ExecutiveFull TimeEN
At Affinity Water, procurement is more than purchasing — it is a strategic driver of operational excellence, sustainability, resilience, and long-term value. We are looking for an exceptional Head of Procurement & Commercial to lead and transform our Procurement & Commercial function at a pivotal time for the business.
This is a high-impact leadership role with significant visibility across the organisation, working closely with the CFO, Executive Leadership Team, and Board-level stakeholders to shape strategy, influence decision-making, and deliver measurable business outcomes.
The Role:
As Head of Procurement & Commercial, you will lead the development and execution of a forward-thinking procurement and contract management strategy that supports Affinity Water’s operational and financial ambitions.
You will champion best-in-class procurement practices, strengthen supplier relationships, and ensure the organisation achieves maximum value from its supply chain while maintaining compliance with regulatory and sustainability requirements.
This role combines strategic leadership with operational delivery — ideal for someone who thrives on driving transformation, influencing senior stakeholders, and leading high-performing teams.
What You’ll Be Responsible For
Strategic Leadership:
-Develop and deliver Affinity Water’s Procurement & Commercial Strategy in partnership with the CFO and Executive Leadership Team
-Align procurement activity to wider business goals, operational priorities, and financial targets
-Lead procurement transformation initiatives that improve efficiency, resilience, and value creation
Stakeholder & Supplier Management
-Build trusted relationships across the business, including Executive and Board-level stakeholders
-Act as the organisation’s procurement ambassador, promoting commercial best practice and strategic supplier management
-Lead key supplier negotiations and manage strategically significant commercial relationships
Commercial & Financial Performance
-Own procurement savings targets and deliver measurable commercial benefits across the organisation
-Manage the Procurement & Commercial team budget and oversee category strategies and savings plans
-Drive robust spend analysis, forecasting, reporting, and financial insight to support business planning
Operational Excellence & Governance
-Ensure procurement activity complies with all relevant legislation, including procurement regulations and sustainability obligations
-Identify and mitigate supply chain and sourcing risks
-Improve procurement processes and support efficient purchase-to-pay operations across the business
-Promote innovation and industry best practice to maximise value from the cost base
Leadership & Team Development
Lead, inspire, and develop a high-performing Procurement & Commercial team
Set clear objectives, monitor performance, and foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
What We’re Looking For
-Significant experience leading procurement and commercial functions within a complex organisation
-Strong commercial acumen and negotiation expertise
-Experience developing procurement strategies that deliver measurable savings and operational improvements
-Excellent stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence at Executive and Board level
-Strong knowledge of procurement legislation, governance, and supplier relationship management
-A collaborative leadership style with experience developing high-performing teams
-Passion for sustainability, innovation, and continuous improvement
Competitive salary dependant on skills and experience
Car Allowance which is an additional £5,530 on top of your base salary
Entry into the Senior Leader Bonus scheme.
Annual leave from 26 days rising with length of service, and the option to purchase up to 5 extra days.
A generous 'double match pension scheme' that doubles the contributions you make (company contribution capped at 12%)
We offer a range of family benefits including enhanced Maternity, Adoption, Paternity, Shared Parental Leave, Fertility Support Leave and up to 5 full or 10 half days of paid Carers Leave.
Menopause policy and Reasonable Adjustment policy to help everyone perform at their best.
Access to our Wellbeing Centre with support for looking after your physical and mental health.
Discounts at a Range of Retail Outlets and on Dental and Medical Insurance through our Tap4Perks scheme.
Up to 4 Affinity days a year to volunteer in the community.
x7 Life Assurance.
As a Disability Confident employer, we’re committed to offering interviews to disabled candidates who meet the essential criteria and opt in on the application form. Ask the Talent Acquisition lead for the full job description to see all the criteria. If we have a very high volume of applicants and we’re not able to offer interviews to all, we’ll take a fair and proportionate number of disabled candidates through.
Affinity Water recognises the benefits of greater diversity in our workforce to better reflect the communities we serve. We are committed to building a more inclusive culture where every member of our workforce can thrive.
You can find out what it’s like to work at Affinity Water through our career site https://www.affinitywatercareers.co.uk/ where our colleagues share their career development stories and you can get a feel for our company culture.
