Frameworks and Senior Category Officer

Hull City Council; Swansea; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 40,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

LGPS pension

23 days annual leave + public holidays

Career development opportunities

Supportive working culture

Job summary

Hull City Council is seeking a Frameworks and Senior Category Officer to lead procurement across the Council, driving social value and compliant procurement practices. You will support category managers, develop framework contracts, and oversee tenders to maximise value for money.

The role requires substantial public sector procurement expertise, strong stakeholder engagement, and the ability to implement efficient e-procurement processes.

Qualifications

• Significant procurement experience, ideally in public sector environments.
• Excellent understanding of applying social value measures in procurement.
• Ability to drive continuous improvement in procurement processes.
• Ability to develop and maintain relationships with client service areas.
• Experience producing high-quality service specifications and tender documents.

Responsibilities

• Monitor cross-organisational spend and social value to identify opportunities for framework contracts.
• Develop specifications for framework contracts and Dynamic Purchasing Systems across the Council.
• Champion e-procurement to remove paper-based transactions.
• Consult potential providers on procurement approaches to maximise value and competition.
• Manage procurement processes for framework contracts and monitor performance.

Skills

Procurement experience

Public sector procurement

Social value knowledge

Contract management

Stakeholder management

Education

CIPS Level 4 Diploma in Procurement and Supply

Job description

Number of Vacancies: 1

Time Type: Full time

Worker Type: Regular

Proposed Interview Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2026

Hours of Work: 37

Hiring Manager: Paul Robinson

Contact Number: 01482 612769

This is a Full Time Permanent Position

Due to continued expansion, the Council’s Corporate Procurement Team are seeking to recruit a Frameworks and Senior Category Officer.

The role of the Team is to develop and embed efficient and effective procurement processes throughout the Council that will drive value for money. These processes are compliant with the Council’s Procurement Strategy, Vision and Values, and relevant UK Procurement Legislation including the Procurement Act 2023.

In addition to supporting the Category Manager in the ongoing development of procurement processes, our social value strategy and the production of training information and materials; this role will be the procurement lead for a range of tenders across the Council.

Why Join Us?

• Impact – you will be part of a dedicated team of procurement professionals working with colleagues across the Council ensuring their procurement needs are compliantly met and strategically delivered.


• Collaboration – you will develop effective working relationships with a range of Council Teams ensuring their visions and values are met via effective procurement processes.


• Innovation – you will champion innovative approaches to procurement including the marketing of major procurement exercises to ensure maximum supplier participation.


• Leadership and Support– you will assist in supporting and developing our existing team members and members of other Teams and will contribute to the development of processes that will support all areas of the Council to understand and comply with relevant legislation and rules.

The successful candidate will:

• Have significant professional procurement experience, ideally gained from working in a public sector environment.


• Have an excellent understanding of the application of Social Value measures in public sector procurement.


• Drive continuous improvement throughout all procurement related activities.


• Be able to develop and maintain effective working relationships with key client service areas.


• Support the production of high quality service specifications that will maximise Best Value potential and ensure compliance with appropriate rules and legislation.

About You:

• Qualified to CIPS Level 4 Diploma in Procurement and Supply or a relevant alternative qualification or qualified via significant public sector procurement experience.


• Substantial procurement management experience which demonstrates the ability to initiate, plan, monitor, develop and implement service provision.


• Comprehensive knowledge of procurement principles, concepts and techniques, including project relationship and contract management.


• Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of public sector procurement regulations including the Procurement Act 2023, the Social Value Act and Best Value.


• A proven ability to establish professional, effective working relationships with a range of partners and colleagues.

What We Offer:

• The chance to make a real impact in a supportive, forward-thinking local authority.


• Opportunities for professional development and career progression.


• A collaborative, values-driven culture where your expertise is valued.


• Competitive salary and benefits package.

ROLE AND PURPOSE

At the direction of the Deputy Manager, to monitor cross organisational spend through systems applied by the Service to monitor spend and the delivery of social value to identify opportunities to develop framework contracts which will deliver efficient spend and social value. In consultation with category managers, to develop the specification for framework contracts and Dynamic Purchasing systems across the Council and Council partner organisations.

To champion e-procurement processes so as to remove paper based transactional arrangements.

To consult potential provider organisations upon the approach to the procurement of such contracts to deliver optimal social, environmental and economic value. To manage the procurement process for such framework contracts.

To monitor the delivery of economic and social value through such contracts and report to Team Meetings and more widely upon performance.

