University of Southampton
Director of Procurement and Commercial
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Director of Procurement and Commercial
We seek an exceptional Director of Procurement and Commercial to lead procurement, commercial, and contract management for the University. This senior role will shape how the University secures value, manages commercial risk, and delivers outcome-focused services through external suppliers.
You will lead a function of around 25 colleagues, developing a unified, customer-focused culture. You will establish the procurement and commercial strategy, build a forward plan for external spend, and ensure supplier relationships and contracts support financial sustainability, supply chain security, and strategic objectives.
About The Role
As our senior procurement and commercial authority, you will advise senior leaders on major procurement, commercial, and contract matters, including high-value and high-risk projects. You will oversee complex negotiations, strengthen contract and supplier relationship management, and ensure governance, probity, and risk-based controls across external spend of approximately £300 million per annum.
You will be a key member of the Finance Executive Leadership Team, working closely with the University Executive Board, Executive Directors, and senior stakeholders. Externally, you will represent the University with strategic suppliers, regulators, funding bodies, advisers, sector networks, and partners.
This role will be hybrid working with a minimum of two days per week on campus.
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Key Responsibilities
- Provide strategic leadership for procurement, commercial, and contract management.
- Develop and implement an ambitious procurement and commercial strategy that delivers value for money, service improvement, and risk management.
- Lead high-value and complex commercial and supplier negotiations, advising on financial, legal, and reputational implications.
- Promote and drive strong contract management and supplier relationship management approaches.
- Lead and develop a high-performing, collaborative, and customer-focused team.
- Build strong stakeholder relationships and promote a business partnering approach.
- Support financial planning through a forward pipeline of procurement opportunities, savings targets, and commercial risk mitigation.
- Ensure strong governance, probity, and compliance with internal controls and external statutory requirements.
About You
You will bring extensive senior-level procurement, commercial, and contract management experience in a large, complex organisation, with the credibility and judgement to influence at executive and Board level. You will be commercially astute, confident in high-value negotiations, and experienced in governance frameworks that protect probity while enabling effective decisions.
You will have a strong record of leading teams through change, setting strategic direction, and building trusted relationships across organisational boundaries. You will explain complex commercial matters clearly to non-specialists and be motivated to modernise procurement and commercial practice in support of the University’s success.
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Essential Experience And Attributes
- Strategic leadership experience in procurement, commercial, and contract management within a complex organisation.
- Experience of managing multimillion-pound external spend across goods, works, and services.
- Strong commercial acumen and experience of leading complex, high-value negotiations.
- Evidence of advising senior stakeholders and influencing strategic decisions.
- Experience of leading transformational change, service improvement, and innovation.
- Ability to lead, motivate, and develop a high-performing professional team.
- Ability to solve problems and challenge the status quo, balancing pragmatism and commercial approaches within policy.
- Membership of CIPS or equivalent professional standing, or demonstrable significant commercial expertise and impact.
Why join us?
This is a rare opportunity to shape a strategically important function. You will enable financial sustainability, improve value, strengthen commercial capability, and support the University’s ambitions through excellent procurement and contract management.
To apply, please submit your CV, and supporting statement, setting out how your experience, skills, and leadership approach meet the role requirements, along with details for 3 referees.
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