Procurement Category Manager

Leeds City Council; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 51,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A public sector organization in Leeds is seeking a Procurement Category Manager for its People Services division. This role involves leading a category team, managing complex procurements, and promoting best practices in public procurement. Ideal candidates will have a strong background in procurement, excellent leadership skills, and experience in public sector environments. The position offers a competitive salary and opportunities for professional development within a dynamic team environment.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Flexible working arrangements

Pension scheme

Professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience in public sector procurement preferred.
• Strong stakeholder management skills required.
• Ability to manage high-complexity projects effectively.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for a procurement category team.
• Manage high-risk procurements across the People Category.
• Support initiatives to achieve the Best City Ambitions.

Skills

Strong relationship management

Project management

Procurement experience

Communication skills

Analytical skills

Education

Degree or CIPS qualification

Job description

Job title: Procurement Category Manager – People Services

Salary: PO6 £51,356 - £54,495

Hours: 37

Contract: permanent

Location: City Centre based, hybrid working offered (1 day in office)

Are you a procurement professional looking to join a dynamic and committed procurement and commercial service? As our next Procurement Category Manager, you’ll be inquisitive and thrive on finding solutions in the context of public procurement.

Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our ambitions.

About you

• Strong relationship (and stakeholder) management and communication skills with the ability to shape and influence change
• Experience delivering a Category Management approach in the delivery of best practice procurement and achieving value for money
• Be forward‑thinking, inquisitive and curious to understand the market and the supply chain
• Experience applying project management and managing multiple high‑risk, high‑complexity projects
• Strong procurement and / or supply chain management experience (relevant Degree, CIPS qualification or relevant demonstrable skills or experience)
• Experiences in public sector procurement preferable, though those whose background is not in the public sector but who can demonstrate an understanding of the issues and processes around public sector procurement will also be considered

About the role

• Provide a professional advisory and management function in respect of high‑risk, high‑complexity procurements across the People Category
• Provide management to a team of procurement practitioners
• Promote and support outcomes‑focused solutions that add value and help achieve the Best City Ambitions
• Promote partnership working in and out the Council to support priority outcomes
• Support the category management approach and transformation to ensure efficiencies and best outcomes

The role is integral to Procurement and Commercial Services (PACS), a trusted internal provider at the heart of procurement and commercial activity within Leeds City Council. PACS is a forward‑thinking multidisciplinary service. You will be joining a team that is diverse, encouraging, supportive and whose work makes a positive difference to the organisation and residents. You may have experience of people‑related procurement and commercial related services, or you may be very interested.

The role will provide you with opportunities to continue with your professional development and contribute to the development of leading practices.

You will have a key role in the implementation of the Procurement Act 2023 and NHS Provider Selection Regime.

What we offer you

• a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
• membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
• flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
• a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
• a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

How to apply

The closing date will be Sunday 11th January 2025

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care‑experienced people.

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you’ll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Please ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Purpose

Working as part of the management team, you will live and model values and behaviours to help us to achieve our ambition to become the best city council in the country. Your role will be important in ensuring the council is more enterprising and efficient and ensuring that the authority has in place proper arrangements for the administration and delivery of procurements and procurement projects. The role operates within the context of the Council’s Business Plan being achieved.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and management of a category team
• Identify, develop, manage and monitor procurements undertaken on a regional and inter‑council basis
• Support the management and monitoring of procurements and identified categories to reduce spend and achieve efficiencies

Qualifications

• Degree, CIPS qualification or relevant demonstrable skills or experience
• Thorough understanding of public procurement law, UK and EU procurement legislation and the principles of contracts procedure rules, with an understanding of the strategic procurement issues facing the public sector
• Knowledge and understanding of commercial organisations and markets
• Experience of effectively managing complex procurements and supporting very high‑complexity procurements in a large organisation to achieve objectives
• Experience of applying different strategies for solving complex procurement issues
• Experience of reviewing and / or drafting systems and procedures to improve service delivery
• Demonstrate drive, energy, resilience and self‑management skills as well as integrity, openness and awareness of others
• Ability to present complex information in a clear and concise manner using a variety of presentational formats
• Experience of working in a multi‑discipline environment
• Experience of supporting and developing a multi‑disciplinary and occasionally geographically dispersed procurement team
• Experience of successful management of change programmes which reflect service needs, provide value for money, and maintain quality
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence and negotiate to form positive relationships
• Ability to employ a range of management styles which focus on achieving results in terms of outcomes for staff and customers
• Experience of delivering a high level of customer satisfaction with the quality of service
• Knowledge, understanding and experience of performance management and project management methodology to drive service improvement
• A full understanding and practical experience of public sector procurement and commercial approach through all stages of the procurement life cycle

