Senior Procurement Manager – Leading National Railway Organisation (Southern Zone)

Location                 London (Blackfriars) or Basingstoke | Hybrid (3 days office)
Salary                     £55,596 – £67,813 + Up to 20% Bonus + 75% Rail Travel                                                                                Healthcare + Excellent Pension + 28 Days Holiday
Progression:           Head of Sourcing (£71,000 – £89,000+)

Long terms stability       Excellent training & development + railway pension after 5 years

Lead Strategic Procurement Across One of Britain's Busiest Railway Networks

Are you an experienced Procurement Manager ready to step into a senior leadership role with genuine strategic influence, your own team and a clear path to Head of Sourcing?

This is a standout opportunity to join a leading national railway organisation as one of the senior leaders within a 23-person Procurement function, managing a team of 6–7 Procurement Managers and Buyers while owning a dedicated procurement portfolio with contracts and frameworks valued up to £100 million and delegated authority up to £5 million.

The Organisation

The Southern Zone is one of the UK's most operationally complex railway networks over 3,300 miles of track, 544 stations and 7,000 employees with major ongoing investment across infrastructure, renewals, maintenance and operations.

The Role

Reporting to the Head of Sourcing, you'll take ownership of one of three specialist procurement portfolio matched to your background:

• Major Capital Projects,
• Railway Operations & Maintenance,  
• Corporate & Indirect

As your career develops, you'll broaden across all three, building the commercial breadth needed to step into Head of Sourcing.

You'll lead end-to-end procurement, develop sourcing strategies, negotiate high-value contracts, manage strategic supplier relationships and ensure full compliance with UK Public Procurement Regulations all while mentoring and developing your team.

What We're Looking For

• Proven strategic procurement experience in a regulated or public sector environment
• Experience leading complex tendering activities and high-value contract negotiations
• Strong commercial awareness and supplier relationship management skills
• Previous people management or team leadership experience
• Knowledge of UK Public Procurement Regulations and eProcurement systems
• MCIPS qualified or working towards it (desirable)
• Construction contract knowledge and infrastructure/transport background (desirable)

We're open to candidates from infrastructure, construction, operations & maintenance, utilities, defence, transport or corporate procurement backgrounds.

Why Apply?

This is a rare opportunity to join one of the UK's leading railway organisations in a highly visible procurement leadership role where you'll shape procurement strategy across a dedicated business portfolio while leading and developing your own team.

You'll gain exposure to major infrastructure investment programmes, influence senior decision-makers, manage strategic supplier relationships and play a key role in delivering procurement excellence across the organisation.

With outstanding career progression into Head of Sourcing, an excellent benefits package including up to 20% annual bonus, 75% discounted rail travel, private healthcare, excellent pension (join the prestigious Railway Pension Scheme after five years' service), hybrid working and long-term career stability, this is one of the strongest Senior Procurement Manager opportunities currently available within the UK infrastructure sector.