Procurement Business Partner

At South West Water, we believe that the strongest businesses are built on solid, stable foundations - with a vision and culture that foster change, improvement, and innovation.

We are proud to provide reliable, efficient, high-quality drinking water and wastewater services for the beautiful South West region.

We have ambitious goals: not only are we committed to reaching net-zero by 2030, but we have also partnered with Wildlife Trusts, National Parks, and local organizations to help ensure a better future for generations to come.

If you want to be part of a diverse team where opportunities abound and new ideas are welcomed, .

We are currently offering two fixed-term Procurement Business Partner roles for 12 months. One requires a base in Exeter or Bristol; the other can be based in Exeter, Bristol, or Redhill. All roles require attendance at your base for at least 2 days per week, with the rest of the time working from home. Some travel between our main offices will also be necessary. The roles offer a competitive salary of up to £52,000 per annum plus excellent benefits.

About the role:

One position focuses on corporate services, including IT, FM, customer services, and more; the other on plant and equipment for wastewater services.

You will have the opportunity to develop and monitor strategies for assigned categories of spend, supporting procurement requirements across the business throughout the full procurement lifecycle, including sourcing, contract management, and supplier management.

This is a great opportunity to demonstrate a strong commercial focus and drive efficiency, managing risks and opportunities for South West Water.

What you'll be doing:

• Procurement Business Partnering: Advising and challenging senior stakeholders on procurement planning, ensuring compliance, accountability, and risk-aware decision-making across operational and capital spend.
• Category & Commercial Strategy: Owning and delivering long-term procurement strategies for high-value/risk categories, providing market insights, and aligning plans with strategic goals.
• Sourcing & Contracting: Leading end-to-end sourcing processes, from contract design and tendering to negotiation and award, ensuring compliance with legal, regulatory, and commercial standards.
• Contract & Supplier Management: Monitoring supplier performance, conducting due diligence, leading contract reviews, and driving continuous improvement using KPIs and stakeholder feedback.
• Commercial Support for Projects: Providing analytical and commercial input into key decisions and investment cases, including risk modeling and strategic procurement evaluations.
• Process Improvement & Governance: Ensuring procurement aligns with corporate objectives, health & safety, and environmental standards, while promoting continuous improvement.
• Collaboration & Knowledge Sharing: Supporting team resilience through cross-coverage, aligning internal processes, and sharing expertise to build procurement capability.

What we're looking for:

• Strong commercial and strategic mindset; understanding procurement's role in achieving corporate goals and managing risks.
• Experience in delivering cost savings and value within supply chain management.
• Excellent verbal communication skills and the ability to support business change.
• Proven negotiation and supply chain management experience, managing costs and value drivers effectively.
• Strong stakeholder management skills across various functions and seniority levels.
• Knowledge of UK/EU procurement regulations and contract types.
• A CIPS qualification (or working towards it) is highly desirable.
• Experience with ERP systems, SRM sourcing, and e-procurement tools.

What's in it for you:

• Opportunities for ongoing development and training in a company recognized for its commitment to staff growth.
• Benefits include: generous holiday allowance, discretionary bonus, pension, share schemes, health benefits, wellbeing programs, discounts, Cycle to Work, financial support, and more.

Closing date: 29th May 2025

Be yourself - we like it that way. We foster a culture of belonging, where inclusion is natural. Diversity is our strength, reflecting our communities. We care, value everyone, and celebrate uniqueness.

Our core values:

Be Rock Solid: Build trust and be trusted. Be dependable.

Be You: Bring your best every day. Be authentic and make your mark.

Be the Future: Embrace change. Drive progress. Own the challenge.