Job description

3 month contract role with a Local Authority

Job Summary:

• Interim Procurement and Strategic Category Lead for London Borough of Islington within the Community Wealth Building directorate.

• Responsible for leading strategic procurement and category management activity across key service areas, driving value for money, social value, and commercial outcomes.

• Provides expert advice to senior stakeholders and leads complex procurement programmes, ensuring compliance with legislation and council governance frameworks.

• Plays a key leadership role in shaping procurement strategy, delivering savings, and supporting inclusive economic growth.

Key Duties/Accountabilities (Sample):

• Lead category strategies, procurement pipelines, and action plans across multiple service areas.

• Provide expert procurement and commercial advice to Directors, senior leaders, and cross-organisational boards.

• Manage and develop a team of procurement professionals (up to 6 direct reports).

• Oversee complex, high-value procurement exercises and contract management activity.

• Ensure compliance with procurement legislation, governance, and policy frameworks.

• Drive value for money, cost savings, and income generation through strategic sourcing.

• Lead stakeholder engagement across internal teams (Finance, Legal, Audit) and external partners (NHS, local authorities, anchor institutions).

• Support development of business cases, tender documentation, and procurement strategies.

• Manage procurement risks, ensuring mitigation strategies are in place.

• Promote social value, sustainability, and community wealth building through procurement activity.

• Lead transformation and continuous improvement initiatives within procurement and category management.

• Deputise for the Head of Strategic Procurement and Category Management when required.

Skills/Experience:

• Extensive experience in strategic procurement and category management within the public sector.

• Strong knowledge of UK procurement legislation, policy, and governance frameworks.

• Demonstrable experience delivering complex procurement projects and programmes.

• Experience managing and leading high-performing procurement teams.

• Strong commercial acumen, with experience delivering cost savings and value for money.

• Experience working with senior stakeholders, including Directors and elected Members.

• Knowledge of category areas such as corporate services, housing, environment, health, or digital.

• Experience in contract management, supplier engagement, and market shaping.

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.

• Excellent communication, negotiation, and influencing skills.

• Ideally MCIPS qualified or working towards CIPS accreditation.

• Experience embedding social value, sustainability, and community wealth building initiatives.

Additional Information:

• Bi-Weekly Payments.

• Location: Town Hall, Islington (Hybrid – minimum 1 day on-site).

• Hours: 35 per week.

• Reports to: Head of Strategic Procurement & Category Management.

• Direct reports: Up to 6 staff.

• DBS: Basic required.