Procurement Manager in Leeds

Are you an experienced procurement professional ready to make a significant impact across a high-performing multi academy trust? The GORSE Academies Trust is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Procurement Manager to lead the trust's end-to-end procurement lifecycle and drive excellent commercial outcomes. As a key member of the central finance and operations team, you will ensure that all procurement activity is compliant with UK public procurement legislation, the Academy Trust Handbook, and internal financial procedures, while delivering strong value for money and robust governance across our academies.

Working closely with the CFO, Principals and central team Directors, you will lead the development and continuous improvement of the trust's procurement strategy, manage the trust-wide contract register, support major commercial agreements, and provide expert advice that ensures consistent, effective and compliant purchasing practices across the organisation.

• Has experience leading complex, high-value procurements from end-to-end.
• Understands public sector procurement, including use of frameworks, tendering, evaluation and contract mobilisation.
• Has a strong grasp of relevant regulations, including the Procurement Act 2023, DfE Buying for Schools guidance and the Academy Trust Handbook.
• Is commercially astute, analytical and confident in managing suppliers, contracts and commercial negotiations.
• Can build strong relationships with internal stakeholders and external suppliers.
• Is highly organised, detail-oriented and committed to maintaining audit ready standards.
• Enjoys improving systems, processes and tools to embed best practice trust wide.

• Lead compliant procurement processes for high value goods and services.
• Develop and deliver the trust's procurement strategy, embedding innovation, sustainability and social value.
• Manage and maintain the trust's forward procurement pipeline.
• Oversee the trust-wide contract register, ensuring compliance and timely renewals.
• Provide expert commercial advice and training to staff involved in procurement.
• Undertake procurement assurance work, including internal audits and annual reporting to trustees.
• Build effective relationships with suppliers and represent the trust in procurement networks.
• Ensure all procurement activity meets legal, regulatory and internal governance standards.

As a trust, we want to ensure that professionals at every stage in their career have the opportunity to enjoy expert support and training. We are pleased to offer a generous benefits package to our team - as we work together to create a rewarding future for all including:

• Membership of the local government pension scheme, depending on the role.
• A commitment to continued investment in our professionals, supporting every member of staff throughout their career in the trust.
• Access to an Employee Assistance Programme which provides confidential professional advice and support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• £2k Cycle to work scheme.

Led by Sir John Townsley, the nationally renowned GORSE Academies Trust has a central mission; to ensure that we play a significant role in removing the stubborn link between poverty and academic underperformance. We achieve this through providing all students, but particularly those who have the most challenging and complex backgrounds, with a rigorous and academic education which challenges and develops them, not only academically, but also socially.

We believe that this will prepare them for life not only in Britain, but across the world. We aspire for our young people to acquire the Gift of Choice, that is the ability for them to be able to actively choose their next steps, at whatever age, as opposed to having avenues closed off to them as a consequence of a poor skillset or qualifications base. The impact of the work of professionals can be acutely seen in the trust's performance, for example, in 2022-23 GORSE was the highest performing trust in the country (for trusts with 5 or more schools in them) for whole cohort Progress 8 and for disadvantaged Progress 8. Furthermore, the trust is proud that all of its establishments (with the exception of those that are currently ungraded) are Ofsted Good or Outstanding. This is only possible because of the exceptional members of staff and the tremendous support offered within the trust.