Associate Category Lead, Commercial and Procurement Services DEPT CC

Are you an experienced procurement professional with a passion for strategic sourcing and category management? Birmingham City Council is recruiting for a number of Associate Category Leads to join our newly established Strategic Category Management team. This is an exciting opportunity to influence how one of the UK's largest local authorities spends billions of pounds on goods, works and services. You'll develop evidence-based category strategies, build strong commercial relationships and deliver procurement solutions that maximise value for money, promote innovation and support better outcomes for Birmingham's residents., As an Associate Category Lead, you'll play a key role in delivering strategic procurement by:

• Developing and implementing category management strategies using market intelligence, spend analysis and demand profiling to deliver commercial value.
• Leading medium-scale procurement projects from strategy development through to contract award, ensuring compliance with legislation and governance requirements.
• Building strong relationships with stakeholders, suppliers and partners, providing expert commercial advice and influencing procurement decisions.
• Using supplier performance, market analysis and commercial data to identify opportunities for savings, innovation, sustainability and social value.
• Supporting contract negotiations, contract mobilisation and supplier performance management to maximise long-term benefits.
• Producing procurement guidance, toolkits and best practice resources while driving improvements through the effective use of technology and AI.
• Delivering procurement activity in line with the Council's governance, assurance and ethical procurement standards.
  
  We're looking for commercially minded procurement professionals who can combine strategic thinking with strong stakeholder management skills. You'll bring:
• Experience delivering procurement or category management activities across the full procurement lifecycle within a regulated environment.
• Strong knowledge of category management principles, procurement strategy development and commercial best practice.
• Experience analysing spend, supplier and market data to develop evidence-based sourcing strategies and improve value for money.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to influence internal stakeholders and suppliers.
• Experience operating within complex procurement governance frameworks and applying procurement legislation confidently.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, using data and market insight to inform commercial decision-making.
• A commitment to continuous professional development, with a willingness to work towards a Level 5 CIPS Diploma if not already achieved.
  
  Working for Birmingham City Council is more than just a job; it's about making life better for the 1 million plus people who live and work in the city., The Council is a fantastic place to work. You will find an organisation that is both challenging and supportive; with a leadership impatiently adventurous in its pursuit of excellence.
There is a clear vision which is ensuring that the Council is working for communities today and building for tomorrow, we focus our resources on five key priorities:
• A Prosperous Birmingham: through a focus on inclusive economic growth, tackling unemployment, attracting inward investment, and maximising the benefits of the Commonwealth Games.
• An Inclusive Birmingham: through a focus on tackling poverty and inequality, empowering citizens, promoting diversity and civic pride, and supporting and enabling all children and young people to thrive.
• A Safe Birmingham: through a focus on making the city safer, safeguarding vulnerable citizens, increasing affordable housing, and tackling homelessness.
• A Healthy Birmingham: through a focus on tackling health inequalities, encouraging physical activity and healthy living, supporting mental health, and improving outcomes for adults with disabilities and older people.
• A Green Birmingham: through a focus on street cleanliness, improving air quality, continuing the route to net zero, and becoming a city of nature.
We see the Council's role as providing strategic leadership - that's being able to visualise a new future for the city and equipping others to share our vision. We want to ensure the provision of services for all, so we can support those least able to support themselves by working with partners and putting citizens and neighbourhoods at the heart of our decision-making. We are always looking for people who put the customer at the centre of their approach, with a commitment to excellence to help us achieve our vision. We will support you to develop and thrive in your role, building a pathway for long-term success, with lots of development opportunities, such as apprenticeships.

At Birmingham City Council, you'll be part of a modern Commercial and Procurement Service that is transforming procurement across one of Europe's largest local authorities. In return, we offer:
• The opportunity to shape strategic procurement and category management across a broad and diverse portfolio of spend.
• A collaborative and ambitious team committed to innovation, commercial excellence and continuous improvement.
• Opportunities to develop your strategic, commercial and leadership capabilities through ongoing professional development.
• Flexible and hybrid working opportunities where service needs allow.
• A competitive Local Government Pension Scheme and generous annual leave entitlement.
• Access to a wide range of employee wellbeing initiatives and staff benefits.
• A rewarding career where your expertise will help deliver better value, stronger supplier partnerships and improved public services for the people of Birmingham.
Please upload your up-to-date CV via the attachments part of your application, this is required for shortlisting. Unfortunately, we cannot consider any applications without a CV attached Birmingham City Council is an accredited Disability Confident Leader employer, and we are committed to employing, retaining and developing all of our people. We want to ensure your recruitment journey with us is a positive and equitable one, so please let us know if there are any reasonable adjustments, additional support, accessibility needs, or if there is any way in which we can support you through your application., In return, we offer you excellent terms and conditions, generous annual leave, a great pension scheme, well-being support, annual travel passes and discounts at a number of city centre establishments.