An outstanding opportunity has arisen with a high growth ship building / manufacturing business based on the Isle of Wight. The Head of Procurement will be responsible for leading the team and applying the group purchasing policy to ensure key items, services and materials for shipbuilding projects are purchased effectively. An integral part of this will be developing strong stakeholder relationships within the business, interpreting requirements and technical specifications to ensure accurate and timely purchases are made. You will be responsible for overseeing communication with suppliers, understanding lead times and creating project specific procurement/purchasing plans. Updating key departments such as the scheduling team to ensure lead times are factored into overall project plans. A deliverable of the role will be to define and achieve annual savings targets therefore looking for the best options on the market with the aim establishing preferred suppliers who offer the highest quality at the best prices will be key. Responsibilities will include: Policy, strategy and tactics of the Purchasing Service: Define and implement policy and strategy for purchasing. Establish specific procurement/purchasing plans for each new project. Contribute to the needs analysis of the various departments through research and consultation. Conduct contractual negotiations with major or strategic suppliers. Take action in supplier relations to settle major disputes. Manage compliance with the purchasing budgets and schedule for each project. Propose measures to improve service efficiency to improve global competitiveness of the group. Leadership Manage the Purchasing Department, holding 1:1’s, developing role-roadmaps and assessing developmental needs to identify training. Define the department operating budget in conjunction with the CFO. Ensure compliance with work instructions are followed. Participate in recruitment and decisions in conjunction with Management and the HR Department. Organise and encourage knowledge transfer within the team. Participate in decisions on the allocation of individual pay rises in conjunction HR and senior leadership. Other Responsibilities Contributes to the compliance of the objectives set in terms of deadline and costs of the assigned projects. Ensures reliability of his/her planning deliverables. May be required to tutor trainees or apprentices. Occasional travel to France and abroad. Applicant Requirements: BA Hons in Business Purchasing and Supply Chain Management or equivalent qualification Experience as a Buyer or Purchasing Manager in the industrial field Experience of purchasing high value and strategically important items Experience of managing team members Demonstrable experience of successful stakeholder management both internal and external Experience in the use of relevant software such as Sage, ERP, Dynamics or equivalent Comfortable working onsite predominantly IOW and Southampton