Skills Required

• Contribute to effective joint working within the council and across the city. Provide direction and support to colleagues, clients and immediate line reports, creating an organisational culture of shared accountabilities, learning and continuous improvement.
• Promote new ways of working, partnership working and long‑term relationships with key clients both internal and external to the council, to improve corporate priority outcomes and to ensure that developments and improvements remain focused on delivering outcomes for local people.
• Promote and support positive solutions to achieve diversity and equality of opportunity in all aspects of service delivery, community engagement activity and human resource areas.
• Support and lead where appropriate effective consultation and communications with colleagues, clients, councillors, partners and other stakeholders in accordance with council policy.
• Support open, responsive and accountable government, ensuring good governance compliance with financial and procurement procedures.
• Manage all aspects of risk and be responsible for the safety of staff, clients and contractors in accordance with all statutory obligations and relevant health and safety policies.
• Manage the identifying and resolving of risks and issues in all procurements.
• Develop, manage and monitor the implementation of category management and category plans across identified categories of spend.
• Report on and challenge departments regarding off‑contract, non‑contract and quasi‑contract spend, achieving a reduction in such spend.
• Assist client departments to undertake service reviews, in order to devise and implement strategies for reducing procurement costs and improving efficiency.
• Identify, develop, manage and monitor procurements undertaken on a regional and inter‑council basis.
• Deliver training relevant to procurement to a range of internal practitioners; develop the skills and abilities of client‑based staff to enable them to undertake procurement projects of varying size and complexity.
• Ensure safety and safeguarding requirements are complied with.

Knowledge Required

• Advise internal clients on procurement strategy and opportunities, and coordinate associated commercial input to procurements including coordinating legal, technical and commercial inputs.
• Provide strategic and practical advice to service directorates / divisions prior to the commencement of the procurement, including procurement options appraisal, procurement plan, specification, pricing models, innovative partnership arrangements.
• Provide post‑procurement advice and management, including the Contract Management Plan.
• Provide strategic and practical advice and management regarding contract extensions, variations and termination of contracts.
• Contribute to the development of effective demand management.
• Provide advice and guidance on the implementation of, and ensure compliance with, the council’s Contracts Procedure Rules, relevant legislation, and statutory undertakings.

Experience Required

• Manage and direct complex high risk and high value procurements and support very high‑complexity procurements, within a context of budget pressures and funding restrictions, ensuring the delivery and improvement of services which meet the needs of our communities and stakeholders.
• Provide strategic and practical advice and guidance on procurement matters across the authority to senior officers and other stakeholders.
• Coordinate, manage and direct the tender process to Invitation to Tender stage including the development, preparation and review of tender documents, setting of evaluation criteria and methodology (managing input from legal, financial and technical specialists as appropriate), publishing of relevant documentation.
• Manage, direct and contribute to the procurement process to contract award including evaluation of tenders and drafting and issuing of relevant documentation.
• At all stages of the procurement process respond to and communicate with bidders on behalf of the council ensuring that robust and transparent clarification processes are in place.
• Contribute to and coordinate the preparation of contract documentation to ensure that properly drafted contracts are entered into; implement standardised documentation across procurements and categories.

Behavioural & other Characteristics required

• Leeds City Council values are at the heart of everything we do. They inform the way we design and deliver our services and the way we all work and behave. Leeds City Council expects all its employees and councillors to observe our core values and to understand our codes of conduct for ethical behaviour, correct use of the Digital Information Service (DIS) facilities and protection of sensitive information.
• They reflect the current needs of the city. In a period of immense change and real challenge we must be both confident and decisive about what we do and how we do it.

Essential Behavioural & other Characteristics

• Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct.
• Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon.
• Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council equality and diversity policies.
• Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.
• Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities.
• Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
• Participate in appraisal, training and development activities.
• Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
• Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti‑discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity policies of Leeds City Council.
• Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person.
• The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.

Apply for this job