Senior Procurement Manager

Senior Procurement Manager – ConstructionWe are supporting a leading international data centre developer and operator in the appointment of a Senior Procurement Manager to join its European team.This is a key hire into a growing procurement function and requires someone with a deep understanding of construction procurement, contracting and major capital projects.The business is continuing to expand across Europe and is evolving the way it engages with its construction supply chain. Rather than relying solely on traditional project-by-project RFI/RFP processes, the team is looking to develop long-term strategic partnerships with a select group of General Contractors across its key European markets.The successful individual will play an important role in making that happen.The roleWorking closely with Procurement, Construction, Design, Legal, Finance and senior leadership, you'll take ownership of complex procurement activity supporting major data centre developments across Europe.Responsibilities will include:Leading procurement strategy for major construction projects and associated servicesDeveloping strategic relationships with General Contractors and key supply-chain partnersHelping establish longer-term GC partnerships across individual countries and regionsLeading contractor engagement, commercial evaluation, negotiation and contract awardWorking with construction and design teams to establish appropriate procurement and contracting strategiesProviding commercial input throughout the project lifecycleUnderstanding and applying European construction procurement processes, including RIBA stages and German VOB frameworksWorking with construction contracts including FIDIC Yellow Book and comparable design-and-build arrangementsNegotiating commercial terms and appropriate allocation of contractual and delivery riskSupporting contractor and consultant selection and challenging qualifications, exclusions and assumptionsResolving commercial and contractual issues during project deliveryManaging supplier performance and developing relationships beyond individual transactionsSupporting the development of procurement processes, policies, templates and governance as the function continues to matureIdentifying opportunities to improve procurement efficiency, consistency and commercial outcomes across EuropeThe formal brief also gives the position exposure beyond pure construction, including professional services, IT contracts and managed services, so there is scope to broaden your remit over time.What we're looking forThe key requirement is strong construction knowledge.We're looking for someone who understands the construction lifecycle and can operate credibly with Project Directors, Construction Directors, General Contractors, consultants and commercial teams without requiring extensive technical hand-holding.Ideally, you'll bring:8–12+ years of procurement, commercial or strategic sourcing experienceSignificant experience within construction procurement and major capital projectsStrong understanding of construction contracting and commercial riskExperience engaging and negotiating directly with major General ContractorsKnowledge of RIBA project stagesKnowledge or experience of German VOB procurement/contractingWorking knowledge of FIDIC Yellow BookExperience developing strategic supplier or contractor relationshipsStrong commercial negotiation and contract management skillsExperience working across multiple European markets would be advantageousData centre, mission-critical or major infrastructure experience would be beneficial but is not essentialCIPS or equivalent professional qualification would be beneficialJust as importantly, we're looking for someone who is adaptable, collaborative and comfortable working in an evolving environment.The procurement function is developing rapidly, so this isn't an opportunity for somebody looking to simply inherit an established playbook. You'll need to listen, understand the business, challenge where appropriate and help develop practical solutions rather than assuming the way things have always been done is the way they should continue to be done.Why join?The business is at an interesting point in the development of its European procurement strategy.There is an opportunity to influence how the company engages with major contractors, help build strategic GC relationships across Europe and contribute to the development of procurement processes that will support a growing development pipeline.You'll be joining a highly active team with significant projects underway across multiple European markets and genuine scope to influence how the procurement function evolves.Location: UK based, ideally able to work from the London office approximately three days per weekTravel: European travel requiredTo discuss the opportunity confidentially, click apply or contact Ben Palmer at DataX Connect.