Category Specialist

Richmond and Wandsworth Council; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 44,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

40 days annual leave

Flexible working

Generous pension plan

Job summary

Richmond & Wandsworth Better Service Partnership is seeking a Category Specialist to provide procurement expertise across the full lifecycle, including commissioning, market engagement and tendering. The role supports divisions within Residents Services and related commissioning teams.

You will ensure compliance with Contract Standing Orders and develop compliant tender documents while adopting innovative procurement approaches. Strong Excel modelling skills are valued.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of UK procurement law in practice and current best practice in the public sector.
• Ability to write formal reports, presentations and other documents clearly.
• Experience managing own workload and teams in a dynamic deadline-driven environment.
• Diploma in CIPS or studying towards Diploma Member status.

Responsibilities

• Provide procurement expertise across the lifecycle, including commissioning, routes to market and tendering.
• Deliver specialist procurement support ensuring compliance with Contracts Standing Orders and Regulations.
• Develop compliant tender and quotation documents and evolving procurement approaches.
• Develop Excel-based evaluation models for procurement exercises when required.

Skills

Procurement expertise

Public sector procurement

Attention to detail

Report writing

Education

CIPS Diploma

Tools

Excel

e-Procurement

Job description

Job Title-Category Specialist

Salary Range-SSAPO3 - PO4 £43,545 to £55,992

Permanent,Full Time

Location-Wandsworth

Other Essential Information- Hybrid working including 1 day a week in the office.

Objective of role

To provide procurement expertise at all levels and at all stages of the procurement lifecycle including commissioning, appropriate routes to market and tendering.

About the role

Provide effective procurement support for the divisions and functions within Residents Services and other commissioning teams as required.

Provide specialist support to ensure procurement exercises comply with internal and external Contract Standing Orders and Regulations.

Develop tender and quotes documents which are compliant with policy and regulatory requirements whilst taking account of emerging best and innovated commissioning and procurement approaches.

Support the development of Excel based evaluation models appropriate to each procurement exercise as necessary.

Essential Qualifications, Skills and Experience

Knowledge and experience of UK Procurement Law in practice, the current best practice procurement as it relates to the public sector . understanding IT systems and current procurement advances, i.e. e-Procurement, marketplaces etc.

Literacy and Numeracy Skills-Able to display a good level of numeracy and literacy with strong attention to detail and be able to write formal reports, presentations and other documents in a clear and concise manner

Workload Management- Significant experience of successfully managing own workload and that of others in an environment where deadlines and priorities frequently change and are often conflicting.

Qualifications-Diploma Member of CIPS or currently studying towards Diploma Member status or relevant procurement experience within the public sector.

Closing Date: 2nd September 2026

Shortlisting Date: W/C 7th September 2026

Interview Date: W/C 14th September 2026

Richmond & Wandsworth Better Service Partnership are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions to the Councils and can improve the way we deliver services.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer. If you require any reasonable adjustments

throughout the recruitment and selection process, please let us know.

We are also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Some posts may be exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to these posts will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

We offer a wide range of benefits designed to attract, develop, and reward our employees such as 40 days annual leave (including Bank Holidays), flexible working and a generous pension plan.