Procurement and Strategic Category Lead

Contract Civic Recruitment Limited United Kingdom

Posted On 19/03/2026

Job Information

Work Experience 4-5 years

Interim & Executive Management

City Islington

Province Islington

Postal Code EC1P

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:

• Location: Town Hall, Islington (Hybrid - minimum 1 day on site).
• Reports to: Head of Strategic Procurement & Category Management.