Category Specialist – Fleet Procurement in London

This is a great opportunity to join our dynamic team as a Category Specialist, playing a pivotal role within the council’s Fleet Transport team. We need to replace our existing vehicle fleet in alignment with the council’s approved fleet replacement procurement strategy. This high priority programme will contribute to the achievement of the council’s climate action objectives. This role is mainly office-based, located at the Council Waste and Recycling Centre at 1 Cottage Road but also from the Town Hall. Remote working will only be considered for one day a week. You will work a 35-hour week, Monday to Friday. This fixed term position is offered for an 18-month period.

As a crucial member of the team, you will lead on fleet related procurements based within the Environment and Climate Change Department. Your contribution will ensure the delivery of high-profile procurement projects at pace in consultation with key stakeholders from across the council. You will support the development of long-term strategic planning, ensuring operational requirements are met, securing added social value and ethical supply priorities and identification of potential savings opportunities from your projects.

As the Category Specialist you will be working specifically on fleet procurement initiating a procurement, supporting business cases for approval, approach to questions on quality and social value, development of specifications, pricing, evaluation and award. Your responsibilities extend to leading, monitoring and reporting on project progress, supporting the feasibility for proposed procurements, adherence to procurement compliance around threshold requirements, engaging external framework providers along with stakeholder representatives from council departments, consultants, and contractors.

Relevant experience in fleet and vehicle procurement or service provision is preferred but is not essential. You will need to have strong skills and experience in project coordination, report writing, stakeholder engagement, planning, assessing, adhering to governance requirements and being able to understand and use technical procurement knowledge. Additionally, the role requires analytical skills, monitoring information and reports, research, benchmarking, using data sets, understanding procurement threshold models, budgets and focus on quality and industry standards.

If you're ready to bring your passion and expertise to a dynamic team, apply today! Take the lead in shaping the future of fleet procurement with us. Your journey to making a significant impact starts here!

Islington is a place rich with diversity and culture. As a council our sense of purpose couldn’t be clearer: we serve. It’s in the logo. We are committed to challenging inequality in the borough and as one of the largest employers we know that to look after the place and the planet, we have to look after our people. Together we can change the future. We are determined to create a more equal Islington, where everyone who lives here has an equal chance to thrive.

To do this, everyone who works at Islington Council lives by a set of values which guide us in everything that we do: collaborative, ambitious, resourceful, and empowering. They spell out ‘CARE’, which is what we think public service is all about.

Our staff benefits include:

• Up to 31 days leave per year, increasing to 36 days after five years of local government service
• A range of flexible working arrangements to maintain a healthy work-life balance, as well as a 35-hour working week
• Learning and development opportunities to maximise your potential
• Competitive pay and a commitment to paying all staff the London Living Wage at minimum
• Excellent local government pension scheme
• Cycle to Work scheme and discounted gym memberships
• Local discounts from restaurants, shops, health and beauty therapists, and more!

Please note: Priority will be given to those at risk of redundancy within Islington Council. Current employees who are part of the redeployment pool must meet the essential criteria for shortlisting to be prioritised.

We are dedicated to creating an inclusive and equitable workforce, where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. Our workforce strategy places equality, equity, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of everything we do, reaffirming our commitment to fostering a culture of inclusion. We strive to create an environment where all colleagues feel they belong and can safely express their thoughts, ideas, and challenges, without fear of judgement or discrimination.

We maintain a zero-tolerance approach to any unlawful discrimination, harassment, or victimisation on the grounds of any protected characteristics under the 2010 Equality Act, including but not limited to race, disability, sexual orientation, sex, religion and belief, age, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy, and maternity. Any incidents of discrimination will be promptly investigated and addressed in line with our HR policies to ensure a safe and inclusive environment for all colleagues.

We use data to identify and address disparities, ensuring that our policies and practices are transparent and impactful in promoting a diverse representation of backgrounds and perspectives at all levels of the organisation. We look at inequality through an intersectional lens, recognising that different aspects of someone’s identity can combine to create unique experiences of discrimination and disadvantage.

We know that advancing diversity and inclusion is a continuous journey, and we must listen to our colleagues and learn where we can further improve. We work closely with our Colleague Forums and Trade Unions, supported by active allies from our Corporate Management Team, to monitor and evaluate our practices, identify barriers, and empower colleagues to promote equality and inclusion in the workplace.

Every one of us has a role to play in making Islington Council a truly inclusive workplace. By living out our CARE (collaborative, ambitious, resourceful, and empowering) values every day and embedding the principles of equality, equity, diversity, and inclusion in our work, we can all actively contribute to empowering people and creating a more equal Islington.

Any offer of employment will be subject to the successful completion of required pre-employment checks. These may include:

• Proof of address
• Evidence of any name changes (if applicable)
• Right to work in the UK
• Overseas criminal record check (if applicable)
• Satisfactory references
• Occupational Health clearance
• Evidence of professional qualifications or registrations
• DBS check at the appropriate level (if applicable)

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expect all staff, and volunteers to share this commitment.

Islington Council operates a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria and we are committed to providing support to applicants who request reasonable adjustments to be made during the recruitment process and throughout their career with us.