The Procurement Lead at HS2 is accountable for the delivery of procurement activities, managing a team to manage and deliver procurements of significant value. The Procurement Lead will work closely with colleagues across the business to develop and deliver procurement strategies and activities, often balancing competing priorities and requirements. The role requires strong stakeholder management and influencing skills to achieve successful outcomes.
About the Role
The Procurement Lead is responsible for the procurement of complex projects or multi-million pound projects, ensuring procurement strategies and plans are developed and fulfilled. The role will be given delegated authority in accordance with the financial delegations for HS2.The main accountabilities are to:
- Responsible for the delivery of procurements, ensuring that these are aligned with overall HS2 objectives, including the delivery of wider benefits. This includes responsibility for developing key components of the necessary ITP and ITT documentation to agreed timelines and ensuring that these achieve relevant approvals and assurance to permit release of this documentation.
- Responsible for the achievement of governance approval and assurance of all procurement deliverables.
- Responsible for managing the procurement evaluation processes for the specific procurement and ensuring that these achieve relevant approvals and assurance to allow appropriate short-listing and contract award.
- Ensure HS2’s procurement activities are undertaken in compliance with UK legislation whilst driving a process that will become a benchmark for future projects around the world.
- Manage a Senior Procurement Manager and Procurement Manager, ensuring their output is quality-assured at its source.
- Ensure procurement reporting and management information is provided accurately and on a timely basis to synch with HS2 business reporting rhythm and cycles.
- Present to boards and committees, as required, in order to respond to challenge and scrutiny.
- Understand key commercial drivers and commercial success criteria for procurements.
- Actively promote and embed Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in all work activities, supporting and complying with all organisational initiatives, policies and procedures on EDI.
About You
Skills:
- Analytical, commercial and negotiating skills for complex propositions.
- Skilled in compiling robust procurement strategies, tender and commercial documents.
- Ability to operate with a high degree of autonomy.
- Ability to develop, implement, realise and embed innovation, value for money and benefits realisation within the process and contracts that will form the foundation of the successful delivery of the relevant contract.
- Ability to act as a mentor to others to help and support effective performance and development.
- Internal and external stakeholder engagement skills to build relationships with colleagues internal to HS2 Ltd but also partners across wider industry and Government.
- Communication skills along with the confidence to interface with senior colleagues and stakeholders internal and external to HS2 Ltd;
- Ability to generate a range of ideas or solutions to address problems or make improvements, taking into account pragmatic solutions.
- Ability to consult and involve others in ideas and concepts, defending area’s position as necessary, recognising when to stand down.
- Seeks opportunities for change in order to achieve improvement in workflow, processes, etc.
- Ability to develop meaningful metrics for procurement selection purposes, incentivisation and contract performance measurements
- Ability to drive excellence in staff leadership and management skills;
- Ability to view and convey the role of procurement as a facilitator and conduit to progress and results, rather than an obstacle;
Knowledge:
- Procurement Act 2023 and other related regulations.
- Desirable Memberships/Qualifications - Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply or equivalent.
- Awareness of government initiatives and policies with ability to assess relevancy and defend applicability.
- Working with or for publicly funded bodies including central government departments;
- Different forms of contract and risk allocation.
- Procurement strategy development.
- Project management and planning.
- Procurement processes.
- Risk & value management.
- Procurement systems.
- Negotiation.
- Contract development.
Type of experience:
- Experience procuring large value complex heavy civils / construction or similar works/services in compliance with the Utilities Contracts Regulations or Procurement Act 2023 with a thorough knowledge of applicable EU and UK procurement legislation and contracts using the NEC suite of contract forms.
- Experience in operating in a matrix environment, with influencing and communication skills – able to persuade on the basis of objective argument founded in fact and analysis.
- Commercial expertise to ensure that value for money is secured and demonstrated.
- Sponsor / Stakeholder relationship and management experience, with communication and influencing skills.
- Experience of undertaking procurements using different pricing/risk options dependent on desired outcome and market conditions.
- Experience in motivating and leading a team of procurement professionals alongside peers and other senior managers.
- Experience in leading teams, managing/coaching numerous staff in their career development.
The post-holder is expected to behave at all times in a manner consistent with the HS2 values of Safety, Leadership, Integrity and Respect. It is expected that you will actively promote and embed Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in all your work and support and comply with all organisational initiatives, policies and procedures on EDI.
We ask for a variety of detail in your online application, however we perform the first assessment of suitability for a role based solely on the information in your CV. In a further development of our efforts to create a more diverse workforce, your CV will be anonymised and personal information will be removed during the first stage of the application review. This removes bias from the process and makes it even more important that you attach an updated word version of your CV for each new application ensuring you include evidence directly related to the criteria in the job advert. Watch this video on how we remove bias in the recruitment process: Removing bias in the recruitment process - YouTube
Any applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
Skills Required
- Experience procuring large-value, complex heavy civils, construction, or similar works and services
- Thorough knowledge of the Procurement Act 2023, Utilities Contracts Regulations, and applicable UK and EU procurement legislation
- Experience using NEC suite contract forms and different pricing and risk allocation options
- Experience developing procurement strategies, tender documents, commercial documents, and contract documentation
- Commercial, analytical, negotiation, risk management, and value-for-money expertise
- Experience working with or for publicly funded bodies, central government departments, or in a comparable regulated environment
- Experience operating in a matrix environment and influencing internal and external stakeholders
- Experience leading, motivating, managing, mentoring, and coaching procurement professionals
- Knowledge of procurement processes, contract development, project planning, procurement systems, and government policies
- Ability to work autonomously and present procurement matters to senior stakeholders, boards, and committees
- Membership of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply or an equivalent qualification
What We Do
High Speed Two (HS2) Limited is responsible for developing and promoting the UK's new high-speed rail network. HS2 is Britain's new high-speed railway, designed to provide fast, reliable journeys between major cities while freeing capacity on the existing network for regional and freight services. The project also aims to widen access to jobs, drive investment, and support regional growth through an economic corridor.
