PROCUREMENT AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

PROCUREMENT AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

The Procurement and Business Development Manager is a key commercial and operational position within a company dealing in marine-related parts, equipment, and supplies. The role requires a strong combination of procurement knowledge, supplier management skills, business development ability, commercial awareness, technical understanding, negotiation skills, and customer relationship management.

This position is responsible for supporting the company’s growth by sourcing reliable marine products, building strong supplier networks, managing procurement costs, developing new customer accounts, and identifying new business opportunities within the marine, offshore, ship repair, engineering, and industrial supply sectors.

The role requires the individual to have the ability to understand marine-related products and customer requirements, source suitable parts and supplies, negotiate competitive pricing, manage supplier and customer relationships, and contribute directly to the company’s revenue, profitability, and long-term business development.

Key Skills and Competencies Required

1. Procurement and Sourcing Skills

The Procurement and Business Development Manager must possess strong procurement and sourcing skills to identify, evaluate, and secure suitable suppliers for marine-related parts and supplies. The role requires the ability to source products from both local and overseas suppliers, including manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, trading companies, and specialised marine equipment suppliers.

The manager must be able to compare supplier quotations, assess product quality, evaluate pricing competitiveness, check delivery lead times, review payment terms, and determine the most suitable procurement option for the company. This requires good judgement and the ability to balance cost, quality, reliability, and urgency.

The manager should also be skilled in sourcing hard-to-find or specialised marine parts, especially where customers require specific brands, model numbers, technical specifications, dimensions, or compatibility with existing vessel systems and equipment.

2. Supplier Management Skills

The role requires strong supplier management skills to build and maintain long-term relationships with reliable suppliers. The manager must be able to communicate effectively with suppliers, negotiate commercial terms, monitor supplier performance, and resolve issues relating to pricing, product defects, delivery delays, incorrect items, warranty claims, and after-sales support.

The manager must be able to identify dependable suppliers who can consistently provide suitable products at competitive prices and within the required timeframe. This includes maintaining a broad and reliable supplier network to ensure that the company can respond quickly to urgent customer enquiries and project requirements.

The role also requires the ability to evaluate suppliers based on their reliability, responsiveness, stock availability, product range, technical support, and willingness to support the company’s business requirements.

3. Negotiation and Cost Control Skills

The Procurement and Business Development Manager must have strong negotiation skills to obtain favourable pricing, payment terms, credit terms, delivery arrangements, warranty terms, and bulk order discounts from suppliers.

The manager must be commercially aware and able to control procurement costs while protecting the company’s profit margins. This includes understanding landed costs, freight costs, import charges, exchange rate movements, supplier price changes, and other cost factors that may affect the final selling price and profitability of the company.

The manager must also be able to negotiate with customers in a professional manner, balancing customer expectations with the company’s pricing strategy and margin requirements.

4. Business Development Skills

The role requires strong business development skills to identify, approach, and secure new business opportunities. The manager must be able to generate new leads, approach potential customers, introduce the company’s products and services, and develop business relationships with companies in the marine and offshore sectors.

Potential customers may include ship owners, shipyards, vessel operators, marine contractors, offshore companies, port service providers, engineering firms, repair workshops, maintenance companies, and industrial businesses requiring marine-related parts and supplies.

The manager must be able to understand customer needs, recommend suitable products, follow up on enquiries, prepare quotations, negotiate terms, and convert enquiries into confirmed sales. The ability to build trust and maintain long-term customer relationships is essential.

5. Marine Industry Knowledge

The Procurement and Business Development Manager should have knowledge of the marine, offshore, ship repair, and industrial supply industries. The role requires an understanding of commonly used marine parts and supplies, including mechanical parts, electrical components, pumps, valves, fittings, hoses, safety equipment, engine parts, deck supplies, consumables, tools, and maintenance-related products.

The manager should be able to understand the operational needs of customers in the marine industry, including vessel maintenance requirements, urgent repair timelines, docking schedules, project deadlines, and safety-related product requirements.

The role also requires the ability to keep updated with market trends, product demand, industry standards, customer buying patterns, and supplier availability within the marine supply industry.

6. Technical Product Understanding

The role requires the ability to understand technical product specifications and customer requirements. Marine-related parts often involve specific part numbers, measurements, pressure ratings, material types, compatibility requirements, brand preferences, certifications, and safety standards.

The manager must be able to review customer enquiries carefully, clarify technical details, check product compatibility, and ensure that the correct items are sourced and supplied. Accuracy is important because incorrect parts may delay vessel repair works, affect operations, or cause customer dissatisfaction.

The manager should be comfortable dealing with product catalogues, datasheets, supplier specifications, technical drawings, part numbers, and product descriptions.

7. Sales and Customer Relationship Skills

The Procurement and Business Development Manager must have strong sales and customer relationship skills. The role requires the ability to communicate professionally with customers, understand their requirements, provide suitable solutions, and follow up consistently on business opportunities.

The manager must be able to build confidence with customers by providing reliable product information, competitive pricing, timely updates, and dependable service. In the marine industry, customers often work under tight deadlines, and the ability to respond quickly and accurately is an important skill.

