Procurement Manager

local.gov.uk; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 69,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading public sector organization is seeking a Procurement Manager to oversee procurement activities and ensure compliance with public procurement regulations. This role involves managing projects, engaging with stakeholders, and leading initiatives to enhance procurement strategies. The successful candidate will have expertise in procurement, legal knowledge, and strong communication skills, contributing to the organization's operational success.

Benefits

10% non-contributory pension scheme

28 days leave per year

Health cash plan

Private medical insurance

Qualifications

• Proven ability to develop and implement procurement strategies.
• Experience delivering complex public procurements.
• Track record in risk identification and mitigation.

Responsibilities

• Lead procurement projects and corporate initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with public procurement legislation.
• Manage stakeholder relationships and communications.

Skills

Procurement Expertise

Legal and Regulatory Knowledge

Risk Management

Project Delivery

Communication

Stakeholder Engagement

Ethics and Governance

Job description

Role: Permanent, full-time, 35 hours per week

Office base: Hybrid, dual location – Westminster in central London and your home address. You will work from the office from time to time. This will not follow a regular pattern as we get together as and when needed to meet business needs. Travel expenses from home to office are funded for required business travel. You must be willing and able to commute into the office as and when required.

Grade: Manager

Salary: £69,400 to £84,800 plus 10% non-contributory pension scheme and 28 days leave per year (rising to 30 days after 3 years’ service, and to 32 days annual leave after 5 years’ service) plus bank holidays and a range of optional benefits such as health cash plan, and private medical insurance.

Reports to: Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Chief Executive

Please note, the recruitment for this role is being administered by the Local Government Association on behalf of Public Sector Audit Appointments

About PSAA

Public Sector Audit Appointments Limited (PSAA) is an independent company limited by guarantee incorporated by the Local Government Association in August 2014.

We are a not-for-profit company with 27 employees and a Board of six directors.

In July 2016, the Government specified PSAA as an appointing person under the provisions of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 and the Local Audit (Appointing Person) Regulations 2015. As an appointing person PSAA is responsible for appointing auditors, setting scales of fees for eligible bodies that have chosen to opt into its national scheme, overseeing issues of auditor independence and monitoring contract compliance of the audit firms with whom we contract.

For the period from 2023/24 to 2027/28, over 99% of local government bodies, such as local councils, police and fire bodies and national parks, opted to join our scheme rather than appoint their own auditor. In late 2022 we completed our very significant procurement of external audit services for the delivery of an annual audit for the next five years to over 450 local government bodies, our clients.

The company is staffed by a team with significant experience of working within the context of the regulations to appoint auditors, managing contracts with audit firms, and setting and determining audit fees, and a small team providing business and project support services.

In December 2024 the Government announced plans to create the Local Audit Office (LAO) and to transfer all PSAA’s functions into this new organisation. The date of transfer is likely to be between Autumn 2026 and April 2028. The government has begun early discussions with us about PSAA staff transferring into the LAO.

You can find out more about who we are and what we do in the About Us section of our website.

About the Role

The Procurement Manager will work in close partnership with the Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Chief Executive to deliver a comprehensive range of procurements and procurement-related activities, including those conducted through our dynamic purchasing system. The role encompasses responsibility for procuring external audit services alongside various supporting services essential to the organisation's operations, including legal services, consultancy provision, and our own external audit arrangements.

The postholder will lead procurement projects and corporate initiatives from conception through to successful completion, ensuring delivery within agreed timescales and parameters. Acting as the organisation's procurement subject matter expert (including close working with our legal advisors), they will apply comprehensive knowledge of public procurement requirements and PSAA practices to develop, monitor, and track robust delivery plans. This encompasses the management of scope, timelines, risks, issues, and dependencies whilst maintaining comprehensive documentation to established standards and providing contractual and legal guidance to support effective procurement and contract management.

As a private company appointed by Government and utilising public funds, PSAA's procurement activities must fully comply with public procurement legislation. The role is expected to expand significantly following the transfer of functions to the Local Audit Office, which will operate with a broader remit than PSAA's current scope.

The role is the operational lead for risk management, ensuring PSAA's corporate risk register accurately reflects organisational risks through collaborative engagement with senior management and regular reporting to the Audit Committee. Additionally, the postholder makes a significant contribution to the Procurement and Appointments Committee through the production of high-quality written reports, maintenance of the committee's work programme and the contracts register to ensure currency, accuracy, and compliance with Transparency Act obligations.

Extensive stakeholder management and relationship building are fundamental to the role, requiring coordination with non-executive directors, internal teams, suppliers, auditors, eligible bodies, and key external partners including government departments and audit organisations. The postholder must demonstrate flexibility in responding to evolving business priorities, provide deputy cover for senior colleagues as required, and lead preparations for the transfer of contracts and procurement functions to the Local Audit Office. Compliance with all relevant legislation and regulations, including procurement and data protection requirements, underpins all aspects of the role.

About You

Please read the attached job profile, and the role-specific behavioural competencies and technical proficiencies to find out more about the key responsibilities of this important role and the skills and competencies we are looking for in the successful candidate.

Job profile

Technical Proficiencies

Behavioural Competencies

You must have the right to work in the UK, PSAA are unfortunately unable to offer sponsorship visas. Evidence for the right to work in the UK will be requested at the interview stage.

To apply

If you would like to be considered for the role, please complete the online form and submit your CV and a tailored supporting statement that addresses the six criteria below which reflect the role requirements as described in the job profile, the competency framework and technical proficiencies before the closing date.

We are specifically assessing candidates against the following criteria:

1. Procurement Expertise– showcase your proven ability to develop and implement procurement strategies that deliver agreed objectives across different procurement routes, including open procedures, restricted procedures, and call-offs from frameworks.

2. Legal and Regulatory Knowledge– demonstrate how you have delivered complex public procurements in accordance with the regulatory framework whilst achieving the best value for money.

3. Risk and Commercial Management– emphasise your track record in identifying, assessing, and mitigating procurement and broader risks, and developing robust contingency plans.

4. Project Delivery– showcase your project management capabilities with specific examples of managing complex, multi-stage procurements within challenging timelines. Demonstrate your ability to coordinate cross-functional teams and manage competing priorities.

5. Communication and Stakeholder Engagement– emphasise your written and oral communication skills, including your ability to interact effectively with stakeholders at all levels and adapt messaging for different audiences. Demonstrate your capability to translate complex procurement requirements into clear specifications while managing diverse stakeholder interests across internal clients, senior leadership, suppliers, and external partners.

6. Ethics, Governance and Professional Standards– demonstrate your strong ethical foundation and comprehensive understanding of public sector transparency requirements. Emphasise your knowledge of conflicts of interest management, transparency, and Freedom of Information legislation as it applies to procurement activities.

Closing Date:5pm, Monday 16 June 2025

Interview Date:26 – 27 June 2025,interviews will be virtual, held over MS Teams

For more information on PSAA and what we do, please visit our website.

PSAA values diversity and encourages applications from all sections of the community.

We use anonymous recruitment, which is the practice of hiding candidates’ identities. This process involves removing any identifying information from candidates’ applications which includes names.