Procurement Director
Application Deadline: 25 July 2025
Department: Commercial
Employment Type: Permanent
Location: Milton Keynes
Description
A little bit about us:
East West Rail is an infrastructure programme linking communities between Oxford and Cambridge. The area is currently let down by a lack of transport choices, and we have a once in a generation opportunity to fix that –improving prosperity for people and places along the way. East West Railway Company (that’s us) was created by the Department for Transport (DfT) to oversee the delivery of East West Rail from construction through to wheels in motion, making sure the railway comes together in the right way.
At East West Railway Company, we’re committed to building an inclusive railway for all. We believe that to do that, we must nurture a diverse team that represents the UK communities that we impact. Our approach is simple
– to create an environment where everyone is welcome and able to be themselves. We celebrate diversity and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications of all backgrounds and experiences.
Role Summary: This role will be accountable for leading and developing a team of specialists delivering procurement activities split across works, services and supplies categories. This includes overseeing service and supply contracts (corporate, digital and professional services).
Function: The Commercial function provides commercial and procurement capability across the programme lifecycle, including strategy (setting the commercial strategy and advising risk allocation underpinning the delivery strategy), delivering procurement activities for the goods and services required to deliver the asset and run EWR Co, and delivering contract management services for the complex network of suppliers supporting EWR Co. Across all three of these domains the commercial function will run governance and
reporting to measure compliance and provide commercial assurance.
Key Responsibilities
Responsibilities and accountabilities:
* The Procurement Director is accountable for overseeing the entire procurement process and ensuring that it is transparent, competitive, and compliant with regulatory standards. This role aligns procurement activities with wider government and DfT policies.
* The Director is responsible for the development and implementation of Procurement processes, tools and templates, ensuring continuous improvement.
* Oversees the development of pre-qualification and tendering processes proportional for the projects and inline with the Commercial Strategy.
* Championing and embedding key Government policies (e.g. Small and Medium Enterprises, Social Value, Construction Playbook.)
* Manages cross-disciplinary teams and relationships at a senior level to deliver outcomes and applies good reporting and transparency mechanisms.
* Provides sound commercial advice to stakeholders and providing recommendations based on experience of projects of a similar scale and complexity.
* Applies judgement and manages risks to drive value for money and ensure robust outcomes during procurement and evaluation.
* Leads complex and high value negotiations, finalising major deals
* Additionally, they provide seamless support to the Contract Management Team, ensuring an appropriate handover and continuity between procurement and contract execution.
* This position is crucial for driving efficient procurement processes that align with organisational goals and governmental directives.
* Leading transition and adoption of, where appropriate, the new
* procurement regulations.
* Responsible for managing and supporting direct reports including: Coaching and developing team members to drive individual growth and operational excellence. Leading continuous improvement, through regular performance management and ensuring compliance with organisational policies and updating relevant systems.
* Take responsibility of your own and others’ health and safety by adopting and working to the EWR Co Health and Safety principles.
* Demonstrates a cost-conscious mindset, keeping tax payers’ money at the forefront of decisions.
* Commitment to innovation by proactively seeking creative solutions to challenges and opportunities.
* Act as a role model for EWR Co’s vision and behaviours, working in ways that are aligned with EWR Co’s Ways of Working, as well as encouraging and supporting others to do so too
Skills Knowledge and Expertise
Experience and skills:
* Part of commercial directorate senior leadership team
* Extensive experience in senior procurement roles, with a proven track record of managing large-scale procurement functions within the public sector.
* Strong knowledge of Public Procurement Regulations, Utilities Contracts Obligations, and associated compliance requirements.
* Demonstrated leadership skills, with experience in managing and developing high-performing procurement teams.
* Excellent strategic thinking and project management skills, with the ability to drive continuous improvement and efficiency.
* Strong communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence at all levels of the organisation.
* Proficiency in procurement and supply chain management software and tools.
* Experience of collaborative contracting and/or alliancing type arrangements desirable, driving value through contracting arrangements.
This job description provides an outline of the key responsibilities of the role; however, this is not exhaustive, and duties may reasonably change as the business evolves.
Benefits
* Competitive base salary
* Up to 12% employer’s pension contribution
* 36 days holiday a year (including bank holidays) + up to 2 days to buy
* Life assurance
* Employee Assistance Programme
* Perks platform with hundreds of discounts and freebies
* On-the-spot and annual awards
* Advanced learning and development programmes
* Great work-life balance and flexible working opportunities
* Enhanced family-friendly policies
* Exceptional IT tools
EWR Co strives to embrace a flexible working environment, where a degree of flexibility is maintained to accommodate both the needs and preferences of employees and what is required to achieve business objectives. EWR Co will always work with any individual to assess and accommodate an individual’s work life balance and style
Diversity and Inclusion:
To discover the best solutions, it’s important we embrace diversity of thought. That’s why we aim to ensure our colleagues feel included, engaged and valued. Inclusiveness is not a buzzword, but a way of being. Our approach to diversity is simple – a workplace where everyone is welcome and everyone is encouraged to be themselves. It helps fuel our innovation and connects us with the customers and communities we serve.
If you want to connect lives and unlock the future, then we’d love to hear from you.
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