for customer production communication (particularly Aldi, Hobbycraft, Poundstretcher).
17. Lead weekly risk reviews, with clear amber/red flag escalation.
18. Ensure that buffers, contingency planning, and risk mitigation strategies are in place and communicated.
19. Collaborate with Compliance and Logistics to ensure coordinated delivery windows and documentation flow.
20. Tender Process Delivery
21. Oversee the production-side fulfilment of all awarded tenders.
22. Ensure smooth, accurate, and timely handovers from Commercial to Procurement.
23. Work with Creative and Commercial to lock specifications and timelines for new product development.
What Success Looks Like
* 100% of CPAs are tracked and up to date.
* Zero unplanned customer delays (or risks flagged early).
* Weekly reporting cadence in place with clear accountability.
* Teams know what "great delivery" looks like — and can execute it without firefighting.
* Tender and live orders are delivered with the same level of care and ownership.
Experience & Profile
* Proven experience in high-volume procurement or production project management (retail, FMCG, or supplier side).
* Strong commercial awareness – understands margin, costing, and timelines.
* Excellent communicator – comfortable leading conversations with senior buyers and cross-functional teams.
* Operates with precision, calmness, and accountability.
* Comfortable leading a team of 6–10 and developing talent below them.
* Comfortable challenging peers and escalating issues with clarity and solutions.
Preferred Experience
* Worked with major retailers (e.g., Aldi, Tesco, Lidl, Asda, etc.)
* Used systems like, ERP, or custom trackers (Excel-based or AI-enabled).
* Experience in seasonal products, multi-country supply chains, or made-to-order models.
Cultural Fit
* Obsessed with delivery and accuracy — but not afraid to say "no" if the plan is unworkable.
* Confident, structured, and motivational under pressure.
* Understands the balance between internal process and external customer expectations.
* Believes in proactive ownership, not passive project watching.
Future Scope
This role has future progression potential into Global Procurement, particularly as A2V scales into the US and wider EU markets. The ideal candidate will help build the systems and team that scale with the business.