Procurement Lead

Kent Fire and Rescue Service; Maidstone; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Local Government Pension Scheme

32 days holiday

Blue Light Card discount

CSSC Card

Free parking

Employee wellbeing

Job summary

Kent Fire and Rescue Service in Maidstone invites a Procurement Lead (Grade 8) for a two-year fixed term with hybrid working (minimum 3 days in office). You will lead procurement across PPE, Operational Services and Facilities Management.

You will work with Category Managers to develop strategies, ensure best value, and manage supplier relationships while applying public sector procurement rules. The role requires CIPS Level 4 and strong commercial acumen.

Qualifications

• CIPS Level 4 Diploma in Procurement and Supply.
• Proven experience in procurement across multiple categories with value for money.
• Knowledge of Public Sector procurement processes and the Public Contract Regulations 2015 and the Procurement Act 2023.
• Ability to develop and manage tender packs and pricing schedules.
• Experience of supplier relationship and contract management (Desirable).
• Understanding of public sector frameworks and compliant procurement practices.

Responsibilities

• Lead procurement activities across PPE, Operational Services and Facilities Management.
• Provide independent procurement support to internal clients and external partners across Kent Fire & Rescue Service.
• Develop Category and sub-Category strategies aligned to service objectives and wider collaboration.
• Ensure compliance with legislation and internal Procurement Policy; monitor performance and risk.
• Produce management reports and detailed analysis to support commercial decision making.

Skills

PPE procurement

Category management

Contract management

Spend analytics

Supplier engagement

Education

CIPS Level 4 Diploma in Procurement and Supply

Job description

Job Title: Procurement Lead (Grade 8) – 2 Year Fixed Term Contract

Location: Service Headquarters, Tovil, Maidstone, ME15 6XB – Hybrid working with minimum 3 days per week in the office

Hours: Full Time – 37 Hours per Week

Pension: Automatic membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme – career average pension scheme with 16.5% employer contribution

Holidays: In addition to bank/ public holidays you will receive 32 days holiday

Reference: R001072

Being a part of Kent Fire and Rescue Service

Everyone is unique. Everyone has value. Everyone helps to make Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) a great place to work. We are one team. Together with our customers we are creating a safer future for Kent and Medway.

Being the Procurement Lead

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an adaptable Procurement Lead to join us on a two-year fixed term contract. This is a varied role which will see you lead on procurement activities across a range of categories, including PPE, Operational Services and Facilities Management. The successful candidate will bring broad experience across a number of categories with strong commercial awareness and ability to successfully manage a diverse portfolio of activity. The ability to work independently is key.

As part of the Procurement team, the Procurement Lead will provide independent, proactive professional procurement and commercial support to internal clients across Kent Fire & Rescue Service (KFRS), including budget managers and purchasing customers. The post holder will also work with external clients, suppliers and procuring organisations to support delivery of the KFRS procurement work plan.

The successful candidate will work with Category Managers in the development of Category and sub-Category strategies that ensure corporate objectives and the Service’s operational needs are met, linking into wider local and National collaboration wherever possible, achieving best value, compliance with legislation and adherence to Procurement Policy

What you’ll do

• Extraction, monitor and manage financial data associated with procurement activity within the Service, in accordance with the Procurement Policy and Financial Management arrangements
• Analyse and manage spend to proactively identify and develop opportunities for savings, efficiencies and improved commercial outcomes, including through contract formation and effective contract management
• Manage supplier engagement in accordance with the Procurement Policy, to manage risk and ensure all suppliers of goods, works and services operate to specification under an agreed set of terms and conditions
• Hold broad functional responsibility for contract management for a range of contracts. This will include monitoring performance to agreed and defined standards
• Provide procurement awareness training to the Service as required on any new or existing procurement processes and category management approaches; to ensure there is clear understanding of the processes required
• Maintain the integrity of the data within the Contract Register and Procurement pipeline
• Provide management reports and detailed analysis as and when required, to support the provision of commercially centred management information

What you’ll bring

• CIPS Level 4 Diploma in Procurement and Supply
• Demonstrable experience of working in a similar role with tangible cashable and efficiency outcomes while considering Whole Life costs
• Working knowledge and experience of Public Sector procurement processes and the Public Contract Regulations 2015 and the Procurement Act 2023
• Working knowledge and experience of applying contract and supplier management processes
• Working knowledge of Public Sector Frameworks
• Experience of public sector procurement
• Ability to develop a tender pack, to include evaluation criteria and pricing schedules aligning to requirements
• Ability to manage a tender process independently, including the evaluation, moderation and award process
• Ability to identify and communicate commercial risks and recommend proportionate mitigations
• Experience of supplier relationship and contract management (Desirable)
• Understanding and drafting of Terms and Conditions (Desirable)
• Automatic membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme
• Enhanced Annual Leave entitlement
• Annual Salary increase - Increase of 1 scale point per year within Grade to the top of the Grade.
• Blue Light Card discount scheme supported by a number of high street retailers
• CSSC Card - Discount provider for civil servants and public sector workers
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) - Confidential support service designed to help manage personal or work-related issues that may affect health, wellbeing, or job performance.
• A range of family friendly policies promoting work-life balance
• Free to join internal clubs and colleague forums
• Access to health and wellbeing services and advice
• Access to Gym Facilities
• Free parking
• Above all you’ll become part of a service that is committed to the safety of our community

Inclusion is at the heart of everything we do. We know that great minds don’t think alike, so we rely on diverse thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and backgrounds to create the best working environment that we can possibly offer.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service, its employees, and volunteers are committed to safeguarding, protecting, and supporting children, young people, and adults at risk. As part of our safer recruitment process, we will undertake pre-employment checks to verify your suitability for the role. These checks will include your references and a standard or enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Enhanced DBS check with barred lists are carried out for roles with direct and unsupervised access to children, young people, and adults at risk. Risk assessments will be undertaken on any disclosures identified as part of the pre-employment checks.

As a Public Sector organisation with added responsibilities under the Equality Act, 2010 the candidate must demonstrate an understanding of what is meant by Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion and how this fits in with their everyday work.