Strategic Procurement Leader – Education Sector (Wellington)

Ministry of Education; Wellington; On-site; NZD 121,000 - 182,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

KiwiSaver

Job summary

Ministry of Education in Wellington invites an experienced procurement leader to join as Team Manager, Procurement Services. Lead a skilled team, shape sourcing approaches, and deliver value while managing risk and stakeholder relationships.

You will influence procurement decisions, develop category strategies, and ensure best-practice outcomes across a diverse portfolio. This is a role for collaborative leadership driving continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Experienced procurement leader with a track record of building high‑performing teams.
• Strong commercial judgement and ability to lead across the full procurement lifecycle.
• Skilled at developing category strategies and supplier engagement.
• Capable of influencing diverse stakeholders to achieve value-for-money outcomes.
• Experience developing procurement work programmes and improvement initiatives.
• Analytical with data-driven decision-making and insights.
• Understanding governance, probity, and best practice in complex environments.
• Collaborative leadership fostering inclusion and capability development.
• Excellent written and verbal communication across all levels.

Responsibilities

• Lead a talented procurement team and provide strategic leadership across procurement activity.
• Influence procurement decisions and develop category strategies to deliver value.
• Ensure best-practice procurement outcomes and manage risk.
• Engage with suppliers and the market to strengthen partnerships.
• Position the Ministry as a client of choice through strong commercial decision‑making.
• Balance operational delivery with long-term planning and continuous improvement.

Skills

Procurement leadership

Procurement lifecycle

Stakeholder management

Commercial acumen

Procurement strategy

Data analysis

Governance and probity

Collaborative leadership

Effective communication

Ethical practice

Public service standards

Job description

Ministry of Education in Wellington invites an experienced procurement leader to join as Team Manager, Procurement Services. Lead a skilled team, shape sourcing approaches, and deliver value while managing risk and stakeholder relationships.

You will influence procurement decisions, develop category strategies, and ensure best-practice outcomes across a diverse portfolio. This is a role for collaborative leadership driving continuous improvement.