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The role

Head of Procurement

£70,026 - £75,644 per annum

Directorate/Service area: Resources/Procurement

Reports to: Director of Resources

Overall purpose of the job

An inspirational professional to take ownership of the Procurement function. The post carries with it high levels of autonomy and will act as a true ambassador for procurement across the organisation.

As a key strategic driver for procurement, you will have the confidence to work independently and demonstrate a drive to succeed. You will have the ability to build and develop effective relationships with key internal stakeholders demonstrating a full understanding of their drivers & requirements and identifying and providing appropriate support & solutions. You will be involved in the negotiations with key suppliers across a broad category spend portfolio and will have the ability to influence decision makers.

The post is managerially accountable to the Director of Resources.

Main accountabilities

Professional Expertise

To lead Procurement and Contract Management in a multidisciplinary organisation, driving change projects that improve quality and performance, while providing highly effective management of the service in challenging circumstances.
To be the Council’s internal expert on best practice in procurement within a local authority context, maintaining up to date market and commercial intelligence to advise and support commissioning and policy making across the Council.
To provide expert professional advice to Elected Members, the Chief Executive, Directors and senior managers, as well as other staff and stakeholders, in all areas of Procurement and Contract Management.
To support commissioners across the Council with market intelligence, commercial awareness and procurement expertise

Strategic Development

To develop the overall procurement strategy and policy approach that is supported by internal and external partners and meets the priorities of the Council. To include managing the partnerships with internal customers, other public bodies and external organisations to enhance co-operation and create opportunities which enable the delivery of the council’s procurement strategy.
To lead on and embed best practice in procurement within a local authority context, maintaining up to date market and commercial intelligence to advise and support commissioning and policy making across the Council.
To contribute to the design, initiation, implementation and development of medium-term and annual procurement planning processes across the Council in order to establish a project planning approach to procurement.
To develop, implement and embed standards and processes for effective contract management within the Council.
Working with commissioners across the council develop a council wide approach to commissioning, procurement and contracting cycle. Working in partnership with those commissioners you will shape and influence market opportunities and develop innovative solutions that ensure the Cambridgeshire purchasing £ is used to its maximum benefit.

Operational Delivery

To develop and lead a category management approach to Procurement across the Council with the focused aims of improving compliance and good practice while improving the value of non-staff spend.
To oversee the development of accurate and up to date Management Information systems in partnership with colleagues in finance, policy and service functions in order to collect, analyse, monitor and evaluate procurement activity.
To ensure that effective risk management arrangements are in place to minimise the Council’s exposure to risk and uncertainty. Responsible for resilient business continuity arrangements and robust response and recovery arrangements in the event of emergencies and critical incidents locally – in accordance with the requirements of the Council’s Emergency and Business Continuity Plans.
To support commissioners across the Council with market intelligence, commercial awareness and procurement expertise.

Statutory and Regulatory Compliance

To ensure that the Council performs its duties and functions in fulfilment of its statutory obligations. In pursuit of this responsibility, senior managers need to ensure that they, and their relevant staff, keep abreast of the Council’s changing legal obligations and mandates.
To oversee and take an active role in identifying and co-ordinating legal, financial and performance management processes and securing specialist advice when necessary.
To ensure relevant compliance with the financial regulations and standing orders of the Council.
To ensure that the Council adheres to relevant legislative requirements and best practice models in order to meet their requirements and mitigate against risk for procurement.

Organisational Leadership

To provide the procurement leadership to support the authority in all matters Procurement (including market analysis, planning, procurement strategy, procurement execution, contract and supplier management) in line with council policy.
To develop and embed a performance culture that delivers results through rigorous challenge, disciplined execution and continual improvement.
To provide purposive and positive leadership, acting with openness, honesty and integrity, and instilling a clear sense of direction, priority and pace.
To lead people in an inclusive way to deliver strategic and operational objectives.

