Role Overview
The Senior Manager – Projects Procurement will be responsible for sourcing and procuring materials and services required for the construction, renovation and interior fit-out of schools across India.
The role requires deep product and market knowledge, strong negotiation skills, the ability to develop a reliable vendor base and the commercial judgement to balance cost, quality, durability and project timelines.
The person will work closely with architects, project managers, quantity surveyors, finance teams, contractors and vendors to ensure timely and cost-effective project delivery.
Key Responsibilities
Material Procurement
Manage the procurement of materials across categories including:
- Plywood, laminates, veneers, MDF, HDF and particle boards.
- Classroom, office and laboratory furniture.
- Flooring materials including vitrified tiles, vinyl flooring, wooden flooring, carpets and sports flooring.
- Paints, wall finishes, wallpapers and decorative materials.
- False ceilings, gypsum boards, grid ceilings and acoustic materials.
- Aluminium, glass, doors, windows and façade materials.
- Electrical wires, cables, switches, lighting fixtures, distribution boards and related materials.
- Plumbing, sanitaryware, CP fittings, water tanks and piping materials.
- Air-conditioning, ventilation and related equipment.
- Networking cables, racks, routers, switches, CCTV and access-control equipment.
- Fire safety equipment and signage.
- Structural steel, cement, bricks, blocks, aggregates and other civil construction materials.
- Modular furniture, loose furniture, soft furnishings and school-specific fixtures.
- Signage, branding, outdoor play equipment and landscaping materials.
Strategic Sourcing
- Develop sourcing strategies for major construction and interior categories.
- Identify manufacturers, authorised distributors, regional suppliers and specialist contractors.
- Create a strong and dependable vendor network across major cities in India.
- Establish alternative sources for critical materials to reduce supply and pricing risks.
- Evaluate centralised procurement versus local procurement based on cost, logistics and project timelines.
Rate Negotiation and Cost Management
- Maintain updated knowledge of prevailing market prices, material specifications and cost drivers.
- Negotiate competitive rates, credit terms, warranties, delivery schedules and service conditions.
- Establish annual or project-based rate contracts for frequently purchased materials.
- Compare quotations and prepare detailed commercial comparison statements.
- Identify opportunities for bulk buying, direct manufacturer sourcing and specification optimisation.
- Track savings against budgets, previous purchase rates and benchmark prices.
BOQ and Specification Review
- Review Bills of Quantities, material specifications and project requirements in coordination with architects and project teams.
- Identify over-specification, duplication, wastage or opportunities for value engineering.
- Recommend alternative materials that offer better cost, durability, availability or ease of maintenance.
- Ensure that commercial decisions do not compromise safety, functionality or required quality standards.
Vendor and Contractor Management
- Conduct vendor identification, prequalification and commercial evaluation.
- Evaluate vendor capabilities, manufacturing facilities, financial stability, quality systems and delivery capacity.
- Negotiate and finalise purchase orders, work orders and rate contracts.
- Monitor vendor performance based on price, quality, delivery timelines and responsiveness.
- Develop preferred vendor panels for different material categories and geographical regions.
- Resolve commercial, quality and delivery disputes with vendors and contractors.
Procurement Planning and Project Coordination
- Work with project teams to prepare material procurement schedules for every school.
- Align procurement timelines with project milestones and school opening dates.
- Ensure that long-lead items are identified and ordered in advance.
- Track purchase orders, manufacturing progress, dispatch and delivery.
- Coordinate with warehouses, transporters, site teams and vendors for timely material movement.
- Escalate potential delays and arrange alternatives to prevent disruption of project timelines.
Quality Control
- Ensure materials supplied conform to approved specifications, samples, brands and quality standards.
- Coordinate material inspections, sample approvals and factory visits wherever required.
- Work with site teams to manage material rejection, replacement and warranty claims.
- Prevent unauthorised substitution of approved materials.
- Maintain approved sample boards and standard specifications for frequently used materials.
Process and Controls
- Develop standard procurement processes, approval matrices and documentation requirements.
- Maintain transparent records of quotations, negotiations, purchase orders and vendor selection.
- Ensure procurement is conducted in accordance with company policies and ethical standards.
- Support the implementation of ERP or procurement systems for purchase requisitions, orders and vendor tracking.
- Create dashboards covering purchase status, cost savings, vendor performance and delayed deliveries.
Qualifications and Experience
- Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Architecture, Interior Design, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration or a related discipline.
- Minimum 5 years of relevant procurement experience.
- Strong experience in construction materials, interior fit-outs, institutional projects, commercial projects, retail rollouts or real estate development.
- Experience managing procurement for multiple simultaneous projects will be strongly preferred.
- Prior exposure to school, hospital, retail, hospitality or other multi-location expansion projects will be an advantage.
Key Skills
- Thorough knowledge of construction and interior materials, specifications, brands and price ranges.
- Strong understanding of procurement processes, Bills of Quantities and project costing.
- Excellent negotiation and commercial evaluation skills.
- Established relationships with manufacturers, distributors and contractors will be an advantage.
- Ability to distinguish between materials based on quality, durability, application and cost.
- Strong numerical, analytical and documentation skills.
- Ability to work under tight timelines and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
- Proficiency in Excel, ERP and procurement-management systems.
- Strong integrity and transparency in vendor dealings.
- Willingness to travel to vendors, factories and project locations when required.
Ideal Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate should be a hands-on procurement professional who can look at a design or BOQ, understand the materials required, assess whether the specifications are commercially sensible and procure the right products at competitive rates.
The person should combine market knowledge, vendor relationships, negotiation ability and strong execution discipline to support the rapid rollout of schools across India
