Procurement Assistant Manager

Our Children's & Families procurement team operates in one of the most challenging and high-profile areas of public sector procurement. Demand is growing, provider markets are complex, and every commercial decision has a direct impact on both public finances and the lives of children and families. As an Assistant Manager, you will be responsible for understanding and scrutinising placement costs, leading negotiations with providers, delivering savings targets and helping the operations teams secure the right support at the right price. You'll combine commercial analysis with strong relationship management, working across operational services, finance teams and the external provider market. This role requires resilience, curiosity and confidence. You'll need to navigate difficult conversations, challenge costs constructively, understand market dynamics and build partnerships that enable long-term improvements. In return, you'll have the opportunity to apply your commercial expertise in a role where the outcomes genuinely matter. You can hear the success stories of some of our employees in our Blog via the following links My Procurement Journey - Amanda My Procurement Journey - Victoria Jawid - Success Story For more information on Procurement careers within the Council and the broader Procurement Service, visit Why work with us? - Make a difference to the local community, be that infrastructure, climate change or social care (adults and Childrens) and help us transform Essex to a circular economy as we redefine growth and focus on positive society-wide benefits. - We are a very large procurement team with circa 120 staff and have seen the department grow by 25% over the last 18 months. Annual Spend of £1.2 billion. - We are the only CIPS accredited County Council in the UK. - We are the largest Local Authority Procurement Team in the UK and have a national reputation for excellence. - Work for a high performing team with great team morale and friendly, helpful, and supportive colleagues. - Happy to consider Public and Private sector backgrounds - Great training pathways. Encouragement to all staff for their continual professional development with full support and guidance towards CIPS / MCIPS - Flexible working - We offer flexibility in how you work, recognising that life doesn't always fit a standard schedule. Through agreed working arrangements, you'll have the opportunity to achieve a positive work/life balance while meeting the needs of the team and our residents., Ambitious people really fit in here so if you are a talented Procurement Assistant Manager then we would love to hear from you. Visa sponsorship is not available for this role. Applicants must have a current, unrestricted right to work in the UK., Educated to A level with a relevant professional qualification such as MCIPS or working towards such a qualification or equivalent demonstrable work experience with evidence of continuing professional development. Comprehensive negotiating skills appropriate to multi million pound contracts and experience of planning and delivering successful negotiations. Evidence of some experience of delivering continuous improvements in strategic arrangements with evidence of generating significant cost and service benefits. An awareness of working in a political environment. Knowledge of category management and experience of using this methodology in complex commercial environments to deliver significant cost or service improvements A demonstrable track record of managing strategic contracts in business critical environments. This should include evidence of defining, measuring and improving key elements of supplier performance. Evidence of some knowledge of contract law and legislation relevant to the specific category / categories within their control and its impact on market management, finance and contractual arrangements. Extensive knowledge of public sector procurement law with an ability to explain the law to non-procurement staff and find pragmatic solutions to potential legal difficulties. Do you want to make a difference to real people and real lives? Do you want to be a part of helping to shape the future of our Procurement service at Essex County Council (ECC)? Did you know that ECC spends c£1.2Billion per annum on 3rd party commissioned services, making it the 2nd largest spending Authority in the UK? The Procurement Team at ECC are award winning and support the organisation to deliver services to 1.4million residents. We use procurement to achieve more than financial value, helping to strengthen communities, support local businesses and ensure every pound spent delivers the greatest possible benefit for Essex residents. #J-18808-Ljbffr Essex County Council