Category and Supplier Relationship Specialists x3

Permanent, Full Time

Up to £60,609 per annum

Location: Chelmsford

Closing Date: 16th June 2021

Please note that we are looking to recruit for 1 permanent and 2 Fixed Term Contracts / Secondments (12 months duration) and have vacancies in Corporate, Place and People services, within the procurement department.

This position will initially, in line with current government guidance be based from home, with an expectation of being home based for the foreseeable future. However, when government guidelines change the role may then revert to being office based, whilst retaining some flexible working options.

Job Purpose

The role of Procurement is to work with stakeholders across ECC to understand requirements for goods and services, make an assessment of the market and determine the appropriate strategy for each spend area. The team also actively manage strategic suppliers and their contracts.

The Category and Supplier Relationship Specialist will work with the market and stakeholders to drive the delivery of benefits from our strategic suppliers. This work will be very collaborative in nature, ensuring that continuous improvement approaches are adopted which deliver benefits for both ECC and its suppliers over the entire lifespan of our relationships. The role will also lead the development and implementation of innovative category plans for complex, high spend area.

All this activity will require the effective leadership multidisciplinary teams and the support and development of colleagues both within procurement and across the Authority.

Organisational Accountabilities

• Roles at this level will be focused on delivering results in a specific functional area. They will hold expertise on the application of policy and improvement of service delivery. These roles have clear team budgets and targets set within the overall service requirements
• Operational planning and performance review to maintain exceptional service delivery and ensures the political objectives and priorities of the council are met
• Working collaboratively within and across functions to and thinking commercially support the delivery of best possible outcomes for our customers on a financially sustainable basis.
• Maintain and nurture collaborative relationships with other teams in the function and external organisations that support the delivery of annual plans.
• Implementing changes and continually evaluating service to improve the area of work, while maintaining the highest possible levels of service quality are continually delivered
• Managing complex issues and resources to meet the needs of customers and deliver the best possible outcomes
• Effective utilisation of digital technologies and innovation across the function.
• Equality and diversity is celebrated and considered as part of all decisions taken.
• Using professional expertise to translate goals and plans into ways of working that comply with relevant legislation and statutory requirements and manages a level of appropriate risk.

Service/Functional Accountabilities

• Lead the development, maintenance and implementation of innovative category and supplier relationship plans for high spend / high risk categories and suppliers.
• Work with colleagues in commissioning and operations to identify gaps in market provision. Lead engagement activity with the market to encourage suppliers to emerge or evolve to meet these requirements.
• Lead initiatives with key suppliers to identify opportunities for further benefits, promoting collaborative working and promoting a continuous improvement ethos. Benefits could focus on the local economy, skills development or environmental improvements in addition to saving money.
• Lead the collation of knowledge, insight and innovation from the contract managers, analysts, market and strategic suppliers to help commissioners and operations understand and develop opportunities within their portfolios.
• Lead complex projects and tenders, ensuring all sourcing activity fully complies with appropriate legislation and regulation whilst also complying with ECC policies.
• Influence the regional procurement agenda, including identifying and leading cross-authority project teams.
• Collaborate with and exert influence on Directors, Senior Managers and Members as to the commercial and financial viability of differing commercial options for specific projects within complex and often, contentious environments.
• Lead the adoption of best practice approaches with the aim of ensuring that the Procurement function is seen as 'best in class'. Ensure policies, procedures, documents and workflows are kept up-to-date and remain best in class.

Dimensions

• Lead the development of strategies which will determine how annual third party spend of up to £100 million is managed. Lead the management of contracts and supplier relationships up to this value.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

• Educated to a degree level with a relevant professional qualification (such as MCIPS) or equivalent demonstrable work experience. Evidence of continuing professional development.
• Extensive knowledge of category management and significant experience of using this methodology in complex commercial environments.
• A demonstrable track record of managing multi-million pound contracts in a large, complex, business critical environment. This should include evidence of using continuous improvement techniques to lead the improvement of key elements of supplier performance, deliver value added opportunities, innovation and the mitigation of contract and supplier risks.
• Extensive knowledge of public sector procurement law and contract law with an ability to explain the law to non-procurement staff and find pragmatic solutions to potential legal difficulties.
• Extensive negotiation skills appropriate to multi million pound contracts and experience of planning and delivering successful negotiations.