Director, Procurement & APEX Operations in London

APEX Fabrication & Supply Ltd. is a leading provider of fire sprinkler fabrication and supply solutions, delivering high-quality products and reliable service to the fire protection industry. As a subsidiary of Classic Fire + Life Safety Inc. (CFLS), APEX supports an integrated business offering design, fabrication, supply, installation, and service across Ontario.

The Director, Procurement & APEX Operations is a senior leadership role responsible for overseeing the operations and performance of APEX Fabrication & Supply Ltd. while leading the strategic procurement function for Classic Fire + Life Safety. Reporting to the COO, this position provides leadership across manufacturing, warehouse, quality, safety, and procurement activities, with accountability for operational performance, supplier relationships, sourcing strategies, contract negotiations, inventory governance, and purchasing frameworks.

The role serves as a key member of the leadership team, ensuring operational excellence, cost efficiency, and procurement best practices across the organization. Candidates must possess strong experience in both operational leadership and strategic procurement.

• Tasks & Responsibilities
• Fabrication, Production & Warehouse
  • Provide executive oversight of APEX fabrication, warehouse, logistics, and delivery operations.
  • Own production scheduling, capacity planning, and throughput performance against CFLS branch demand.
  • Ensure fabricated fire suppression assemblies meet specification, delivery, and quality standards.
  • Drive continuous improvement in fabrication processes, equipment utilization, and materials handling.
• P&L & Financial Management
  • Own the APEX P&L — revenues, COGS, gross margin, and operating expenses.
  • Develop and manage the APEX annual budget; present monthly performance and variance analysis to COO.
  • Drive profitability through labour productivity, material yield, overhead management, and pricing discipline.
  • Approve operational expenditures and capital requests within delegated authority.
• Quality Assurance
  • Oversee QA/QC programs to ensure products meet NFPA, ULC, and customer specification standards.
  • Lead corrective action processes in response to customer complaints, deficiencies, or audit findings.
  • Review work orders, job packages, and deficiency reports for accuracy and compliance.
• Safety & Compliance
  • Champion a zero-incident safety culture across APEX — enforce all health & safety policies and provincial ESL requirements.
  • Oversee JHSC representation, safety audits, incident reporting, and risk assessment programs.
  • Ensure PPE compliance, toolbox talk cadence, and safe work procedure implementation across all APEX roles.
• Strategic Sourcing & Pricing Contracts
  • Lead negotiation and ongoing management of CFLS's national and regional supply agreements across all material categories.
  • Develop and own category strategies for pipe (carbon steel, CPVC, stainless), fittings, grooved couplings, sprinkler heads, hangers, and valves.
  • Manage the Nova Steel relationship — including annual pricing negotiations, forward commitment planning, and PO scheduling.
  • Negotiate rebate programs, volume pricing tiers, early payment discounts, and freight terms with key suppliers.
  • Maintain a comprehensive contract register with renewal alerts and performance tracking for all active supplier agreements.
• ERP & Inventory Governance
  • Own the CFLS procurement ERP module — configuration, governance, access controls, and continuous improvement.
  • Lead completion of the min/max reorder point rollout across all branches, ensuring every primary SKU has validated reorder points and order quantities.
  • Set and regularly review safety stock levels, lead time buffers, and order quantities by SKU and location.
  • Define and maintain the purchasing authorization matrix — branch-level dollar limits, manager approval thresholds, and escalation to COO level.
  • Partner with IT to ensure supplier EDI or punchout catalogue integrations are established and maintained for key distributors.
• Branch Purchasing Governance & Support
  • Set and communicate CFLS purchasing policies, approved supplier lists, and delegation of authority guidelines.
  • Serve as the escalation point for non-standard, high-value, or out-of-policy purchases, sole-source requests, and supplier issues.
  • Coach and support branch managers and purchasing coordinators on ERP-based purchasing, cost management, and supplier engagement.
  • Conduct periodic purchasing audits across branches to ensure compliance with pricing agreements, preferred suppliers, and authorization controls.
• Demand Forecasting & Supply Risk Management
  • Develop and maintain CFLS's annual materials demand forecast, incorporating branch project pipelines, seasonal patterns, and growth plans.
  • Maintain the pipe purchasing forecast model, including forward planning for Nova Steel purchase orders.
  • Identify, monitor, and mitigate supply chain risks — lead time changes, supplier capacity constraints, tariff exposure, and commodity price volatility.
  • Monitor market pricing for steel, copper, and fire protection specialty materials; provide quarterly market intelligence updates to COO.
  • Track and report procurement KPIs — spend by category and supplier, savings vs. benchmark, contract compliance, and ERP reorder performance.

Qualifications

• 8–13 years of progressive leadership experience in fire protection, mechanical, or industrial contracting, with meaningful strategic procurement or supply chain exposure.
• Demonstrated experience managing a fabrication shop or prefabrication operation with P&L accountability.
• Proven track record in strategic sourcing and supplier contract negotiation — national pricing agreements, rebate structures, and multi-year supply deals.
• Deep ERP fluency covering both procurement/inventory modules and production/operations reporting.
• Experience designing or supporting a distributed purchasing model, where branch teams manage day-to-day buying within centrally governed parameters, is a significant asset.
• Knowledge of fire protection materials (pipe, fittings, grooved couplings, sprinkler components) strongly preferred.
• Safety leadership experience including JHSC or equivalent health & safety program management.
• Post-secondary education in engineering technology, operations management, supply chain, or a related discipline.
• SCMP designation or equivalent is an asset; CFAA/NFSA credentials are a significant advantage.

We thank all applicants who apply, but only those candidates who meet the above qualifications will be contacted for an interview.

Salary placement within the stated range is determined by evaluating the candidate’s relevant experience, skills, and qualifications, along with internal equity and prevailing market conditions. These factors are applied consistently to support transparent and equitable compensation practices in Ontario.

No part of our hiring process uses AI or automated screening technology, all candidate reviews and applications are evaluated manually and hiring decisions are completed by human staff, to ensure a fair and transparent assessment.

Classic Fire + Life Safety is committed to treating all people in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence. We believe in integration and equal opportunity. We are also committed to meeting the needs of persons with disabilities in a timely manner and will do so by preventing and removing barriers to accessibility and meeting accessibility requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. If you have any accommodation needs in accordance with Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act or Ontario Human Rights Code or would like to provide us with your feedback, questions, or concerns, please contact our Human Resources department at aoda@classicfls.com.