Procurement Category Specialist – Children’s Services – AR

Shropshire Council; United States; Remote; USD 124,000 - 136,000; Full time

Job summary

Shropshire Council is looking for an experienced Procurement Category Specialist with Children’s Services expertise to support its procurement and commercial transformation programme. This remote consultancy assignment focuses on developing category plans, prioritising procurement pipelines and delivering value for money through robust sourcing strategies.

You will work with commissioners and senior stakeholders to drive complex, high-value procurements, ensuring compliance and positive outcomes

Qualifications

• Significant procurement and category management experience within Children's Services, ideally within local government.
• Strong understanding of Children's Services commissioning and procurement environments.
• Experience developing category strategies, sourcing plans and procurement pipelines.

Responsibilities

• Engage with Children's Services commissioners to understand service requirements, priorities and upcoming procurement needs.
• Develop and implement a strategic Children's Services category plan and prioritised procurement pipeline.
• Translate commissioning requirements into commercially robust procurement and sourcing strategies.
• Lead and support complex, high-value procurement exercises from initial market engagement through to contract award and mobilisation.
• Use market intelligence to assess provider capacity, identify commercial risks and recommend appropriate sourcing options.
• Provide constructive challenge and commercial advice to commissioners and senior stakeholders.
• Ensure procurement activity delivers value for money while balancing compliance, cost, quality and service outcomes.
• Identify opportunities to improve procurement and contract management practices.
• Work collaboratively with procurement, commissioning, finance and operational teams.
• Recognise opportunities for joined-up procurement across Children's Services, Adults and Public Health.

Skills

Procurement strategy

Category management

Public sector procurement

Stakeholder management

Commercial advisory

Job description

Procurement Category Specialist - Children's Services

Location: Remote
Client: Shropshire Council
Contract: Initial 3 months, rolling, with an anticipated duration of at least 12 months
Rate: £500-£550 per day (flexible for an exceptional specialist)
IR35: Outside IR35

The Role

Shropshire Council is seeking an experienced Procurement Category Specialist with specific expertise in Children's Services to support its procurement and commercial transformation programme.

This is a strategic and delivery-focused consultancy assignment, requiring someone with a strong understanding of local authority Children's Services procurement, commissioning environments and provider markets.

The successful candidate will work closely with commissioners and senior stakeholders to develop a comprehensive Children's Services category plan, identify procurement priorities and lead complex, high-value procurement exercises.

You will provide specialist commercial advice, challenge existing approaches constructively and ensure procurement strategies deliver value for money while maintaining service quality and positive outcomes for children and families.

There will also be opportunities to work across Adults and Public Health, recognising shared markets and commissioning priorities.

Key Responsibilities

• Engage with Children's Services commissioners to understand service requirements, priorities and upcoming procurement needs.
• Develop and implement a strategic Children's Services category plan and prioritised procurement pipeline.
• Translate commissioning requirements into commercially robust procurement and sourcing strategies.
• Lead and support complex, high-value procurement exercises from initial market engagement through to contract award and mobilisation.
• Use market intelligence to assess provider capacity, identify commercial risks and recommend appropriate sourcing options.
• Provide constructive challenge and commercial advice to commissioners and senior stakeholders.
• Ensure procurement activity delivers value for money while balancing compliance, cost, quality and service outcomes.
• Identify opportunities to improve procurement and contract management practices.
• Work collaboratively with procurement, commissioning, finance and operational teams.
• Recognise opportunities for joined-up procurement across Children's Services, Adults and Public Health.

Essential Experience and Skills

• Significant procurement and category management experience within Children's Services, ideally within local government.
• Strong understanding of Children's Services commissioning and procurement environments.
• Experience developing category strategies, sourcing plans and procurement pipelines.
• Knowledge of Children's Services provider markets, including areas such as:
  • Children's social care and residential placements.
  • Foster care and supported accommodation.
  • SEND and specialist education provision.
  • Agency social worker supply.
  • Early intervention and third-sector services.
• Proven experience leading complex or high-value public-sector service procurements.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and constructively challenge senior commissioners.
• Commercially minded, with a strong understanding of procurement compliance, risk management and value for money.
• Ability to work autonomously and deliver results within a changing environment.

Working Arrangements

This is a fully remote consultancy assignment with no routine requirement to attend council offices.

The initial contract is three months on a rolling basis, with the expectation that the assignment will continue for at least 12 months.

The assignment is outside IR35 and structured around defined projects and deliverables.

The Opportunity

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Children's Services procurement specialist to play a key role in shaping and delivering Shropshire Council's procurement strategy.

You will have the opportunity to influence significant commercial decisions, improve procurement practices and support the delivery of important services for vulnerable children and families.