Job Description

Navantia UK is a UK incorporated company, subsidiary of Spanish Navantia, created to work with UK industrial partners in shipbuilding, defence and in offshore wind energy. With a history that goes back more than 300 hundred years, Navantia is a world reference in the design, building, integration and life cycle support of state-of-the-art war ships for the Spanish Navy and international customers and has extensive experience in ToT programmes.

Navantia UK is a UK‑incorporated subsidiary of Navantia S.A., a global leader in naval shipbuilding, defence systems integration, and advanced maritime technologies. With more than 300 years of shipbuilding heritage, Navantia delivers state‑of‑the‑art naval platforms, lifecycle support, and complex industrial transformation programmes worldwide. Navantia UK works in partnership with UK industry to strengthen sovereign shipbuilding capability and deliver major defence and offshore energy programmes.

Role Purpose

The Corporate Procurement Manager is the senior leader responsible for setting the strategic direction, governance, and operational excellence of procurement across all UK shipbuilding operations. This role provides authoritative leadership in standardising procurement processes, optimising supplier performance, and ensuring commercial robustness across multi‑site, high‑value, and complex programmes.

The postholder will drive the integration of procurement systems, contractual frameworks, and supplier management practices across the UK business, ensuring alignment with corporate strategy, programme delivery requirements, and long‑term industrial capability objectives. This is a pivotal leadership role with significant influence over cost, schedule, risk, and operational performance.

Key Responsibilities

Procurement Strategy & Governance:

• Define and lead the corporate procurement strategy for UK shipbuilding operations, ensuring alignment with business growth plans, programme requirements, and corporate objectives.
• Establish, enforce, and continuously enhance procurement governance frameworks, policies, and standards across all UK sites.
• Ensure full compliance with UK regulatory requirements, defence industry standards, export controls, and contractual obligations.
• Champion standardisation, process optimisation, and continuous improvement across the procurement function.
• Provide strategic guidance to senior leadership on market conditions, supply chain risks, and commercial opportunities.

Strategic Sourcing & Contract Management:

• Lead high‑value sourcing activities, including RFQs, ITTs, supplier evaluations, negotiations, and contract awards for complex shipbuilding and defence programmes.
• Develop and execute category strategies that deliver cost competitiveness, supply chain resilience, and long‑term value creation.
• Negotiate complex commercial agreements, ensuring alignment with legal, technical, and programme requirements.
• Oversee the resolution of supplier disputes, claims, and escalations, safeguarding company interests and programme outcomes.

Supplier Relationship & Performance Management:

• Establish and maintain supplier segmentation models, approved supplier lists, and risk management frameworks.
• Lead strategic supplier performance programmes, including audits, scorecards, capability assessments, and improvement plans.
• Build and maintain high‑value supplier partnerships that support innovation, industrial collaboration, and operational resilience.
• Monitor supplier performance across quality, delivery, cost, capacity, and compliance metrics.

Operational Procurement & Supply Chain Integration:

• Ensure procurement activities fully support engineering, production, logistics, and programme delivery schedules.
• Oversee materials availability, logistics coordination, warehousing interfaces, and supply chain performance across multiple sites.
• Support bid and proposal activities with competitive sourcing strategies and market intelligence.
• Drive cost optimisation, value engineering, and supply chain efficiency initiatives across all programmes.

Systems, Data & Performance Management:

• Lead the implementation and optimisation of ERP systems (including SAP) and document management platforms such as OpenText.
• Develop and maintain procurement KPIs, dashboards, and reporting tools to drive transparency and performance improvement.
• Provide data‑driven insights to support executive decision‑making and strategic planning.

Leadership & People Management:

• Lead, inspire, and develop procurement teams across multiple UK locations, fostering a culture of excellence, accountability, and collaboration.
• Oversee workforce planning, recruitment, succession planning, and capability development.
• Ensure compliance with employment legislation, wellbeing initiatives, and equality, diversity, and inclusion standards.
• Support employee relations activities, including grievance resolution and union engagement where required.

Qualifications

Essential

• Extensive procurement leadership experience within shipbuilding, defence, engineering, construction, manufacturing, or other heavy industry sectors.
• Strong expertise in procurement governance, strategic sourcing, contract management, and supplier relationship management.
• Proven track record of leading complex RFQ/ITT processes and negotiating high‑value commercial agreements.
• Experience with ERP systems (preferably SAP) and procurement management tools.
• Strong commercial acumen with excellent analytical, negotiation, and problem‑solving skills.
• Demonstrated leadership experience in multi‑site, complex, or international environments.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive cross‑functional collaboration.
• Strong understanding of employment legislation, people management, and organisational development.

Desirable

• Experience in defence, maritime, naval, or shipbuilding environments.
• Knowledge of OpenText or similar document management systems.
• Experience leading procurement transformation, integration, or business improvement programmes.

Leadership & Decision‑Making

The Corporate Procurement Manager holds significant authority and autonomy in shaping procurement strategy, managing resources, and influencing operational outcomes. The role requires sound judgement, strategic foresight, and the ability to make decisions that directly impact cost, schedule, risk, and supplier performance.

The postholder will

• Make strategic decisions affecting major programme outcomes and supplier relationships.
• Interpret business and market intelligence to shape procurement strategy.
• Resolve complex supply chain challenges through proactive leadership and stakeholder engagement.
• Lead cross‑functional initiatives involving suppliers, customers, and senior management.

Working Environment

• Primarily office‑based with regular travel to UK sites and supplier locations.
• Occasional overnight travel may be required.
• Working hours may extend beyond standard schedules to meet programme demands.

Values:

• The successful candidate will embody and promote Navantia UK’s STEADY values:
• Service | Trust | Excellence | Agility | Dedication | You
• These values underpin leadership behaviours, decision‑making, and performance expectations across the organisation.

Additional Information

***Please note as part of the onboarding process all candidates will need to complete BPSS security clearance***

We are an Opening Doors employer, committed to equal opportunity and an inclusive workplace. Our approach, shaped by our values of service, trust, excellence, agility, dedication, and you, we focus on removing barriers and recognising potential. We are committed to fairness at every stage, including providing reasonable adjustments and actively working to eliminate discrimination.

We believe talent is everywhere, and by widening access to opportunity and welcoming diverse experiences, we aim to create a workplace where every person feels valued and has an equal chance.

If you experience difficulties or are unable to apply for a role on-line please contact us at people.skills@harland-wolff.com and one of the team will be in contact to help you.