Junior Procurement Manager – Chemicals

Junior Procurement Manager – Chemicals - Global Engineering Organisation

Locations:
Manchester/ Surrey Or Yorkshire Offices (Hybrid – 2 days per week onsite)

Salary:
£50,000–£56,000 + Annual bonus & Strong Benefits Packages

Category Spend:
Approx. £50m

This is an exciting opportunity for an ambitious procurement professional to step into a
Junior Procurement Manager
position within a highly specialised chemicals and gases category.

Working across
special gases, packaged gases, electronic gases and chemicals
, the role blends strategic procurement leadership with some hands-on tactical activity. You will drive productivity savings, manage supplier performance, and influence a broad stakeholder group within a complex and technical environment.

You will also collaborate with wider
EMEA procurement teams
, gaining exposure to international sourcing and benefiting from the scale and best practice of a global organisation.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and support the delivery of category strategies aligned to business priorities and productivity targets
• Lead and contribute to cost reduction and value improvement projects (value engineering, alternative sourcing, process optimisation)
• Build and manage strong supplier relationships, driving continuous improvement and innovation
• Identify and assess new suppliers to support category development
• Negotiate pricing, commercial terms and contracts to secure competitive agreements
• Conduct market analysis to understand supply conditions, price fluctuations, regulatory changes and innovations
• Ensure robust contracts and compliance measures are in place to mitigate sourcing risks
• Manage the procurement lifecycle including contract drafting, review and execution
• Monitor supplier performance, manage KPIs and support corrective actions
• Promote total cost of ownership thinking and challenge legacy processes
• Work closely with production planning, inventory and logistics teams to support supply chain efficiency
• Partner with senior business stakeholders (Heads of BU, finance, operations, supply chain) to align procurement initiatives with operational needs
• Collaborate with EMEA/global procurement teams to share insights and align sourcing activities

What will the ideal candidate look like?:

You will bring strong foundations in procurement and a desire to develop your strategic capability in a global, technical environment.

Essential experience:

• 3–5 years' procurement experience
• Direct procurement background
• Strong stakeholder management—confident, credible, and able to challenge constructively
• Experience supporting both strategic and tactical procurement activities
• Commercially savvy with strong negotiation skills
• Comfortable operating in complex or ambiguous environments
• Exposure to international markets or multi-regional suppliers

Desirable:

• Experience in chemicals, industrial gases, special gases or engineering/technical categories
• Degree-level education (or A-levels with strong relevant professional experience)
• CIPS qualification (or working towards it)
• Understanding of contract drafting and contract management
• Experience within an engineering or industrial environment

What's on Offer

• Competitive salary
  £50,000–£58,000
• 9% annual bonus
  (50% individual, 25% business, 25% department)
• Annual 18% bonus
• Hybrid working:
  2 days per week onsite
• Monthly procurement meeting in Woking
• Occasional UK travel (minimal global travel)
• High visibility across the business with significant category ownership
• Opportunity to develop into a more senior procurement leadership role

Interview Process

1. Initial call (30–45 mins):
   CV walkthrough and experience alignment
2. Final panel Interview