Procurement Manager (Corporate) - Technology Category
| Posting date: | 18 July 2024 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £45,035 to £52,983 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 30 July 2024 |
| Location: | Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1QH |
| Company: | Essex County Council |
| Job type: | Contract |
| Job reference: | req17241_1721296474 |
Summary
Do you want to make a difference to real people and real lives? Do you want to be a part of helping to shape the future of our Procurement service at Essex County Council (ECC)?
Did you know that ECC spends c£1.2Billion per annum on 3rd party commissioned services, making it the 2nd largest spending Authority in the UK? The Procurement Team at ECC are award winning and support the organisation to deliver services to 1.4million residents. We aim to lead the profession on exciting initiatives such as social value, climate action through procurement and how we use our size and scale to support our Levelling up Agenda.
This role within the corporate team will have responsibility for managing transformational procurement projects to support the corporate service and technology categories. You will hold key stakeholder relationships and be accountable for developing category strategies as well as projects that support the council to embrace new ways of working. You will be involved in creative schemes to support Essex residents in support of the authorities' strategic aims. You will have managed large scale procurement activity and significant stakeholder management.
You will be joining an established team of professionals and this role would be ideal for an ambitious, hard-working individual with leadership skills who is also able to develop others as well as themselves. This role would also line manage once established.
To learn more about the Procurement Service and careers in Procurement please visit https://www.workingforessex.com/careers-in-procurement
To find out what a typical day as a Procurement Manager with ECC looks like, hear from one of our colleagues Mark .
What's in it for you?
- Flexible working - with no official start or finish time you can make your work arrangement work around the other elements of your life offering a fantastic work / life balance.
- 27 days annual leave (rising with service) plus bank holidays.
- Excellent benefits package - more information can be found via https://www.workingforessex.com/working-here/pay-reward , including a Local Authority Pension Scheme. For more details please visit: https://www.essexpensionfund.co.uk/
- As a large and friendly procurement team with circa 120 staff we can offer great training pathways and encouragement to all staff for their continual professional development with full support and guidance towards CIPS / MCIPS.
- The roles call for extensive experience in the procurement lifecycle but if you are currently focussed on complex sourcing, category strategy or strategic contract management we can cross train the other parts of the role where you may have less experience
- We are the largest Local Authority Procurement Team in the UK and have a national reputation for excellence. We are also the only CIPS accredited County Council in the UK.
- Continuous Service - Joining us from another local authority? Then you could benefit from bringing your time served and benefits with you.
Come and make a difference to the local community, be that infrastructure, climate change or adult social care and help us transform Essex to a circular economy as we redefine growth and focus on positive society-wide benefits.
Accountabilities
· Lead the development, maintenance and implementation of category strategies, ensuring alignment to commissioning objectives
· Develop and implement innovative approaches and solutions in the delivery of complex projects to enhance levels of service and minimise costs. This requires working collaboratively with colleagues across the organisation and externally, to ensure best practice can be achieved when implementing new ways of working.
· Collaborate with and exert influence on Directors, Senior Managers and Members as to the commercial and financial viability of differing commercial options for specific projects within complex and often, contentious environments.
· Manage suppliers to ensure they consistently achieve the performance standards set out in contracts and that adequate controls are in place to protect the Authority's interests.
· Take a proactive approach to identifying and investigating contractual, commercial and market risks to ensure continuity of supply and protect the Authority's interests.
· Operate a continuous improvement approach to identify and deliver on-going changes whilst also leading the negotiation of commercial and contractual changes to ensure they consistently meet business requirements.
· Lead major projects and tenders, ensuring all sourcing activity fully complies with appropriate legislation and regulation whilst also complying with ECC policies.
· Work collaboratively with incumbent suppliers and potential new entrants to identify gaps in market provision and explore opportunities to close those gaps.
· Provide support and advice to stakeholders regarding any contractual or procurement matters.
· Support the adoption of best practice approaches with the aim of ensuring that the Procurement function is seen as 'best in class'. Ensure policies, procedures, documents and workflows are kept up-to-date and remain best in class.
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
· Educated to degree level with a relevant professional qualification such as MCIPS and or equivalent demonstrable work experience with evidence of continuing professional development.
· Knowledge of category management and experience of using this methodology in complex commercial environments to deliver significant cost or service improvements.
· A demonstrable track record of managing multi-million pound strategic contracts in business critical environments. This should include evidence of defining, measuring and improving key elements of supplier performance.
· Experience of delivering continuous improvements in large, strategic arrangements with evidence of generating significant cost and service benefits.
· Knowledge of contract law and legislation relevant to the specific category / categories within their control and its impact on market management, finance and contractual arrangements.
· Extensive knowledge of public sector procurement law with an ability to explain the law to non-procurement staff and find pragmatic solutions to potential legal difficulties.
· Comprehensive negotiating skills appropriate to multi million pound contracts and experience of planning and delivering successful negotiations.
· Experience of working in a political environment and skilled in understanding and responding to different perspectives.
To read more about the procurement service and the wider Corporate Services function of Essex County Council please follow this link: https://www.workingforessex.com/role/corporate-services
Why Essex? Essex County Council has a location to be proud of. Our 1,300 square miles stretch from Constable Country to the Thames Estuary, from the dynamic M11 corridor to the traditional seaside resorts of Clacton and Walton. England's oldest town, Colchester, and two of its newest - Basildon and Harlow - are right here. Along with the City of Chelmsford, the county town, they form our major population centres. It means real choice and makes Essex the ideal place for your career. Read more about us.
Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We're committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process.
We're also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.
Apply and next steps
Please apply via the Working for Essex website, ensuring you provide an up to date CV and supporting statement when prompted.
Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.
If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community .
If you have any queries regarding this role, or require anything further, please email resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk