91springboard - Deputy General Manager - Capex & Strategic Sourcing

ROLE OVERVIEW:
91springboard is seeking an experienced Commercial Engineer to lead its Capex Procurement function across a growing flex-space network. This role owns a strong pan India procurement portfolio, operating as the commercial backbone of every new hub build-out from design validation through to contract closure and final measurement.
The Indian flex-space sector is in a phase of rapid expansion, with cost engineering at the Capex stage directly determining hub profitability and payback period. In this environment, structured procurement built on rate contracts, competitive tendering, and rigorous financial governance is a meaningful margin lever. The person in this role will operate cross-functionally with Design, Operations, and Finance teams, and will be expected to bring discipline, data, and commercial rigour to every project they touch.
DETAILED RESPONSIBILITIES:
Pre-Fit out & Cost Engineering:
Establishes the commercial baseline before any site work begins.
- Design-to-Budget Validation: Review architectural drawings and validate Bills of Quantities (BOQ) at each design stage. Act as the final cost gatekeeper - no project proceeds to site without a signed-off cost model aligned to brand standards.
- Value Engineering: Lead VE workshops for every new project to identify material or methodology substitutions that achieve a 510% cost reduction without compromising quality or aesthetics. Document all decisions with a clear cost-benefit rationale.
- Cost Benchmarking: Maintain a live database of Cost-per-Sq.Ft and Cost-per-Desk metrics across hub typologies to support real-time budget forecasting for new site evaluations and investment decisions.
Strategic Sourcing & Category Management:
- Moves procurement from reactive vendor-calling to structured category ownership.

- Annual Rate Contracts: Negotiate and execute 1224 month ARCs with OEMs across HVAC, MEP, and Furniture - with volume schedules, escalation caps, and SLA-backed delivery windows.
- OEM Sourcing: Establish direct factory-gate relationships for high-volume standardized categories (furniture, carpets, white goods) to systematically eliminate distributor margins.
- Commodity Risk Management: Monitor key commodity markets and maintain a risk register to manage inflationary exposure through advanced procurement or contractual price locks.
Tendering & Vendor Ecosystem:
- Builds a vendor base that is commercially competitive, technically capable, and operationally reliable.
- Tendering Process: Lead RFP/RFQ cycles, normalize bids against a common scope baseline, and prepare Commercial Comparison Statements evaluating Total Cost of Ownership-not lowest quoted price.
- Contractor Due Diligence: Conduct financial and technical screening of General Contractors prior to empanelment, covering financial health, site capacity, and relevant project references.
- Digital Sourcing: Deploy e-auction platforms (Ariba, GEP, or Zoho equivalent) for standardized categories to drive competitive pricing and maintain a second-tier vendor base in each operating city.
Contractual & Financial Governance:
- Ensures every rupee is earned, every commitment is contractually protected.
- Contract Structuring: Draft and enforce project contracts with Liquidated Damages, Performance Guarantees, and clearly defined Defect Liability Periods across all trade packages.
- Variation Order Control: Implement a zero-tolerance VO approval workflow - no scope change executed without documented justification, cost analysis, and dual sign-off.
- Final Reconciliation: Conduct Joint Measurement Records (JMR) at project closure for all civil and MEP packages. Payment certifications issued only after on-site quantity verification, eliminating over-billing risk.
KEY PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES (Indicative):
- 10-15% savings against initial project estimates, reflecting disciplined cost negotiation and value engineering from the outset.
- Budget precision is held to 5%, ensuring final costs stay tightly aligned with approved budgets.
- Variation orders are controlled below 5-7% of contract value, limiting scope creep to essential changes only.
- On the procurement side, the bar is absolute, zero delays attributable to supply chain gaps, keeping project timelines fully protected.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- B.E. / B.Tech in Civil or Mechanical Engineering-mandatory. Post-graduation from NICMAR is a strong differentiator. Commercially astute negotiator who builds durable vendor relationships while consistently securing strong outcomes for the company.
- 10-14 years in Design & Build, flex-space, or Project Management Consultancy (PMC) environments, with a track record of managing multi-crore procurement portfolios across simultaneous projects.
- Prior exposure to flex-space operators or leading PMCs (JLL, CBRE, Cushman & Wakefield) preferred.
Technical Skills:
- Deep functional knowledge of MEP systems, HVAC procurement, and Civil & Interiors (C&I) works.
- AutoCAD proficiency for independent drawing review, BOQ validation, and GFC drawing interpretation.
- Advanced Excel for cost modelling and spend analytics; working knowledge of SAP or Oracle for procurement workflows; experience with digital sourcing/e-auction platforms.