Procurement & Contract Manager Digital Spoke
| Posting date: | 17 March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £50,269 to £56,730 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 06 April 2026 |
| Location: | Reading, Berkshire |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 2 days per week |
| Company: | Reading Borough Council |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | RES0790 |
Summary
Reading Borough Council is looking for a Procurement and Contracts Manager to play a vital role in supporting our Digital & Technology procurement needs. This role acts as a dedicated business partner for budget managers across the entire Council and collaborates with digital technical experts to ensure the best value for money solutions are in place for a digitally secure and innovative organisation. It will deliver sourcing and ensure robust contract management related to the Council’s technology landscape, including:
Software and applications (SaaS, onpremise, cloud services)
Digital infrastructure and networks
Professional digital and IT services
Artificial Intelligence
You will want to have knowledge of the Procurement Act 2023, and ideally Public Contracts Regulations 2015 – top candidates will have completed the Procurement Act eLearning course. The role works with a range of contract types including service contracts, framework and DPS callo ffs, call off arrangements, and digital specific commercial agreements (such as licence subscriptions and support/maintenance contracts). You’ll work closely with a range of service managers and suppliers to ensure effective contract delivery, risk management and value for money across our entire technology portfolio. Holding a Level 4 or higher CIPS qualification is preferable, although apprenticeship and training options will be available.
We support hybrid working, allowing flexibility while ensuring employees can excel in their roles, with an expectation of 1-2 days per week in the office.
We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.
About the Role
This role is key to ensuring procurement processes follow our internal governance requirements, plans proactively for procurement cycles, and supports implementation of Council policies such as Social Value and working towards Net Zero. The postholder will oversee a diverse portfolio of technology contracts, including software licensing, cloud hosting, digital transformation programmes, managed services and infrastructure support.
You will lead procurement activity and support the mobilisation of new applications, upgrades and enterprise wide digital solutions. The role also helps ensure commercial compliance across essential corporate digital services such as Microsoft licensing, telephony and unified communications, enduser devices, data platforms and IT support arrangements.
Key Responsibilities
Lead and manage end-to-end procurement processes, including complex tenders and competitive quotation exercises across a range of digital and technology requirements, ensuring timely and transparent delivery of a wide-ranging portfolio of projects.
Ensure adherence to public procurement regulations, including the Procurement Act 2023 and associated legal frameworks.
Support service leads in defining technical and commercial requirements, ensuring supplier engagement and market understanding for IT-related categories.
Oversee the procurement of software including upgrades and renewals, ensuring alignment to technical architecture principles.
Embed category management approaches to optimise outcomes, including consideration of lifecycle costs, interoperability, application rationalisation, data security and ongoing support needs.
Support contract mobilisation and transition activities for digital systems and services, ensuring clarity of SLAs, KPIs, data handling requirements and risk management.
Work collaboratively with internal teams and external partners to ensure successful delivery of procurement activities, meeting deadlines and achieving Council priorities.
Incorporate social value, ethical procurement and sustainability principles into procurement strategies, supporting local economic growth and community development.
Oversee digital contract management practices, ensuring delivery of outcomes, performance and cost monitoring, and change/risk management.
About You
We’re looking for a procurement specialist with expertise in market engagement, procurement strategy, and strong contract management.
Experience in leading complex procurement programmes, ideally in the public sector.
Strong understanding of a range of contracts and commercial agreements.
Ability to ensure adherence to governance structures and corporate compliance.
Knowledge of category management, supplier negotiations, and commercial risk mitigation.
Ability to provide professional challenge and secure outcomes.
Familiarity with budget management and financial planning within procurement operations.
Strong interpersonal skills, with experience in stakeholder engagement and cross-functional collaboration.
Closing Date: Monday 6th April 2026
Interview Process: Competency-based interview.
Interview Date: Proposed 20th and 21st April 2026
Software and applications (SaaS, onpremise, cloud services)
Digital infrastructure and networks
Professional digital and IT services
Artificial Intelligence
You will want to have knowledge of the Procurement Act 2023, and ideally Public Contracts Regulations 2015 – top candidates will have completed the Procurement Act eLearning course. The role works with a range of contract types including service contracts, framework and DPS callo ffs, call off arrangements, and digital specific commercial agreements (such as licence subscriptions and support/maintenance contracts). You’ll work closely with a range of service managers and suppliers to ensure effective contract delivery, risk management and value for money across our entire technology portfolio. Holding a Level 4 or higher CIPS qualification is preferable, although apprenticeship and training options will be available.
We support hybrid working, allowing flexibility while ensuring employees can excel in their roles, with an expectation of 1-2 days per week in the office.
We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.
About the Role
This role is key to ensuring procurement processes follow our internal governance requirements, plans proactively for procurement cycles, and supports implementation of Council policies such as Social Value and working towards Net Zero. The postholder will oversee a diverse portfolio of technology contracts, including software licensing, cloud hosting, digital transformation programmes, managed services and infrastructure support.
You will lead procurement activity and support the mobilisation of new applications, upgrades and enterprise wide digital solutions. The role also helps ensure commercial compliance across essential corporate digital services such as Microsoft licensing, telephony and unified communications, enduser devices, data platforms and IT support arrangements.
Key Responsibilities
Lead and manage end-to-end procurement processes, including complex tenders and competitive quotation exercises across a range of digital and technology requirements, ensuring timely and transparent delivery of a wide-ranging portfolio of projects.
Ensure adherence to public procurement regulations, including the Procurement Act 2023 and associated legal frameworks.
Support service leads in defining technical and commercial requirements, ensuring supplier engagement and market understanding for IT-related categories.
Oversee the procurement of software including upgrades and renewals, ensuring alignment to technical architecture principles.
Embed category management approaches to optimise outcomes, including consideration of lifecycle costs, interoperability, application rationalisation, data security and ongoing support needs.
Support contract mobilisation and transition activities for digital systems and services, ensuring clarity of SLAs, KPIs, data handling requirements and risk management.
Work collaboratively with internal teams and external partners to ensure successful delivery of procurement activities, meeting deadlines and achieving Council priorities.
Incorporate social value, ethical procurement and sustainability principles into procurement strategies, supporting local economic growth and community development.
Oversee digital contract management practices, ensuring delivery of outcomes, performance and cost monitoring, and change/risk management.
About You
We’re looking for a procurement specialist with expertise in market engagement, procurement strategy, and strong contract management.
Experience in leading complex procurement programmes, ideally in the public sector.
Strong understanding of a range of contracts and commercial agreements.
Ability to ensure adherence to governance structures and corporate compliance.
Knowledge of category management, supplier negotiations, and commercial risk mitigation.
Ability to provide professional challenge and secure outcomes.
Familiarity with budget management and financial planning within procurement operations.
Strong interpersonal skills, with experience in stakeholder engagement and cross-functional collaboration.
Closing Date: Monday 6th April 2026
Interview Process: Competency-based interview.
Interview Date: Proposed 20th and 21st April 2026
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.