Managerial Leadership

To lead and manage those services, functions, and people that are set within the direction of this post.
To promote managerial responsibility for cross-organisational team working, and across boundaries with other agencies and partners, to improve services and solve problems in a coherent and integrated manner.

Transformation, Development and Improvement

To develop and implement practices and procedures in order to deliver an end-to-end supply chain management service to the Council (including disseminating expertise, for example; market development, supplier management, etc).
To discover new ways to reduce the cost of services to taxpayers and their overall productivity and value for money to service users through a range of approaches, including: the strategic re-design of services and their costs; the use of business and operational process improvements; the smarter use of supply (through out-sourcing, co-sourcing and in-sourcing where appropriate); the better use of demand management; and improved asset management.

Managing Relationships with Partners and Stakeholders

To build and promote successful partnership working across all sectors and with service users to deliver more cost effective and valued services. Commission effective and efficient services through a range of direct delivery, innovative partnerships and commercial arrangements which meet the goals and objectives of the Council Plan.
To engage with and build positive relations with Council services to ensure that their requirements are at the heart of the design and delivery of services.
To represent the Council at local and national procurement forums and where necessary engage with Central Government.

Effective Use of Resources

To develop and manage a range of best value corporate contracts covering common goods and services used across the Council. Develop, implement and maintain a performance review strategy for contracted work to ensure the Council is assessing its success in the delivery of services against financial investment.
To manage a sustainable service budget which achieves efficiency and income targets.
To plan, deploy and manage resources effectively to deliver all Procurement and Contract services to a high quality.

Other

To demonstrate awareness/understanding of equal opportunities and other people’s behavioural, physical, social and welfare needs.

Person Specification

Qualifications, knowledge, skills and experience

Qualifications

Educated to degree-level or equivalent in a relevant subject, or equivalent by experience
Relevant professional qualification (MCIPs) and significant post-qualification experience
Managerial/Business qualification eg MBA
Evidence of continuous professional development

Knowledge

Procurement and contract management expertise: Detailed knowledge of procurement, contract management and commissioning processes.
Statutory and regulatory compliance: Able to demonstrate sound understanding of national policy and guidance in relation to procurement.
Organisational leadership: Ability to advise, lead and direct the organisation through the provision of robust challenge and leadership.
Managerial leadership: Extensive knowledge or understanding of best practice in developing high performance teams.
Effective use of resources: Extensive knowledge of driving value for money with a multi-faceted complex organisation.
Commerciality: Understanding of driving commerciality within public service delivery models.
Financial Management: Experience of managing budgets, including income generation.
Public Sector Governance: Detailed understanding of the governance process in Local Government

Skills

Planning and organisation: Strong planning and organisational skills.
Prioritisation: Ability to manage a range of complex issues and conflicting priorities
Leadership: Ability to provide coherent and strong leadership
Partnership: Effective partnership skills: comfortable when dealing with strategic concepts, managing conflict and seeking consensus in order to achieve shared goals
Negotiation: Effective negotiator
Problem solving: Able to think creatively and apply strong problem solving skills
Communications: Highly effective communicator, able to communicate verbally and in writing with a wide audience.
Critical thinking: Strong critical thinker.

Experience

Strategic development: Evidence of leading the development of high level strategies that support the delivery of organisational outcomes.
Managerial leadership: Experience of developing and delivering results through an effective performance management system.
Transformation, development and improvement: Evidence of significant participation in implementing successful change, particularly in responding to the demands of an organisation that is going through a process of transformation and modernisation.
Managing relationships with partners and stakeholders: Experience of working with senior partners and politicians to gain agreement around a joint approach.
Commerciality: Experience within a commercial or business management environment.

Equal opportunities

Ability to demonstrate awareness/understanding of equal opportunities and other people’s behaviour, physical, social and welfare needs.

Safeguarding commitment

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults. We require you to understand and demonstrate this commitment.

Relocation Policy

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