Senior Procurement Architect – Build Scalable Buying

Marshmallow

We’re on a mission to make migration easy.

We started building Marshmallow in 2017. Since then, we’ve grown from 3 to 700+ people, gained unicorn status, raised £140M over three funding rounds, turned profitable, insured millions of drivers and lent millions in car loans.

But we’re only just getting started. Our goal is to become one of the largest financial services providers in the world. Over the next 10 years we’ll grow exponentially, not only by scaling our existing products, but also by building new ones.

To achieve our goals we need incredibly ambitious, commercially driven people who never settle for ‘good enough’. Marshmallowers are hungry for autonomy and ownership, and would rather improve than coast. Everyone raises standards and has an impact, with a focus on collective success over self-interest.

We’ve created an environment where curious, tenacious people win and grow together. If that sounds motivating, this could be the place for you.

This is a rare opportunity for a commercially sharp procurement professional to build something from the ground up. We’re an insurance and Car Finance business that has grown quickly, and our procurement function hasn’t kept pace – spend is fragmented, supplier relationships are informal, and there are few consistent processes or controls in place.

We’re looking for someone who thrives in ambiguity, has the confidence to challenge the status quo, and gets genuine satisfaction from creating order out of chaos. You’ll be the first dedicated procurement hire, which means you’ll have real autonomy – and real accountability – to shape how we buy across the business.

Whilst procurement is the primary focus of the role, the Senior Procurement Manager will also support the management of key partnerships (alongside the Partnerships Manager).

We are not in a position to offer sponsorship and/or a visa for this position.

What you’ll be doing

• Build the foundation Design and implement a procurement framework that’s fit for purpose – covering policy, approval controls, supplier onboarding, purchase-to-pay processes procurement tool operationalization and spend visibility. This isn’t a theoretical exercise; we need something practical that people will actually use.
• Own commercial negotiations Lead negotiations with key suppliers across categories including professional services, technology, facilities, logistics. You’ll be expected to drive meaningful cost savings and improved contract terms, not just manage existing arrangements.
• Drive cross-business engagement Work closely with department heads and budget holders to understand their needs, challenge unapproved and unnecessary spend, and bring structured thinking to how we procure that sits within budget guardrails. You’ll need to build credibility quickly and influence without always having formal authority.
• Establish governance and controls Introduce appropriate approval workflows, delegation of authority set up, contract management disciplines, and supplier performance monitoring. You’ll define what good looks like and hold the business to it.
• Create visibility of spend Develop reporting and analytics that give leadership a clear picture of where money is going, which suppliers carry risk and where savings opportunities exist. This will include assessing duplication of suppliers, what the impact is of these and what consolidation would entail.
• Build for scale As the function matures, you may build out a small team. You’ll define roles, ways of working, and the tools needed to support a growing business.
• Third Party Risk Management Build and embed a third party risk management framework from the ground up, defining how we identify, assess, and continuously monitor supplier and vendor risk across the procurement lifecycle.

Who you are

We’re looking for someone who moves fast without cutting corners, challenges the status quo with a solutions mindset, and takes genuine ownership of outcomes. You’ll be a commercially minded self-starter who is equally comfortable rolling up their sleeves and presenting to the SLT. You’ll have:

• You have a bias for action. Procurement at Marshmallow isn’t slow and bureaucratic – you simplify complex problems, make confident decisions with imperfect information, and deliver high-impact commercial outcomes quickly. You don’t wait for perfect conditions to move forward.
• You relentlessly raise the bar. You’re not here to maintain the status quo. You proactively identify where Marshmallow can get better commercial outcomes, challenge legacy contracts and supplier arrangements, and bring fresh thinking to how we manage third-party spend. You iterate, improve, and push others to do the same.
• You’re low ego, high impact. You collaborate openly across the business, share context freely, and take accountability when things don’t go to plan. You’re confident in your commercial instincts but grounded enough to know that data beats opinions and the best outcomes come from working well with others – not operating in a silo.

What we’re looking for from you

• Proven experience in a procurement or commercial role, ideally including time spent in an organization where procurement was immature or under-developed.
• A track record of delivering tangible cost savings and better commercial outcomes through negotiation.
• The ability to design and implement processes – not just follow them.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to push back constructively.
• Analytical ability to interrogate spend data and identify opportunities.
• A pragmatic mindset – you’ll know when to enforce process and when to be flexible.
• Experience managing contracts and supplier relationships across multiple categories.
• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing third party risk management programmeps, including supplier due diligence, risk tiering, contractual controls, and ongoing monitoring processes.

Perks of the job

• Flexible working Spend 3 days per week with your team in our new collaborative London office.
• Competitive bonus scheme designed to reward and recognize high performance.
• Flexible benefits budget £50 per month to spend on a Ben Mastercard meaning you get your own benefits budget to spend on things you want. Whether that’s subscriptions, night classes (puppy yoga, anyone?), the big shop or a forest of houseplants. Pretty much anything goes.
• Sabbatical Leave Get a 4-week fully paid sabbatical after being with us for 4 years.
• Work From Anywhere 4 weeks work from anywhere to use, with no need to come to the office.
• Mental wellbeing support Access therapy and mental health sessions through Oliva.
• Learning and development Personal budgets for books and training courses to help you grow in your role. Plus 2 days a year – on us! – to further your skillset.
• Private health care Enjoy all the benefits Vitality has to offer, including reduced gym memberships and discounts on smartwatches.
• Medical cash plan To help you with the costs of dental, optical and physio (plus more!).
• Tech scheme Get the latest tech for less.
• Plus all the rest 25 days (plus bank holidays) pension, cycle to work scheme, monthly team socials and company-wide socials every month!

Background checks

As part of our commitment to maintaining a safe and trustworthy environment, we’ll carry out standard background checks, including a DBS and a Cifas check. These help ensure there are no ongoing criminal proceedings and support the prevention of fraud and other forms of serious misconduct. If anything of concern is identified, it may affect your eligibility for certain roles or services. Feel free to ask our Talent Acquisition team if you have any questions about this!

Diversity of thought

We know the best ideas come from having different perspectives in the room – and we’re committed to hiring fairly, regardless of background, identity or experience. If you see yourself in this role, we’d encourage you to apply.