Manager - Procurement (CAPEX-MEP)

The Manager – CAPEX Procurement (MEP Category) will be responsible for end-to-end procurement and commercial management of all MEP packages across COWRKS CAPEX projects.

The role will work closely with the MEP Consultant, Design, Development, Project Management, Quantity Surveying, Finance and Procurement teams to ensure that MEP designs, BOQs, technical specifications and project budgets are commercially optimised before the packages are released for RFP.

The position will act as the Procurement Category Owner for MEP packages and will be responsible for cost benchmarking, value engineering, vendor strategy, commercial negotiations, package closure and cost governance throughout the project lifecycle.

Key Roles & Responsibilities

1. Early-Stage Project and Design Involvement

Participate in all new projects from the concept and design development stage and work closely with the Design team, MEP Consultant and Project team to understand the project requirements, specifications, client requirements and committed project timelines.

Review the proposed MEP design from a procurement and commercial perspective and identify potential cost, sourcing, lead-time and vendor dependency risks before the design is frozen.

Ensure Procurement inputs are incorporated during the design stage to avoid last-minute BOQ changes, single-vendor situations and commercial escalations during project execution.

2. MEP Consultant Coordination

Act as the primary Procurement SPOC for coordination with the appointed MEP Consultants across all CAPEX projects.

Conduct regular reviews with the MEP Consultant on design progress, BOQ development, technical specifications, approved makes and project timelines.

Challenge and validate consultant recommendations from a commercial and sourcing perspective and ensure that specifications do not unnecessarily restrict competition or create dependency on a particular OEM or vendor.

Track consultant deliverables and ensure that the final MEP BOQ is submitted to Procurement within the agreed procurement Gantt timeline.

3. BOQ Review and Management

Own the commercial review of MEP BOQs before initiation of the RFP process.

Carry out detailed line-by-line BOQ reviews covering description, specification, make, unit of measurement, quantity and commercial benchmark.

Compare BOQs across similar COWRKS projects to identify quantity variations, specification changes, abnormal rates and potential cost optimisation opportunities.

Work with the MEP Consultant, Design and QS teams to clarify BOQ discrepancies and ensure that the BOQ is technically and commercially complete before floating the RFP.

Maintain a standard MEP BOQ library and historical project cost database for future benchmarking.

4. MEP Category Ownership

Own procurement for all major MEP categories, including:

Electrical and LT Systems

HVAC and Ventilation

Plumbing and Public Health Engineering

Fire Alarm and PA Systems

Fire Fighting Systems

Building Management System

UPS and Power Backup Systems

DG and Electrical Infrastructure

ELV packages, wherever applicable

Specialised MEP equipment and systems

Develop category-wise procurement strategies based on annual project pipelines and projected CAPEX spend.

5. Budget Planning and Cost Benchmarking

Support the Design, Development and Finance teams during initial project budget preparation by providing benchmark rates for MEP packages.

Develop and maintain package-wise, item-wise and city-wise MEP cost benchmarks based on completed and ongoing COWRKS projects.

Compare the project budget, consultant BOQ estimate, initial vendor quotes and final negotiated commercials to identify cost variances.

Highlight any budget exposure at an early stage and recommend corrective actions or value engineering options before vendor appointment.

6. Value Engineering and Cost Optimisation

Work jointly with the MEP Consultant, Design team, OEMs and vendors to identify value engineering opportunities without compromising project quality, performance, safety or client requirements.

Evaluate alternate makes, technical specifications, system configurations and installation methodologies to optimise project costs.

Prepare commercial impact comparisons for proposed value engineering options and support the project team in obtaining the required technical and management approvals.

Drive cost optimisation through standardisation of MEP specifications and approved makes across COWRKS projects.

7. RFP and Vendor Strategy

Prepare and execute the MEP procurement strategy for each project based on project value, timeline and complexity.

Identify, prequalify and maintain a strong pan-India MEP vendor base.

Ensure competitive RFP processes are followed in accordance with the Procurement SOP and DOA.

Coordinate vendor site visits, pre-bid meetings, technical clarifications and commercial submissions.

Avoid single-vendor dependency by developing multiple qualified vendors for all critical MEP categories.

Where a single-source or single-vendor strategy is unavoidable, ensure proper deviation justification and DOA approval are documented before commercial closure.

8. Technical and Commercial Evaluation

Coordinate with the MEP Consultant and Project team for technical evaluation and technical bid closure.

Ensure all technically qualified vendors are evaluated on a like-to-like commercial basis.

Prepare detailed line-by-line commercial comparison statements and identify abnormal or high-value line items for negotiation.

Validate vendor exclusions, deviations, assumptions and commercial conditions before initiating final negotiations.

9. Commercial Negotiation and Package Closure

Lead commercial negotiations for all MEP packages.

Negotiate material rates, installation rates, labour components, overheads, margins, logistics, payment terms, retention, performance guarantees, DLP and other commercial terms.

Carry out line-by-line negotiations based on COWRKS historical rates, project benchmarks, OEM pricing and market intelligence instead of relying only on overall lump-sum discounts.

Obtain OEM project pricing wherever applicable and ensure OEM commercial benefits are passed on to COWRKS.

Ensure final negotiated commercials are aligned with the approved project budget or clearly document any unavoidable budget variance for management approval.

10. LOI, PO and Contract Management

Prepare final commercial recommendations and NFA documentation for management approval.

Ensure all required technical approvals, deviation approvals and DOA approvals are documented before award.

Coordinate issuance of LOIs and ensure timely PR-to-PO conversion.

Work with the Legal and Procurement teams to ensure MSA, SOW, SLA, commercial terms, performance BG, retention and penalty clauses are completed before project execution.

11. Variation and Additional Cost Control

Monitor all MEP variations, non-tender items and additional requirements during project execution.

Validate variation quantities and commercial rates against the original BOQ and approved project benchmarks.

Ensure no additional MEP work is commercially approved without proper Procurement review and approval.

Work with the PMC, QS, MEP Consultant and Project teams to control quantity deviations and prevent uncontrolled project cost escalation.

Maintain a project-wise variation and NT item tracker.

12. Project Timeline and Risk Management

Prepare and maintain the MEP Procurement Gantt for every project.

Track BOQ release, RFP, technical evaluation, negotiation, vendor appointment, LOI and PO timelines.

Identify procurement risks related to OEM lead times, material availability, vendor capacity and project schedules.

Escalate any potential delay or commercial exposure to the Head of Procurement and Project leadership in advance.

Ensure procurement delays do not impact committed project handover and Go-Live dates.

13. Vendor and OEM Management

Develop strategic relationships with major MEP OEMs and authorised partners.

Drive OEM-led pricing and project-specific commercial agreements for major equipment and systems.

Conduct periodic vendor performance reviews covering commercial competitiveness, quality, delivery, project execution and after-sales support.

Identify and develop new vendors in key project locations to strengthen the COWRKS vendor ecosystem.

Preferred Candidate Profile

Bachelor's degree in electrical or mechanical engineering with strong experience in MEP Procurement, Contracts or Commercial Management.

Minimum 6 years of relevant experience in commercial interiors, corporate fitouts, real estate, co-working, hospitality or large CAPEX projects.

Strong technical and commercial understanding of Electrical, HVAC, Plumbing, Fire Fighting, FAPA and BMS packages.

Hands-on experience in MEP BOQ review, cost benchmarking, value engineering, RFP management and line-by-line commercial negotiations.

Strong knowledge of OEM pricing, vendor development, contracts, project procurement and commercial risk management.

The candidate should have the ability to challenge MEP Consultants and technical teams constructively from a procurement, cost and project delivery perspective.