Senior Procurement Business Partner - Airport Operations

The Senior Procurement Business Partner - Airport Operations.

You will lead on activities across FM, cleaning, waste, security services, safety-critical systems and wider operational contracts. You'll act as a trusted partner to operational, engineering, and safety teams, balancing commercial rigour with the realities of a 24/7 operational environment.

Client Details

London Luton Airport, one of the UK's fastest-growing airports, during an exciting period of transformation and innovation. This is a great opportunity to make a real impact.

Description

As a Senior Procurement Business Partner- Airport Operations, you will lead procurement activity across core airport operations, supporting the sourcing and management of services and systems that underpin passenger safety, guest experience and operational continuity. It spans the full procurement lifecycle, with accountability for commercial delivery, supplier performance and stakeholder engagement across ELT and SLT levels.

Responsibilities

Lead end-to-end procurement activity: market engagement, sourcing strategy, tendering, evaluation, contracting and supplier management
Partner with operational and service leaders to identify needs, build sourcing strategies and deliver procurement plans.
Procure and manage airside and landside services critical to safe and efficient operations.
Support sourcing of regulated services such as terminal security, ground handling and emergency operations.
Lead projects involving innovation and automation (e.g. self-service baggage or biometric security systems).
Develop and maintain the procurement pipeline for airport operations, aligned to risk, resilience and efficiency goals.
Lead supplier negotiations, contract award and the setup of performance-based contract frameworks.
Analyse operational performance data to inform sourcing decisions and contract renewals.
Deliver detailed reporting on procurement progress, commercial performance and supplier KPIs.
Ensure contractual compliance, risk management and continuous improvement in supplier performance.
Build strong relationships with ELT/SLT to align procurement strategies with organisational goals.Provide commercial support and spend insights to head office functions.

Profile

A successful Senior Procurement Partner - Managing all end to end procurement's for airport operations should have:

Procurement experience within FM, cleaning, facilities, soft/hard services, or operational categories.
Experience in sourcing operational services within aviation, transport, logistics, or critical infrastructure.
Demonstrated ability to manage end-to-end procurement and supplier relationships in complex environments.
Strong knowledge of contract performance management and service-based KPIs.
Skilled in managing full procurement lifecycle and delivering business value through supplier engagement.
Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence at ELT/SLT level.
Strategic thinking with commercial acumen and strong negotiation capability.
Ideally MCIPS qualified.

Job Offer

Competitive salary c£70k Basic + Bonus + Package (circa 90K) per annum.
An opportunity to make an impact and help sharp the role whilst managing a small team
Based in Luton, offering a convenient location for work-life balance.- Hybrid
A role where you can see the real‑world impact of your decisions across a major UK airport.
Opportunity to influence critical operational services and drive long‑term improvements.
A supportive procurement team that values innovation, collaboration and professional development.
Chance to contribute to the optimisation of airport operations as they growLondon Luton Airport (LLA) is undergoing a major expansion, approved in April 2025, to increase capacity from 19 million to 32 million passengers annually by 2043. Key developments include a new second terminal, improved transport links, and an estimated creation of 11,000 jobs, driven by growing airline demand.

If you are ready to advance your career in procurement and make a meaningful impact, be part of a fantastic team where you can help shape the role we encourage you to apply today