To encourage and where applicable, enforce the use of Enterprise Business and related systems in order to ensure use of implemented framework contracts, whilst complying with internal and external requirements (e.g. audit) in order to deliver increased VfM and increasing staff efficiency for those involved in Procurement.

To apply Framework Contracts to pro-actively aid and support services in their VfM propositions through better Procurement, using means such as spend consolidation, understanding and management of Total Acquisition Costs, competitive tendering etc.Pro-actively work with suppliers (especially local) in order to build capacity and support local businesses in line with the Council’s strategic objectives.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES

1. Customer Focus – Operating to the direction of the Procurement Deputy Team Manager to be the client contact for identified cross organisational framework contracts and dynamic purchasing systems.Monitors cross organisational spend and the delivery of social value to identify opportunities to develop framework contracts and dynamic purchasing systems to deliver better outcomes for customers through organisation wide and sub-regional contracts for inclusion in the Procurement Deputy Team Manager’s Forward Plan. In consultation with category managers, Council services and partner organisations develops the specification for such contracts and systems and appropriate Key Performance Indicators. Organises appropriate engagement with provider organisations including market engagement events through which to consult potential provider organisations upon the optimal approach to the procurement of such contracts in a manner that will deliver greatest social, environmental and economic value. To the direction of the Procurement Deputy Team Manager manages the procurement process for the tendering of such framework contracts, including drafting of required reports and decision records, Manages the framework contracts/Dynamic Purchasing Systems once procured and monitors the delivery of economic and social value through such contracts optimising the systems applied to this purpose. Ensures that the use of electronic procurement and invoicing systems is optimised to reduce and ultimately remove paper based transactional processes.Assists in the delivery of procurement training to staff at all levels within the relevant service area to improve commercial awareness and legal and constitutional compliance (e.g. commercial awareness, governance, Contract Procedure Rules, E-Auction strategy, tender management and contract management). Provides advice and guidance to service areas undertaking Request for Quotation exercises.


2. Performance Management - Implements and supports contract management systems to ensure value for money and continuous improvement throughout the life of the managed contracts. Ensures that procured framework contracts/dynamic purchasing systems are utilised appropriately and reports quarterly upon identified Key Performance Indicators to Team Meetings. Reviews KPIs and proposes to the Hub Manager areas for potential improvement to monitoring data and indicators, and implements such improvements as are agreed.


3. Statutory Obligations – Accounts for any legal or procedural implications which may affect the procurement/commissioning process and maintains an awareness of changes in these areas in order that the associated risks can be mitigated.Ensures all procurement activity complies with the Authority’s constitutional requirements (e.g. Contract Procedure Rules, Financial Regulations, audit requirements and approval processes) to mitigate the risk of challenge and delays in the delivery of projects.


4. Strategy – To work under the direction of the Procurement Deputy Team Manager with Category Managers and stakeholders to facilitate the delivery of a prioritised work plan of developing framework contracts, ensuring resources are focused in order to maximise potential benefits.Interprets stakeholder requirements and evaluates markets (incorporating spend analysis, needs analysis and options appraisals), to establish a clear procurement/commissioning strategy which will deliver optimum solutions for the service area or directorate.


5. Staff DevelopmentUnder the guidance of the Category Manager, assists with the development of Procurement Support Officers, engaging staff and contributing to the continuous improvement of the service.

Compensation Grades

GRADES 8

Pay Ranges

£37,563.00 - £40,444.00

Job Classifications

3- Not Politically Restricted - Designated As Not Politically Sensitive (Politically Restricted Posts), Casual - (Travel Allowance Policy), No - (Childcare Disqualification Requirement), No - (Statutory Post)

Benefits of Working of Hull City Council

• A competitive salary


• An excellent pension through the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)


• Initially 23 days annual leave depending on length of service. You will also get eight public holidays per year, and three additional days off, one in May/August and one during the Christmas/New year period


• Career development and learning experiences from a range of training courses and learning methods


• Supportive and forward-thinking culture


• Great career development opportunities

We are committed to increasing the diversity, equality, and inclusion within our workforce to represent the people we serve and build an environment in which everyone can feel like they belong. We encourage people from all backgrounds to apply.

We adopt a ‘name blind’ approach to shortlisting. Recruiting managers will not have access to personal information, including your name and contact details, until a shortlisting decision has been made. Equality monitoring information is not accessible by recruiting managers at any stage.

Online searches, including social media, may be carried out as part of the recruitment process.

We are committed to “our values” at the Council of People First, Respect, Learning, Ambition and Partnership. If these align with you then we welcome your application.