Procurement Portfolio Manager
Octopus Energy · Leicester, United Kingdom · 8mo ago
Help us make a big green dent in the universe. We are on a mission to drive the global renewable energy revolution, and we need talented people to help make our vision a reality.
We are spearheading the transition to greener, cheaper energy through the installation of in-home technologies, from smart meters and electric vehicle chargers to low-carbon heating, home batteries, and solar PV. Harnessing our technology platform, we deliver smart energy solutions that help decarbonise homes worldwide.
This role sits at the commercial heart of that mission. As a Procurement Manager, you'll own end-to-end procurement accountability for one of our critical residential low-carbon technology categories, with direct impact on install revenue, hardware margin, supply continuity, and the pace at which we decarbonise homes at scale.
What you'll do
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Own end-to-end procurement accountability for one of our residential low-carbon technology categories - Heat Pumps, EV Chargers, or Solar & Battery Storage - a strategically critical spend portfolio directly linked to £100M+ in revenue.
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Build and deliver a category strategy that improves hardware margin through strategic sourcing, supplier renegotiation, direct sourcing expansion, value engineering, and tail spend control - contributing to a stretching multi-year cost reduction commitment tracked monthly against P&L.
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Secure supply continuity through dual-source arrangements, removing single points of failure, and proactive supplier risk management.
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Own supplier commercial performance and governance across your category: contract negotiation and renewal, supplier segmentation, monthly and quarterly business reviews on strategic partners, and clear escalation ownership when things move.
- Partner closely with our Planning function through weekly Materials Reviews and S&OP forums, ensuring inbound material availability is planned and executed against a single integrated operational plan, and variances are managed commercial.
- Partner with Technical, Operations, Finance, Commercial, and Product to land new product introductions, improve working capital, and develop creative commercial solutions that give customers better products at lower cost.
What you'll need
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Commercial and supplier-facing experience in direct procurement, ideally within residential low-carbon technology (heat pumps, solar, battery, EV) or adjacent categories such as HVAC, white goods, or building products.
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Proven track record of leading end-to-end sourcing and delivering multi-million pound cost reduction against committed targets in supplier-facing commercial roles.
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Genuine commercial sharpness. You understand supplier P&Ls, cost breakdowns, market drivers, and where commercial leverage exists. You can spot shifts in input costs, capacity, or supplier risk early and turn that judgment into commercial action.
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Direct experience of low-cost country sourcing including Asian supply markets.
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Self-directing. Comfortable owning your category with clear commercial outcomes rather than close oversight.
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Resilience and non-conformist instincts. We push boundaries, challenge market norms, and take routes others won't.
- Prioritisation under load. You'll balance category strategy, live supplier issues, cross-functional projects, and transformation contribution.
- Willingness to travel to suppliers and manufacturing sites, including international travel to key production regions - expect around one week per month on average, weighted toward supplier engagement, factory audits, and category development.