Procurement Advisor

Job title Procurement Advisor Job reference R1858 Date posted 08/09/2026 Application closing date 23/09/2026 Location West Suffolk Salary Starting salary Band 4 £30,515 - £33,673 per annum on a career pathway or Band 5 £34,237 - £39,481 per annum subject to experience, plus excellent employee benefits package Contract type Permanent Contractual hours 37 Basis Full time Department Elections Attachments Blank Job description

About the role:

Ahead of the exciting opportunities that a new era of local government will bring, we are seeking to recruit a Procurement Advisor who will join our Governance and Procurement Service to support and advise services on the purchase of goods, services and works necessary to operate and serve the council and its communities.

We are seeking an individual who either holds, is working towards, or is willing to work towards a recognised professional procurement qualification (such as CIPS - Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply), or who can demonstrate an equivalent level of relevant experience.

Appointment will be made within either:

• Career pathway opportunity starting at Band 4 (£30,515 - £33,673), with progression to Band 5 (£34,237 - £ 39,481) subject to meeting the required development milestones. This is for candidates who are developing their procurement knowledge and experience. The successful candidate will be supported to undertake and achieve a recognised professional procurement qualification, such as CIPS (Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply).

Or;

• Full Band 5 (£33,143 - £38,220) for candidates with relevant local government procurement experience and professional qualifications.

What you will need:

• You will have an interest in procurement and delivering value for money outcomes.
• You will be able to demonstrate the ability to build positive working relationships, communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders and provide clear, practical advice and guidance. You will be organised, detail-oriented and able to manage competing priorities whilst maintaining high standards of accuracy.
• You will have experience of using Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint, together with other IT systems, although training will be provided. You will have a keen eye and be comfortable working with data and information to support planning, decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Experience of local government procurement requirements including commissioning, governance, compliance or a related professional discipline would be advantageous. Knowledge of public sector procurement requirements and experience of procurement systems, publishing notices or delivering training would also be beneficial, but support and development will be provided for the right candidate.

Please refer to the job description and person specification for full details of this opportunity.

Why work for us? Our benefits include:

• Holiday entitlement of 25 days, increasing to 29 days after 5 years (pro rata if part time) plus bank holidays (with an option to buy up to 10 extra days each year subject to approval)
• Generous pension scheme - contribute between 5.5% and 6.8% (depending on your salary) and the council will contribute 16.4%
• Life assurance - a payment of three times your annual salary
• flexible working options to enable work/life balance
• agile working - ability to work in the office and from home
• access to a unique employee benefits package which includes discounts and cashback on supermarkets, high street shops, holidays, mobile phones, electrical goods, savings and loan schemes and many other products and services
• Salary sacrifice benefits including Cycle to Work scheme, Tusker Leased Car Scheme and SmartTech (buy the latest tech products interest free and repay through your monthly salary)
• Rail and bus staff discounts
• A range of Health and Wellbeing initiatives including an employee assistance programme
• Discounted membership at Abbeycroft Leisure centres
• A culture of learning inspiring staff to focus on continuous learning
• Modern office accommodation

Closing date: Wednesday 23 September 2026 Interview date: Thursday 1 October 2026

West Suffolk Council has been rated in the top 10 district councils for climate action (Climate Scorecards 2023) and as a member of UK100 has demonstrated its commitment to a rapid transition to Net Zero with Clean Air in our communities. The council has declared a climate and biodiversity emergency and is committed to working towards net zero emissions by 2039.