Deputy Manager – Procurement & Commercial

Position: Deputy Manager – Procurement & Commercial

Job purpose:

The Deputy Manager – Procurement & Commercial will act as the second-in-command to the Head/Manager of Procurement & Commercial and play a critical role in driving procurement and commercial excellence across the organisation.

While the business portfolio includes engineering & construction and other ventures , the role will have a primary focus on the education sector , supporting procurement for schools, nurseries, and education support services , ensuring cost efficiency, supply continuity, compliance, and value creation in a highly service-driven environment.

The position will not only be the second-in command who can operate strategically and tactically, step in for the Head/Manager when required, and support the scaling and standardisation of procurement practices across all business lines but will also be responsible to manage assigned roles and responsibilities across the organisation within the procurement & commercial function.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic & Leadership Support

• Act as the deputy to the Head of Procurement & Commercial , supporting strategic planning, policy development, and execution.
• Support long-term procurement roadmaps aligned with organisational growth, particularly within the education portfolio.
• Contribute to budgeting, forecasting, and cost optimisation initiatives.

Education-Focused Procurement

• Oversee and manage procurement for schools and nurseries , including educational materials, uniforms, catering, transport, facilities management, IT, and support services.
• Ensure uninterrupted supply and service delivery during academic terms and peak periods.
• Work closely with school leadership, academic teams, and operations to align procurement with academic and operational requirements.
• Ensure compliance with education-sector standards, regulations, and safeguarding requirements (where applicable).

Multi-Business & Project Procurement

• Support procurement activities for engineering & construction , including materials, subcontractors, consultants, MEP works, and fit-out projects.
• Assist with commercial evaluations, BOQs, tender reviews, and contract negotiations for project-based procurement.
• Balance operational procurement needs with project-driven and capex procurement requirements.

Commercial & Contract Management

• Lead and support commercial negotiations, contract reviews, renewals, and vendor onboarding.
• Ensure contracts, SLAs, and pricing agreements are commercially robust and compliant.
• Identify opportunities for value engineering, cost efficiencies, and risk mitigation.
• Support dispute resolution and commercial issue management with suppliers and contractors.

Supplier & Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain strategic supplier relationships, particularly for education-critical categories.
• Conduct supplier performance reviews and lead improvement initiatives.
• Partner closely with Finance, Operations, Projects, and School Leadership Teams.
• Act as a key escalation point for procurement and commercial issues.

Governance, Controls & Reporting

• Ensure adherence to procurement policies, approval frameworks, and governance standards.
• Support audits, compliance reviews, and documentation requirements.
• Prepare management reports including spending analysis, savings reports, risk assessments, and supplier dashboards.
• Drive standardisation of procurement processes across business units.

Team Development & Capability Building

• Support and mentor procurement team members.
• Assist in building procurement capability within the education business units.
• Drive process improvements, system adoption, and best-practice procurement behaviours.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, business administration, finance, engineering , or related field.
• Professional certifications such as CIPS / MCIPS / CPSM are strongly preferred.
• MBA or postgraduate qualifications are an advantage.

Experience

• 8–12 years of experience in procurement and commercial roles.
• Proven experience in a Deputy role within the procurement/commercial functions.
• Strong experience in education, facilities management, services-led environments , or regulated sectors.
• Exposure to engineering & construction or project procurement is a strong advantage.
• Experience working in multi-business or group environments .

Skills & Competencies

Core Competencies

• Strong leadership presence with the ability to step into the Head/Manager role when required.
• Commercially astute with strong negotiation and contract management skills.
• Strategic thinker with hands-on execution capability.

Functional Skills

• Expertise in education-sector procurement and services sourcing.
• Solid understanding of project and construction procurement principles.
• Strong financial and commercial analysis capability.

Behavioural & Interpersonal Skills

• High level of stakeholder influence and relationship management.
• Ability to balance competing priorities across business lines.
• Detail-oriented, structured, and governance-focused.
• High integrity, accountability, and professionalism.

Interested candidates can apply on our website:

https://careers.forteseducation.com/CurrentOpening.aspx?FCO=1