Procurement Manager

The Premier League's Finance team is looking for a Procurement Manager to take a leading role in shaping and delivering the organisation's procurement strategy, working with colleagues to identify opportunities for procurement improvement and optimisation. The preferred candidate will have a track record of successfully managing end-to-end procurement activity for a significant pipeline of opportunities, delivering value through competitive sourcing, effective management of contract relationships and robust due diligence.

This is an exciting time to join the business, and the role has the scope to make a significant contribution to the continued success and growth of the Premier League. The successful candidate will be someone who thrives working in a dynamic environment, with excellent analytical and stakeholder management skills. The role will have excellent exposure to the business, working with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.

This is a new role that sits within the Finance Department and has a cross-business remit. Established in 2024, the Premier League procurement function is at the start of a transformation journey and in the early stages of embedding a new strategic procurement framework across the organisation. You will have the opportunity to help shape, streamline and enhance procurement processes to maximise efficiency and effectiveness across the organisation.

The Procurement Manager will take a leading role in sourcing activity, to achieve the best, whole-life value for the organisation, maximising benefit and minimising risk to the Premier League

Who we are

The Premier League is home to some of the most competitive and compelling football in the world. The League and its Clubs use the power and popularity of the competition to inspire fans, communities and partners in the UK and across the world. The Premier League brings people together from all backgrounds. It is a competition for everyone, everywhere and is available to watch in 900 million homes in 189 countries.

We have a wide variety of responsibilities. These include organising the competition and its Handbook as well as managing the centralised broadcast and commercial rights. The work we do in conjunction with the Clubs also goes far beyond the 90 minutes. We support and provide a framework for youth development, we protect the organisation's intellectual property, support the wider game and community programmes, undertake international development work and liaise with governing bodies and other leagues.

The Premier League is an equal opportunities employer and strives to create an inclusive culture where talent can flourish. We believe in the potential of everyone and open our doors to those who share those values. All appointments will be made based on merit; however, we particularly encourage applications from women, people from minority ethnic communities, LGBTQ+ people and disabled people.

Our hybrid-working model also allows you some variety on your place of work, offering you the chance to work from home on some days each week. Where possible, you will attend the office or site visits in line with our company policy. All staff liaise closely with their line manager to manage their time appropriately and according to their work and team requirements.

The Role

The key responsibilities of the role are:

• Business Partner: Build outstanding relationships with internal stakeholders, working closely with colleagues to build a pipeline of opportunities for each business area and identify appropriate procurement approaches and sourcing strategies to fit the needs of the organisation.
• Sourcing: Lead the end-to-end procurement activity for identified opportunities, including the preparation of tender documents, co-ordination of the tender process, and creation of post-tender reports, ensuring an objective selection process is undertaken.
• Data Analysis: Drive smart procurement decisions identifying opportunities for procurement improvement, contract consolidation and cost optimisation. Interrogate key sources of information to support data-driven decision making, including the development of scorecards to analyse bids, spend and pricing analysis.
• Supplier Relationship Management: Establish and maintain relationships with key suppliers and vendors. Work closely with Legal to negotiate and manage supplier contracts to minimise risk and ensure competitive pricing, quality, and performance.
• Procurement Processes Improvement: Support the roll out of new procurement processes to maximise efficiency and effectiveness, providing colleagues with professional advice and guidance. Contribute to the continuing improvement of the Premier League's approach to procurement.
• Compliance: Ensure that all procurement activities adhere to legal and regulatory requirements, as well as the Premier League's internal policies and guidelines.
• Market Analysis: Stay up to date with industry trends, ensuring the Premier League remains at the forefront of best practices and standards.
• Social Responsibility: Drive ethical, sustainable and socially responsible procurement practices that support the delivery of the Premier League's net-zero ambition and our EDI mission, commitments and values, working closely with the relevant teams. You will champion our values and promote professional procurement standards and behaviours across the organisation.
• The role will work closely with other professional services functions, including legal, finance, strategy, sustainability, commercial and risk to align procurement activities with business requirements and organisational objectives.
• The role will work closely with member Clubs and stakeholders to facilitate knowledge sharing and support potential collective initiatives.

Role Requirement

• Experience of procurement in a dynamic, collaborative, environment with the ability to prioritise a varied workload and deliver to deadlines.
• Proven communication and stakeholder management skills, including critical listening and the ability to question constructively.
• Demonstrable track record of delivering the end-to-end procurement process and sourcing activities to meet desired outcomes.
• Excellent project management skills, coupled with a commitment to providing both internal and external stakeholders with high levels of service.
• Strong commercial acumen, with effective and well-developed negotiation skills.
• High proficiency in MS Office, including Excel and PowerPoint, including the ability to handle large data sets, interpret diverse data, and apply attention to detail.
• A commitment to fair play, with an understanding and passion for socially responsible procurement, including how procurement can contribute to delivering wider social value.
• MCIPS accreditation, or equivalent relevant experience, is preferred but not required.
• Previous experience in a broadcasting, events, or sport-related business, or within a greenfield procurement function, is desired but not required.

About The Premier League

The Premier League is home to some of the most competitive and compelling football in the world. The League and its Clubs use the power and popularity of the competition to inspire fans, communities and partners in the UK and across the world. The Premier League brings people together from all backgrounds. It is a competition for everyone, everywhere and is available to watch in 900 million homes in 189 countries.

We have a wide variety of responsibilities. These include organising the competition and its Handbook as well as managing the centralised broadcast and commercial rights. The work we do in conjunction with the Clubs also goes far beyond the 90 minutes. We support and provide a framework for youth development, we protect the organisation's intellectual property, support the wider game and community programmes, undertake international development work and liaise with governing bodies and other leagues.

The Premier League is an equal opportunities employer and strives to create an inclusive culture where talent can flourish. We believe in the potential of everyone and open our doors to those who share those values. All appointments will be made based on merit; however, we particularly encourage applications from women, people from minority ethnic communities, LGBTQ+ people and disabled people.