Procurement Assistant Manager (multiple vacancies) in Chelmsford

About the Role

This role provides end‑to‑end procurement management across a broad range of categories and contracts. You will lead strategic sourcing, contract negotiations, supplier performance management and continuous improvement initiatives, while ensuring compliance with all relevant legislation, policies and best practices.

Available Teams and Key Focus Areas:

• Highways and Transport Team – source and manage contracts for Home to School Transport, Adult Social Care Transport and Sustainable Travel, with a value up to £50 million per annum. Responsibilities include sourcing tender rounds, contract change control and managing Tier 1 suppliers.
• Older People Accommodation Team – refresh the £150 million Annual Residential and Nursing framework, ensuring high‑quality, person‑centred services across 200+ care homes. Duties involve contract development, provider performance monitoring and market capacity planning.
• Mental Health Team – manage strategic contracts supporting residents with mental health conditions, including accommodation‑based services. Requires handling high‑value, complex contracts and coordinating with the Procurement Manager.
• Contract Management Hub – oversee a portfolio of lower‑risk contracts, optimise performance, manage risk and deliver contract benefits throughout the contract life cycle.
• Essex Procurement Partnership – lead sourcing projects across multiple council partners, managing above‑ and below‑threshold procurements and driving collaborative procurement initiatives.

Accountabilities:

• Develop, maintain and implement category strategies aligned to commissioning objectives.
• Lead innovative approaches and solutions for complex projects, ensuring cost minimisation and service enhancement.
• Collaborate with Senior Managers to evaluate commercial viability of projects and complex environments.
• Manage suppliers to meet performance standards, identifying and mitigating contractual, commercial and market risks.
• Drive continuous improvement, negotiating commercial and contractual changes that meet business requirements.
• Lead projects and tenders, ensuring full compliance with legislation, regulation and ECC policies.
• Collaborate with suppliers to identify market gaps and explore opportunities to close those gaps.
• Provide advice to stakeholders on contractual or procurement matters.
• Champion best‑practice approaches, keeping policies, procedures, documents and workflows current and best‑in‑class.
• Achieve annual targets and objectives defined within the performance management framework.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

• Equivalency to A‑level education with a relevant professional qualification (e.g., MCIPS) or equivalent work experience; evidence of continuing professional development.
• Knowledge of category management and experience applying this methodology in complex commercial environments to deliver cost and service improvements.
• Proven track record of managing strategic contracts, defining, measuring and improving supplier performance.
• Experience in delivering continuous improvement in strategic arrangements, generating significant cost and service benefits.
• Knowledge of contract law and legislation relevant to the controlled categories, and its impact on market management, finance and contractual arrangements.
• Comprehensive negotiating skills for multi‑million‑pound contracts and experience of planning and delivering successful negotiations.
• Awareness of working in a political environment.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary package with local government pension scheme.
• Flexible working arrangements, including remote options.
• Annual leave: 27 days plus bank holidays.
• 37‑hour working week.
• Continued professional development support, including pathways to CIPS/MCIPS.
• Recognition of public and private sector experience.
• Potential to bring existing time served and benefits when joining from another local authority.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:

Essex County Council is a Disability‑Confident Leader and welcomes applications from disabled applicants, veterans, care leavers and other under‑represented groups. All qualified candidates will be considered for the role regardless of disability, veteran status or care‑leaver status.