Group Procurement & Optimisation Manager

About us

London Marathon Events (part of the London Marathon Group) works to inspire, champion and increase activity in all ages, abilities and demographics. We do this through our successful event portfolio (which includes the TCS London Marathon and TCS Mini London Marathon, Brighton Marathon, The Big Half, Vitality London 10,000, Vitality Westminster Mile, Standard Chartered Great City Race and Swim Serpentine), through our extensive outreach programmes working with schools and community groups in London and across the UK and through our network of wholly owned or partially owned companies, such as Maverick, Run 4 Wales, Loch Ness Marathon Ltd, Caledonian Concepts, Athletic Ventures and Friday Night Lights
Our events raise millions for charities every year to improve the lives of individuals and communities and we passionately believe in the power of sport.

Our values are integral to who we are, how we work and what we do:

• Impact – together we create positive change
• Innovate – together we enable new ideas
• Everyone – together we champion inclusivity
• Customer first – together we go the extra mile for all

Diversity, inclusion and wellbeing are at the heart of everything we do, and we want to ensure they are at the heart of our company. We strongly value diversity within our workforce and recognise that different people bring different perspectives, lived experience, ideas and culture to the company. This difference brings with it great strengths, including diversity of thought.
So, if you’re ready to be a force for good, lead change and want to make a difference to society, keep reading.

The Role
The Group Procurement & Optimisation Manager will play a critical role in supporting London Marathon Events (LME) and its wider group of companies by overseeing procurement activities and assisting the Head of Optimisation in driving efficiencies, cost savings, and strategic value across the portfolio.
Reporting directly to the Head of Optimisation, this role will ensure effective procurement management for LME while also providing essential support in business integration, operational alignment, and supplier coordination across the group.

Key Responsibilities
1. Procurement & Supply Chain Management (LME-Focused)

• Manage end-to-end procurement for LME, ensuring cost efficiency, quality, and sustainability in supplier contracts.
• Develop and maintain preferred supplier agreements, negotiating competitive rates and service-level agreements (SLAs).
• Work with internal teams to forecast procurement needs, ensuring operational continuity.
• Monitor market trends, cost fluctuations, and supplier performance to identify opportunities for savings and efficiency.
• Support procurement-related budgeting, financial reporting, and cost tracking.
• Ensure compliance with procurement policies, regulatory requirements, and ethical sourcing standards.

2. Supporting the Head of Optimisation & Wider Group Procurement

• Assist the Head of Optimisation in identifying group-wide procurement synergies, supplier consolidation, and cost-saving initiatives.
• Facilitate procurement alignment across subsidiaries, ensuring best practices and strategic procurement decisions benefit the entire group.
• Support the onboarding of newly acquired businesses, introducing them to key procurement systems, supplier networks, and cost-control measures.
• Help drive process efficiencies and streamline procurement operations across the portfolio.
• Develop procurement reporting structures, tracking key procurement performance indicators (KPIs) across the group.

3. Stakeholder & Supplier Relationship Management

• Act as the primary procurement contact for LME while supporting procurement functions across the wider group.
• Build strong relationships with suppliers, ensuring reliability and adherence to agreed terms.
• Work closely with finance, operations, and event teams to ensure seamless procurement processes.
• Identify new supplier partnerships and negotiate framework agreements where appropriate.

4. Risk Management & Compliance

• Proactively assess and mitigate risks in the supply chain, ensuring resilience in sourcing strategies.
• Ensure procurement processes comply with LME’s governance policies, industry regulations, and sustainability goals.

Manage contract lifecycles, ensuring timely renewals, renegotiations, and supplier performance reviews.

Required Experience
Qualifications & Skills
Essential:
Strong procurement experience within events, sports, or a related industry.
Excellent negotiation and contract management skills.
Proven ability to drive cost efficiencies and supplier performance improvements.
Ability to work across multiple business units, supporting strategic decision-making.
Strong analytical skills—ability to assess market trends, cost structures, and supplier viability.
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
High attention to detail and ability to manage multiple procurement projects simultaneously.
Desirable:
Experience supporting business integration and operational efficiencies.
Knowledge of procurement software and financial reporting tools.

Familiarity with governance, compliance, and sustainable procurement practices.
Project management/change management experience.