Procurement Manager

The Gorse Academies Trust; Leeds; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

The GORSE Academies Trust is seeking a Procurement Manager to lead the end-to-end procurement lifecycle across our multi-academy trust, ensuring compliance with UK public procurement legislation and the Academy Trust Handbook.

You will work with the CFO and central team to develop procurement strategy, manage the contract register, support major commercial agreements, and provide expert advice that delivers value for money and robust governance across our academies.

Qualifications

• Experience leading complex, high-value procurements end-to-end.
• Strong understanding of public sector procurement, frameworks, tendering and contract mobilisation.
• Commercial acumen with suppliers, contracts and negotiations.
• Ability to build effective relationships with internal stakeholders and external suppliers.

Responsibilities

• Lead compliant procurement processes for high-value goods and services.
• Develop and deliver the trust’s procurement strategy embedding innovation, sustainability and social value.
• Manage and maintain the forward procurement pipeline.
• Oversee the trust-wide contract register, ensuring compliance and timely renewals.
• Provide expert commercial advice and training to staff involved in procurement.
• Undertake procurement assurance work including internal audits and annual reporting to trustees.
• Build effective relationships with suppliers and represent the trust in procurement networks.
• Ensure all procurement activity meets legal, regulatory and internal governance standards.

Skills

Procurement management

Public sector procurement knowledge

Contract negotiations

Stakeholder relationship management

Job description

Are you an experienced procurementprofessional ready to make a significant impact across a high-performing multiacademy trust? The GORSE Academies Trust is seeking a highly skilled andmotivated Procurement Manager to lead the trust’s end-to-end procurementlifecycle and drive excellent commercial outcomes.

As a key member of the central financeand operations team, you will ensure that all procurement activity is compliantwith UK public procurement legislation, the Academy Trust Handbook, andinternal financial procedures, while delivering strong value for money androbust governance across our academies.

Working closely with the CFO, Principalsand central team Directors, you will lead the development and continuousimprovement of the trust’s procurement strategy, manage the trust-wide contractregister, support major commercial agreements, and provide expert advice thatensures consistent, effective and compliant purchasing practices across theorganisation.

This role would suit for someone who:

• Hasexperience leading complex, high-value procurements from end-to-end.
• Understandspublic sector procurement, including use of frameworks, tendering, evaluationand contract mobilisation.
• Hasa strong grasp of relevant regulations, including the Procurement Act 2023, DfEBuying for Schools guidance and the Academy Trust Handbook.
• Iscommercially astute, analytical and confident in managing suppliers, contractsand commercial negotiations.
• Canbuild strong relationships with internal stakeholders and external suppliers.
• Ishighly organised, detail-oriented and committed to maintaining audit readystandards.
• Enjoysimproving systems, processes and tools to embed best practice trust wide.

In this role, you will:

• Leadcompliant procurement processes for high value goods and services.
• Developand deliver the trust’s procurement strategy, embedding innovation,sustainability and social value.
• Manageand maintain the trust’s forward procurement pipeline.
• Overseethe trust-wide contract register, ensuring compliance and timely renewals.
• Provideexpert commercial advice and training to staff involved in procurement.
• Undertakeprocurement assurance work, including internal audits and annual reporting totrustees.
• Buildeffective relationships with suppliers and represent the trust in procurementnetworks.
• Ensureall procurement activity meets legal, regulatory and internal governancestandards.