Strategic Sourcing Manager

Location: Buckinghamshire Function: Procurement / Strategic Sourcing Level: Management Job Purpose The Strategic Sourcing Manager will lead and oversee sourcing and tender activity across complex, high-value procurement programmes within a regulated public-sector environment. Working alongside another Sourcing Manager, the role will provide leadership to a team of approximately 20 procurement professionals across two direct reporting lines. The successful candidate will ensure sourcing activity is delivered effectively on time and in accordance with relevant procurement regulations, governance requirements and internal policies. The role has a strong focus on strategic category management, governance, assurance and compliance, rather than direct supplier engagement or hands-on sourcing execution. Key Responsibilities Strategic Sourcing & Procurement Lead and oversee sourcing strategies for complex, medium to high-value procurement projects. Manage the end-to-end delivery of tender and sourcing activities, ensuring projects remain on track and meet required timelines. Provide strategic procurement advice to teams and senior stakeholders. Ensure sourcing strategies align with wider category plans and organisational objectives. Review procurement approaches, documentation and tender artefacts to ensure quality, accuracy and compliance. Identify opportunities to improve sourcing processes, governance and procurement outcomes. Provide assurance that procurement activity is conducted in accordance with relevant legislation, policy and procedure. People Management & Leadership Lead, manage and develop a team of sourcing professionals. Provide direction, coaching and support to ensure high standards of delivery. Allocate and prioritise workload across the team in response to changing business requirements. Work effectively alongside the other Sourcing Manager to ensure consistent management and delivery across the function. Support recruitment and participate in interviews where required. Promote continuous improvement, collaboration and professional development within the team. Governance, Assurance & Compliance Ensure procurement activity complies with applicable public-sector procurement legislation, regulations and organisational policies. Apply strong knowledge of the Procurement Act 2023 (PA23) and associated procurement requirements. Provide assurance across sourcing and tender processes, ensuring appropriate governance and approvals are in place. Review and quality-check procurement documentation, reports and supporting artefacts. Contribute to the development and maintenance of procurement policies, procedures and regulations. Identify and manage procurement risks, escalating issues where appropriate. Work closely with governance and assurance teams to ensure procurement activity meets required standards. Stakeholder Management Build effective working relationships with senior stakeholders and internal procurement functions. Work closely with Strategic Category Managers, Supplier Management, Assurance and Governance teams. Provide clear updates on sourcing activity, risks, issues and delivery progress. Guide colleagues on procurement policy, procedure and best practice. Support senior management reporting and provide accurate information on procurement activity and performance. Operational Delivery Manage multiple priorities in a highly reactive and fast-paced environment. Ensure sourcing activity continues to progress despite changing priorities and business requirements. Reorganise team workloads and plans quickly when urgent requirements arise. Demonstrate resilience, sound judgement and the ability to operate effectively with limited lead-in time. Take ownership of ad hoc management and procurement activities as required. Key Requirements Essential Significant public-sector procurement experience. Strong understanding of public procurement regulations, governance, assurance and compliance frameworks. PA23 training/knowledge. Proven experience managing procurement or sourcing teams. Experience overseeing complex tender and sourcing activity from inception through to completion. Strong understanding of procurement policy and procedure. Ability to review and assure procurement documentation for accuracy, quality and compliance. Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities. Demonstrable resilience and flexibility in a highly reactive environment. Ability to work effectively alongside another Sourcing Manager within a shared leadership structure. Strong communication, influencing and stakeholder-management skills. Ability to hit the ground running and operate with a high degree of autonomy. Desirable Experience running tenders under the Procurement Act 2023 framework. MCIPS qualification or equivalent professional accreditation. Experience within the wider rail industry. Procurement experience within infrastructure, engineering or other complex regulated environments. Experience managing high-value or business-critical procurement programmes. Knowledge of category strategy and strategic sourcing methodologies. Experience developing procurement policies, regulations and governance frameworks. Key Competencies Strategic procurement and category management People leadership and team development Public-sector procurement PA23 and regulatory compliance Governance and assurance Stakeholder management and influencing Risk management Organisation and prioritisation Resilience and adaptability Commercial awareness Attention to detail Continuous improvement Role Focus The successful candidate will be a governance-led procurement leader who can provide assurance and strategic oversight while ensuring a sourcing team delivers high-quality tender activity. The role is particularly suited to someone who combines strong public-sector procurement and regulatory knowledge with proven people-management capability and the resilience to operate in a rapidly changing environment. Direct supplier engagement is not a core requirement of this position. The emphasis is on strategic procurement oversight, team leadership, governance, assurance, compliance and delivery. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity in our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status