Category Manager - FM in Maidstone

Job title

Procurement Category Manager – Facilities Management and Construction (Grade 9)

Location

Service Headquarters, Maidstone – mixture of office and home working – 3 days per week in office (with travel countywide, based on needs)

Hours

Full time – 37 Hours per week

Pension

Automatic membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme – career average pension scheme with 16.5% employer contribution

Holidays

31 days holiday in addition to bank/public holidays

Responsibilities

You will lead the FM & Construction category, report directly to the Head of Procurement and manage one Category Officer. You will develop and promote an innovative approach to procurement and market analysis, provide data and supplier analysis, and support new methods of service delivery to achieve best value in procurement and continuous improvement through effective contract management. You will also support and lead with the Head of Procurement in designing and delivering local and national strategies to maximise collaboration opportunities across the Blue Light sector.

Qualifications

• Procurement experience within the facilities management industry. Experience of procurement within the construction industry is desirable.
• Experience within the public sector with a proven track record of applying both the Public Contract Regulations 2015 and Procurement Act 2023.
• Knowledge and experience of JCT contracts. NEC contract experience is desirable.
• Knowledge and application of procurement processes, English Contract Law, costing techniques, EU Directives, and tendering/re‑tendering procurements, including category management processes and practices.
• Experience of using the government’s Find a Tender Service (FTS) / Central Digital Platform (CDP).
• Member of the Chartered Institute of Procurement or Supply, or qualified to at least CIPS level 4 and working towards (or committed to doing so) CIPS Advanced Diploma in Procurement and Supply.
• Proven track record in a professional procurement function at a functional senior practitioner level (or capability to do so).

Additional benefits

• Automatic membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Blue Light Card discount scheme supported by a number of high street retailers.
• A range of family‑friendly policies promoting work‑life balance.
• Access to health and wellbeing services and advice.
• Free parking.
• Above all you’ll become part of a service that is committed to the safety of our community.

EEO Statement

Inclusion is at the heart of everything we do. We rely on diverse thoughts, feelings, beliefs and backgrounds to create the best working environment that we can possibly offer. Kent Fire and Rescue Service, its employees and volunteers, are committed to safeguarding, protecting and supporting children, young people and adults at risk. As part of our safer recruitment process, we will undertake pre‑employment checks to verify your suitability for the role. These checks will include your references and a standard or enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Enhanced DBS check with barred lists are carried out for roles with direct and unsupervised access to children, young people and adults at risk. Risk assessments will be undertaken on any disclosures identified as part of the pre‑employment checks. As a Public Sector organisation with added responsibilities under the Equality Act, 2010 the candidate must demonstrate an understanding of what is meant by Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and how this fits in with their everyday work.