Head of Purchasing
Salary: £ DOE
Location: County Durham
A well-established, fast-paced business is looking to appoint an experienced Head of Purchasing to lead its procurement function during a period of continued high growth and transformation.
This is a senior, hands‑on role with full ownership of purchasing strategy, supplier relationships and cost performance, playing a critical part in ensuring product availability and long-term supplier resilience. This is a fantastic opportunity to shape purchasing strategy, build long-term supplier partnerships and make a visible contribution to commercial performance.
The Role
As Head of Purchasing, you will take responsibility for the end‑to‑end purchasing function across finished goods and key supply categories. You’ll balance strategic sourcing with day‑to‑day operational delivery, ensuring continuity of supply whilst driving commercial value.
- Developing and delivering a robust purchasing and sourcing strategy aligned to wider commercial and supply chain objectives
- Leading supplier selection, tendering and negotiation to secure competitive pricing and service levels
- Managing supplier performance, risk and compliance
- Owning purchasing budgets, cost price changes and inflationary pressures
- Driving cost‑saving initiatives and value creation opportunities
- Working closely with the wider supply chain team including planning, operations and commercial teams to support demand planning and S&OP
- Supporting new product development and launches from a procurement perspective
- Leading, developing and mentoring the already well‑established purchasing team
About You
This role would suit an experienced procurement leader from a fast‑moving environment, comfortable operating at both strategic and operational level.
- Strong commercial and negotiation capability
- Proven experience managing suppliers, contracts and cost models
- A data‑led approach to decision‑making and performance improvement
- The ability to influence senior stakeholders across the business
- Experience managing risk, compliance and supply continuity
- A collaborative leadership style with a track record of developing teams and leading from the front
- A degree in supply chain, procurement or a related discipline is preferred, with professional procurement qualifications (e.g. CIPS) highly desirable.
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