Head of Purchasing in Lincoln, Lincolnshire

Elevation Procurement & Supply Chain are delighted to once again be partnered with a developing whole business, seeking a new Head of Purchasing, based at their Lincoln head office 

Step into a pivotal leadership role where you’ll shape and deliver a high-impact procurement strategy for a growing building products business. This is an opportunity to own the full purchasing agenda, drive significant cost and value improvements, and build a high-performing team in a stable, long-term position.

About the Role:
As Head of Purchasing, you will lead the end-to-end function, covering strategic sourcing, category management and supplier relationship management across all building products and related spend. You will set the vision, develop robust category strategies, and ensure contracts and supplier partnerships support the company’s commercial, operational, and quality objectives. Working closely with senior leadership, you will influence key decisions, optimise total cost of ownership, and embed best practice across the organisation.

Key Responsibilities:
* Develop and implement a cohesive procurement strategy aligned with business objectives and growth plans for building products and associated categories.
* Lead and manage the purchasing team, setting clear goals, coaching for performance, and building capability across strategic sourcing and category management.
* Drive strategic sourcing initiatives, including market analysis, supplier selection, tendering, and negotiation to secure optimal value, quality, and risk profile.
* Own category management plans, including demand forecasting, supplier segmentation, contract lifecycle planning, and continuous improvement of category performance.
* Lead complex contract negotiations, ensuring robust terms on pricing, service levels, warranties, and risk allocation, in collaboration with legal and key stakeholders.
* Establish and maintain strong supplier relationships, monitoring performance, resolving issues, and fostering innovation and continuous improvement.
* Implement and refine procurement policies, processes, and governance, ensuring compliance with internal controls and relevant regulations.
* Provide regular reporting and insight on procurement performance, savings, risks, and opportunities to the senior leadership team.

Key Requirements:
* Proven experience in a senior procurement role with responsibility for strategy, sourcing, and category management, ideally within building products or a related sector.
* Demonstrable track record of leading and developing procurement teams, including setting direction, managing performance, and driving engagement.
* Strong expertise in strategic sourcing, including running RFPs, supplier evaluation, and total cost of ownership analysis.
* Advanced contract negotiation skills with experience managing complex, high-value supplier agreements.
* Solid understanding of category management principles and their practical application across multiple spend areas.
* Strong commercial acumen with the ability to interpret data, build business cases, and influence senior stakeholders.
* Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across operations, finance, and leadership teams.
* Comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment, managing multiple priorities, and delivering to deadlines.

Desirable Skills:
* Experience within the wholesale, construction, manufacturing, or building materials sector.
* Familiarity with ERP and e-procurement systems and data analytics tools for spend analysis and supplier performance tracking.
* Experience implementing or improving procurement governance frameworks and policies.
* Exposure to sustainability, ESG, or responsible sourcing initiatives within procurement.
* Background in multi-site or multi-business-unit environments.

Qualifications:
* Degree-level education in Supply Chain, Procurement, Business, or a related discipline.
* Professional procurement qualification (e.g. CIPS or equivalent) or working towards this.
* Evidence of ongoing professional development in procurement, negotiation, or leadership.

If you are a strategic, commercially minded procurement leader ready to take ownership of a key function and build a high-performing team, we’d like to hear from you.