Strategy and Business Planning Lead in Birmingham

Shape the future of commercial and procurement strategy for Birmingham Are you a strategic leader with experience developing business plans, driving organisational improvement and influencing change across complex organisations? Birmingham City Council is looking for a Strategy and Business Planning Lead to join our newly established Commercial and Procurement Services. This is a unique opportunity to help shape the future direction of one of the UK's largest local authority procurement functions. You’ll lead strategic planning, performance management and continuous improvement, ensuring Commercial and Procurement Services delivers against the Council’s priorities while strengthening commercial capability across the organisation. About the Role As the Strategy and Business Planning Lead, you’ll provide strategic leadership by:

• Leading the development and delivery of Commercial and Procurement Services' business plans and strategic priorities, ensuring alignment with wider Council and Directorate objectives.
• Translating organisational strategy into clear, measurable operational plans, performance frameworks and improvement programmes.
• Using market intelligence, legislative developments, economic trends and supply chain insight to shape future commercial and procurement strategy.
• Leading business planning cycles, developing meaningful performance measures and monitoring progress against strategic objectives.
• Providing high-quality strategic reporting and recommendations to senior leadership, supporting informed decision-making and effective governance.
• Championing commercial excellence, innovation and continuous improvement across the Council, embedding a culture that recognises the strategic value of procurement.
• Leading programmes that strengthen commercial capability, professional development and organisational maturity across Commercial and Procurement Services.
• Developing and leading a high-performing team, supporting performance, capability and professional growth while building strong collaborative relationships across the Council and wider public sector.
• We’re looking for an experienced strategic leader who combines commercial awareness with exceptional planning, analytical and stakeholder management skills. You’ll bring:
• Significant experience developing organisational strategy, business plans and performance frameworks within a complex organisation.
• Experience preparing business cases, undertaking options appraisals and leading organisational improvement initiatives.
• Strong understanding of commercial and procurement principles, governance and the wider policy landscape.
• Excellent analytical skills, interpreting complex information and translating strategic objectives into practical, measurable delivery plans.
• Outstanding communication and influencing skills, with the ability to build confidence, secure buy-in and engage effectively with senior leaders and a wide range of stakeholders.
• Proven experience leading teams, developing talent and creating a culture of continuous improvement and high performance.
• A relevant professional qualification in management, strategy, programme delivery or a related discipline (or equivalent professional experience).
• The opportunity to influence organisational strategy and drive transformational change across a high-profile service.
• A senior leadership role within an ambitious Commercial and Procurement Service committed to innovation, collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Opportunities to further develop your strategic leadership, organisational development and commercial expertise 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 leadership will strengthen commercial capability, improve organisational performance and help deliver lasting benefits for the people of Birmingham.

We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the communities we serve. Our data tells us that for this level of role, ethnic minorities are underrepresented and therefore we will use positive action to support us to achieve diverse shortlists. This may mean that recruitment times are a little longer, but we think this is worth it to achieve our aim. 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.

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.

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.