The manager must also be able to manage customer expectations regarding product availability, delivery lead times, pricing changes, order status, and after-sales support.

8. Quotation and Pricing Skills

The role requires the ability to prepare accurate and commercially sound quotations for customers. The manager must be able to obtain supplier pricing, calculate costs, include freight or delivery charges where applicable, apply suitable profit margins, and submit quotations within the required deadline.

For larger enquiries, project-based supply requests, or tender-related opportunities, the manager must be able to coordinate with multiple suppliers, compare prices, check availability, and prepare competitive proposals.

The manager must also be able to review customer purchase orders, confirm order details, and ensure that quoted items match customer requirements before procurement and delivery are arranged.

9. Inventory Planning Skills

The Procurement and Business Development Manager should possess inventory planning skills to help the company maintain suitable stock levels for commonly required marine parts and supplies.

The manager must be able to identify fast-moving items, critical parts, seasonal demand, and customer purchasing patterns. This helps the company avoid stock shortages while preventing excessive capital from being tied up in slow-moving inventory.

The role requires the ability to coordinate with warehouse and operations teams to monitor stock levels, arrange replenishment, and recommend new product lines based on customer demand and market opportunities.

10. Logistics and Coordination Skills

The role requires strong coordination skills to manage the movement of goods from suppliers to the company and from the company to customers. The manager may be required to coordinate local deliveries, overseas shipments, freight forwarding, courier arrangements, import documentation, and delivery schedules.

The manager must be able to track order status, follow up with suppliers and logistics providers, and update customers on expected delivery timelines. This requires strong organisation, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple orders at the same time.

For urgent marine requirements, the manager must be able to act quickly and coordinate efficiently to minimise delays.

11. Communication Skills

The Procurement and Business Development Manager must have strong communication skills to liaise effectively with suppliers, customers, internal departments, freight forwarders, and management.

The role requires clear written and verbal communication when handling enquiries, quotations, purchase orders, technical clarifications, delivery updates, and issue resolution. The manager must be able to communicate professionally with different parties and ensure that information is accurate, clear, and timely.

Good communication is especially important when dealing with urgent orders, technical specifications, customer complaints, supplier delays, or changes in pricing and delivery schedules.

12. Problem-Solving Skills

The role requires strong problem-solving ability. The manager must be able to handle challenges such as unavailable stock, delayed shipments, incorrect parts, urgent customer requests, supplier price increases, quality issues, and technical mismatches.

The manager must be able to think quickly, find alternative suppliers, recommend substitute products where suitable, negotiate solutions, and ensure that customer requirements are supported as far as possible.

Problem-solving skills are important because the marine supply industry often involves urgent and time-sensitive requirements.

13. Commercial Awareness

The Procurement and Business Development Manager must have strong commercial awareness and understand how procurement decisions affect sales performance, customer satisfaction, cash flow, and profitability.

The manager must be able to assess whether a business opportunity is commercially viable, whether a purchase price allows for a reasonable margin, and whether stock should be purchased based on demand and business potential.

The role requires the ability to balance customer service with business profitability, ensuring that the company remains competitive while maintaining sustainable margins.

14. Market Research and Business Opportunity Identification

The manager must be able to conduct market research and identify new business opportunities within the marine and industrial supply sectors. This includes studying customer demand, competitor offerings, pricing trends, product gaps, and supplier opportunities.

The manager should be able to recommend new product lines, potential distributorships, agency opportunities, and long-term supply arrangements that can strengthen the company’s market position.

The role also requires the ability to identify growth areas in marine maintenance, vessel repair, offshore support, safety equipment, engineering supplies, and related sectors.

15. Documentation and Administrative Skills

The Procurement and Business Development Manager must be organised and capable of handling procurement and sales documentation accurately. This may include supplier quotations, purchase orders, invoices, delivery orders, packing lists, import documents, warranty documents, product certificates, customer quotations, and sales records.

The manager must ensure that documentation is properly maintained for cost tracking, order fulfilment, supplier accountability, customer follow-up, and internal reporting.

Accuracy and attention to detail are important because procurement errors may result in wrong orders, delivery delays, additional costs, or customer complaints.

16. Leadership and Independent Work Ability

The role requires the ability to work independently and take ownership of procurement and business development functions. The manager must be proactive in sourcing suppliers, following up with customers, identifying business opportunities, resolving problems, and supporting the company’s commercial objectives.

The manager should be able to make practical decisions, prioritise urgent matters, and manage multiple responsibilities without constant supervision.

Where required, the manager may also guide junior staff or coordinate with internal teams to ensure that procurement, sales, warehouse, and delivery functions are aligned.

Main Purpose of the Role

The main purpose of the Procurement and Business Development Manager is to strengthen the company’s purchasing capabilities, expand its supplier network, develop new customer relationships, and increase sales opportunities in the marine-related parts and supplies industry.

The role requires a commercially minded individual with strong procurement skills, business development ability, industry knowledge, negotiation experience, technical understanding, and relationship management skills.

By combining procurement expertise with business development skills, the manager helps the company secure quality products at competitive prices, respond effectively to customer requirements, improve profitability, and grow its presence in the marine supply market.