Strategic Sourcing Manager
| Job Type | Contract |
| Location | Milton Keynes and London or Birmingham/ Hybrid |
| Area | Uk-wide, UK |
| Sector | Procurement & Commercial |
| Salary | £600 Per Day |
| Start Date | August 20th, 2026 |
| Advertiser | Jack Ingram |
| Job Ref | 7648-PSR1JP00103802 |
| IR35 | Inside |
| Security Clearance | DBS/DS |
- Description
- The Client:
A government client is looking for a Strategic Sourcing Manager to join them on a 6 month contract. This position will be based in Milton Keynes and London or Birmingham/ Hybrid.
Job Summary:
Team Structure:
- 2 Sourcing Managers overseeing a team of circa 20 people
- Team split across two direct reporting lines
Key Responsibilities:
- Managing teams delivering sourcing and tender activities
- Overseeing and running tender events
- Ensuring adherence to timelines and procurement processes
- Managing end-to-end tender activity
- Handling ad hoc tasks from a management perspective
- Supporting reporting and providing updates
- Participating in interviews
Governance & Compliance:
- No delegated financial authority, but responsible for assurance
- Writing procurement regulations and reports
- Reviewing and checking documentation for accuracy and compliance
- Providing assurance across procurement processes
Stakeholder Interaction
- Working closely with:
- Supplier Management
- Assurance teams
- Governance teams
- Supplier Management
- Guiding the team on policy and procedure
Key Requirements:
- Strong public sector procurement experience (essential to guide policy/procedure)
- Ability to hit the ground running
- Experience operating alongside another Sourcing Manager
- Understanding of governance, assurance, and compliance frameworks
Technical / Domain Requirements:
- PA23 training required
- Experience running tenders within this framework (desirable)
- Focus more on category strategy and governance than hands-on sourcing execution
Role Focus:
- Strategic category and procurement oversight
- Ensuring all documentation, assurances, and artefacts are compliant and accurate
- Strong governance-led role rather than supplier engagement
Key Exclusions:
- No direct supplier engagement expected
Job Purpose:
The Strategic Sourcing Manager is responsible for delivering sourcing strategies for complex, medium to high-value procurements. This role operates in close collaboration with Strategic Category Managers, Supplier Managers, and senior stakeholders to optimise value, manage risk, and ensure compliance within a regulated procurement environment.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead sourcing delivery for high-value and business-critical procurement projects (typically £300m–£500m annual spend influence).
- Develop and implement end-to-end sourcing strategies aligned to integrated category plans.
- Act as the lead negotiator, securing commercial benefits and cost savings, ensuring validation and alignment with finance objectives.
- Collaborate with stakeholders at senior level (Head of/Director level) to shape sourcing pipelines and ensure strategic alignment.
- Challenge business demand and drive aggregation opportunities to maximise value and efficiency.
- Ensure sourcing activities meet all regulatory, legislative, and governance requirements (e.g. OJEU/public procurement compliance).
- Provide expert sourcing advice, introducing innovation and best practice to deliver competitive advantage.
- Conduct market analysis and supplier benchmarking to optimise Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).
- Build and maintain effective stakeholder relationships to support transition from sourcing into supplier management.
- Lead, mentor, and develop a team of sourcing professionals, fostering capability growth and high performance.
Key Skills & Experience:
Essential
- Degree educated (or equivalent experience).
- MCIPS qualified or equivalent professional accreditation.
- Significant sourcing/procurement experience within complex environments (ideally infrastructure or engineering).
- Proven track record of delivering measurable cost savings and commercial benefits.
- Strong people management and leadership experience.
- Advanced negotiation and dispute resolution skills.
- Experience working in cross-functional, stakeholder-heavy environments.
- Strong influencing skills with the ability to navigate complex organisational structures.
- Analytical mindset with strong problem-solving capability.
- Commercially focused with a value-driven approach.
Desirable
- Knowledge of the UK rail industry and public procurement regulations.
Key Competencies
- Strategic thinking and delivery
- Commercial acumen
- Stakeholder management and influencing
- Leadership and team development
- Innovation and continuous improvement
- Risk management and governance
Additional Requirements
- May require management of employees.
- May require compliance with safety and regulatory standards depending on assignment.
- Awareness of health & safety responsibilities within the role.
Summary:
This role is pivotal in driving sourcing excellence across high-value procurement programmes. It requires a commercially astute, strategic thinker who can lead teams, influence senior stakeholders, and deliver measurable value in a complex and regulated environment
Our Company:
Malikshaw Interim & Executive is a specialist provider of talent management solutions helping our clients transform the delivery of our public services. As an Equal Opportunities Employer, we combine providing the best talent with delivering diverse, inclusive workforces and particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented. These include people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, disabled people, LGBTQI+ people, and women.
How to Apply:
Please apply through the link provided to send your application directly to the Recruiter managing this assignment.
Disability Confident:
As a member of the disability confident scheme, the Client guarantees to interview all candidates who have a disability and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of candidates who have a disability who meet all the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group.
If you qualify for any of the above, please notify us on your covering letter and your recruiter will confirm if the client is a member. We will then be in touch to discuss your suitability and arrange your Guaranteed Interview.
Should you require reasonable adjustments at any point during the recruitment process or if there is a more accessible way for us to communicate, please do let me know.
- 2 Sourcing Managers overseeing a team of circa 20 people
