Procurement Manager - Corporate & Professional

About the job

Salary: £50,269 - £53,460 a year plus £3,203 car benefit allowance
Hours per week: 37
Contract type: Permanent

Are you a strategic thinker with a passion for delivering real value through procurement? We’re looking for a Procurement Manager - Corporate & Professional to join our team and help shape the way we deliver services across the organisation.

In this role, you’ll take the lead on end-to-end procurement projects, implementing innovative strategies that reduce costs while maintaining high standards of quality and compliance. You’ll act as a trusted advisor, providing best practice procurement guidance and constructive challenge to ensure every project delivers maximum impact.

From complex, high-risk projects to everyday procurement activity, you’ll bring your expertise across all categories of expenditure - including works, services, and supplies - spanning general fund, capital, and HRA-funded schemes.

Collaboration is key in this role. You’ll matrix-manage Procurement and Market Intelligence Officers, working closely with other managers and Category Managers on a project-by-project basis. Your ability to influence, lead, and apply effective procurement and evaluation strategies will drive incremental value and ensure our organisation continues to operate with efficiency, transparency, and purpose.

Please note this role does not attract sponsorship.

About you

You’ll be an experienced procurement professional with a proven track record of leading compliant procurement projects across the public and/or private sectors. You bring a strategic and commercial mindset, capable of delivering innovative solutions and tangible cost savings while maintaining a strong focus on quality and compliance.

Your understanding of the economics of procurement and market development enables you to see the bigger picture and identify opportunities that drive value. With excellent communication, negotiation, and influencing skills, you’re confident engaging with stakeholders at all levels and across a wide range of organisations.

Highly organised and detail-oriented, you can juggle multiple work streams at different stages of development without missing a beat. You’re also a collaborative team player, known for your positive approach and ability to build strong working relationships both within your team and across the wider organisation.

Analytical and solutions-focused, you can interpret complex information, prepare insightful reports, and deliver clear, compelling presentations. You’re equally confident managing staff - both directly and through matrix management techniques - to ensure objectives are met efficiently and effectively.

You’ll have an up-to-date knowledge of UK procurement legislation, EU directives, and best practice procurement techniques, along with experience using e-procurement tools to drive performance and value for money. Ideally, you’ll be working towards CIPS membership or able to demonstrate equivalent expertise through professional experience.

This is a public facing role so you’ll need to show off your fluency in speaking and writing English

About us

Our ambitious Luton 2040 Vision – that no-one in Luton will have to live in poverty – is at the heart of everything we do. We recognise that our people are remarkable, talented, committed and passionate about serving our residents.

The people of Luton depend heavily on this council – and that means our workforce! Are you ready to realise the remarkable and help us deliver our vision?

We welcome applications from all sections of the community and are committed to developing a workforce that reflects the diversity of our borough

Application Process

On occasions, we may close a vacancy early due to a very high number of applications being received.

Benefits

We offer a range of excellent staff benefits which include:

- From 25 to 32 days’ annual leave: linked to length of service and grade
- Buying annual leave scheme: buy up to 20 days additional annual leave
- Career Pathways: step up in your career or move into a specialist area
- Pension scheme: with generous employer contributions of up to 20.2 per cent (at July 2023) and 3x salary death in service grant
- Generous relocation package: up to £8,000 (subject to eligibility)
- Employee Assistance Programme: a free, 24/7 confidential counselling and wellbeing support service available to all employees, their partner or spouse and dependent children over 16 still living at home
- Work/life balance: flexible working options including working from home where possible. We welcome requests for flexible working arrangements including part-time hours and alternative working patterns
- Training and support: unlimited access to development courses, mentoring and support and clear career pathways
- Staff offers: includes discounts on your MOT, gym and fitness, restaurants and salons
- Arriva Travel Club: great value savings on local bus travel

How to apply

We understand that job applications take time and effort, but a high-quality application shows that you are professional with a good attention to detail. The recruiting manager may receive a number of applications for each job advertised so you want yours to stand out!

Our ‘How to apply' page has more tips to help with your application: How to apply

Available documents

Attached documents are available under links. Clicking a document link will initialize its download.

• download: M4 Procurement Manager_FINAL Corporate & Professional.docx
• download: Luton_Values_Flyer.pdf