Niche Skills In Demand – Procurement

Vacancy demand remains high across all junior to mid-level key skill sets, with a drop-off in senior procurement vacancies. Specifically, the demand for mid-level procurement professionals continues to rise month on month, both for permanent and interim positions.

As businesses strive to create a more agile workforce, they are seeking candidates with the right core attributes, rather than solely focusing on specific category experience. Consequently, there is an increased emphasis on investing in future talent.

+0%

11.94% increase on previous actual salary for London based Procurement Manager role

Key Takeouts

Understandably, with ongoing market pressures and escalating costs, Procurement remains one of the most sought-after skill sets in professional and corporate services in the UK.

At Barclay Meade, we have observed a notable surge in the demand for various Procurement sub-skills, particularly in mid-level contracts. Clients are increasingly directing additional support towards a range of mid to long-term projects and initiatives aimed at deriving genuine value from their supply chain and strategic vendor relationships.

Procurement vacancy numbers – London

example roles filled between August - October 2023 – London

The rise in natural attrition and the need for procurement manager and category manager roles persist, but there is a declining demand at the C-Suite/Director level. This trend is anticipated, as customers seek to establish succession plans from within their existing talent pool, leading to a continuous surge in talent attraction for future category specialists and experts.

We continue to witness a growing demand for roles in supplier risk management (SRM), especially within the financial services industry. Many organisations are prioritising this area to navigate the evolving complexities of maintaining compliant and sustainable supply chains.

0.6%

9.6% (£7,000) increase on previous actual salary for London based Category Manager - PS role

Procurement vacancy numbers – South

example roles filled between August - October 2023 – London

Skills Supply Chain

Salaries

Sustainability

Procurement vacancy numbers – London

Procurement vacancy numbers – South

London - example roles filled between August - October 2023

South - example roles filled between August - October 2023

Niche Skills In Demand – Procurement

	Current UK Vacancy Demand (Permanent)	Vacancy Demand Change (Permanent)	Current UK Vacancy Demand (Contractor)	Vacancy Demand Change (Contractor)
CPO London	8	-33%	0	0%
Director of Procurement London	26	-24%	3	+33%
Head of Procurement London	137	-10%	18	+20%
Procurement Manager London	744	+6%	78	+3%
Category Manager London	1231	+8%	154	+8%
SRM London	1144	+3%	101	+2%
Procurement Analyst London	38	+1%	4	0%
Senior Buyer London	218	+2%	5	0%
Buyer London	1044	+1%	71	+1%
P2P London	105	+4%	33	+10%
CPO South	1	0%	0	0%
Director of Procurement South	14	-20%	3	+50%
Head of Procurement South	46	-22%	6	+20%
Procurement Manager South	96	+2%	20	-20%
Category Manager South	134	+3%	45	+10%
SRM South	495	+1%	48	+11%
Procurement Analyst South	23	0%	2	0%
Senior Buyer South	35	+27%	8	+25%
Buyer South	738	+3%	50	0%
P2P South	44	0%	2	+100%