Mark Fox joined JSM in 2024 as Procurement Director, bringing over 30 years’ experience leading high-performing procurement teams across complex, high-value infrastructure programmes. Passionate about sustainability and lean procurement, his focus is on securing best value, strengthening supply chain performance, and helping deliver successful outcomes for clients.
Procurement in the utility infrastructure sector is changing at a pace few could have predicted. What was once a function centred on cost reduction has evolved into a strategic discipline that shapes project outcomes, supporting client priorities, and strengthening organisational resilience. At JSM, this shift is clear: procurement is no longer just about securing best price, it is about identifying best value.
The move from cost to value
Value encompasses far more than just commercial competitiveness. It includes quality, reliability, safety performance, innovation, environmental impact, and the ability to guarantee long term delivery. With data centre and infrastructure build programmes becoming faster, clients are demanding certainty, not compromise.
Suppliers offering cheap prices over best value often introduce risk to compliance, quality, and delivery, creating rework that ultimately takes longer, costs more financially and can impact on business reputation.
This broader definition of value means procurement professionals must assess suppliers more holistically, looking beyond unit rates to understand capability, capacity, culture, and alignment with project requirements to determine best value.
Responding to client priorities
Client expectations are evolving rapidly, particularly around sustainability, carbon reduction, local spend, and corporate and social value. Procurement now plays a pivotal role in understanding these drivers and embedding them into the supply chain.
This includes evaluating suppliers on:
- Environmental performance and carbon reduction plans
- Use of sustainable materials and low impact methods
- Local supply chain engagement and social value delivery
- Ethical, transparent, and responsible sourcing
Clients want measurable progress, and procurement teams must be able to evidence this through robust data, clear reporting, and proactive supplier engagement.
Raising standards across the supply chain
JSM’s commitment to responsible procurement is reflected in achieving Constructionline Platinum, Gold and Silver accreditation status, demonstrating our strong governance, compliance, and operational standards. To ensure consistency across our delivery model, these requirements have been stepped down to our supply chain strengthening quality, professionalism, transparency, and enabling alignment with client expectations.
The skills modern procurement professionals need
As the role expands, so too do the skills required to perform it effectively. Today’s procurement teams must bring a blend of commercial, technical, and interpersonal capabilities, including:
- Analytical thinking – interpreting data, assessing risk, and evaluating value beyond cost
- Commercial acumen – understanding market dynamics, contract structures, and forecasting long-term trends
- Sustainability literacy – recognising environmental impacts and supporting clients’ carbon and social value goals
- Relationship management – building strong, collaborative partnerships with high performing suppliers
- Negotiation and communication – securing value while maintaining trust and transparency
- Adaptability – responding to supply chain disruption, geopolitical issues, regulatory change, and evolving client priorities
These skills enable procurement teams to act as strategic partners, not just transactional buyers.
Building resilient, future-ready supply chains
Recent global disruptions have highlighted the need for resilience. Procurement teams must anticipate risk, diversify supply routes, and build long-term relationships with partners who can adapt to both business and market changes. Strong forecasting, data-driven decision-making, and strategic thinking are now essential.
Looking ahead
Procurement has become a strategic enabler of performance, innovation, and sustainability. As the utility infrastructure sector continues to ramp up, so must our approach. At JSM, we remain committed to building a supply chain that reflects our values, supports our clients’ ambitions, and guarantees genuine long-term value.