Director of Procurement
Director of Procurement – London Brough of Waltham Forest
Walthamstow & Ilford, NE London
Salary range £93,595 - £104,009 (subject to any 2020/21 increment)
Direct reports: 4; Indirect reports: 18.
The London Borough of Waltham Forest in North East London is the MJ’s Council of the Year and was the 2019 London Borough of Culture.
Following a review and restructure of the Procurement department we are seeking a strong, senior leader to join as the Director of Procurement to continue our journey to deliver sustained excellence and innovation across all spend categories to benefit our citizens, businesses and staff. This is an exciting, senior opportunity to continue with the modernisation of the service, leading it in new directions.
The Procurement team comprises 23 staff, is CIPS accredited for Procurement Excellence and has built a positive reputation by providing high quality, professional support to the two neighbouring London Boroughs of Waltham Forest and Redbridge who between them have an annual external spend in the order of £500m plus combined capital project pipeline in excess of £800m. The role covers both Councils with time spend across both Walthamstow and Ilford to fully engage with and build mature relationships with internal customers, Members, suppliers and staff.
We are looking for an individual with outstanding leadership qualities and a demonstrable track record of working collaboratively with and inspiring colleagues. As the figurehead for Procurement you will set out a clear strategy and direction for the service and motivate the organisation and department to deliver the strategy.
You will be able to demonstrate the ability to deal successfully with competing priorities, providing leadership despite uncertainty and ambiguity often arising from incomplete information.
You will have in depth technical expertise of procurement and contract management ideally gained from a range of different organisations, sectors or environments. While a broad knowledge of different categories would be beneficial, what is more important is the capacity to adapt to new areas of knowledge and flexibility illustrated through your experience.
It is not essential that you have years of Local Authority or public sector experience. What is more important is your ability to operate successfully in complex environments. Private sector or commercial background in relevant roles and industries could also be beneficial.
Waltham Forest and Redbridge
Waltham Forest is one of the greenest and fastest growing areas in the Capital, Council of the Year 2019 and London’s first Borough of Culture. With fantastic connectivity, huge investment potential and limitless ambition Waltham Forest is a great place to live and work. The borough has excellent transport connections and represents the best of both worlds in London; the City 10 minutes to the South and the Epping Forest 10 minutes to the North. Good schools, great parks, vibrant culture, regeneration and local entrepreneurs make Waltham Forest a community that people want to call home.
Redbridge is changing and is among the fastest growing parts of the country and the third most diverse London borough. Our communities are attracted by a mixture of excellent schools, relatively cheap housing, high quality open space and rapid transport connections into the heart of the City. Our population is getting both younger and older - driving increased demand in both adults and children's services. A growing population has placed huge pressure on a housing stock built for a different era. The pace of change is phenomenal.
The role will be employed by Waltham Forest Council which offers excellent benefits in addition to a highly competitive salary. These include 28 days paid leave, access to the Local Government Pension Scheme and a range of family friendly policies and procedures including flexible working. Full details are included in the attached Staff Benefits document.
Timetable
Advert goes live: Thursday 30 January 2020
Closing date for applications: 10am, Monday 24 February 2020
Candidates advised if progressing to interview: Friday 28 February 2020
Interview dates:
- Panel Interviews with line managers and internal stakeholders:
11th and 12th March 2020 at Waltham Forest and Redbridge.
- Interviews with Strategic Directors of Finance from both Councils:
17 March 2020 at Waltham Forest
Application
For more information contact or to discuss the opportunity please contact nigel.kletz@walthamforest.gov.uk or rob.manning@walthamforest.gov.uk
Please apply via Jobsgopublic website or alternatively you can submit a CVs with a maximum length of 3-4 pages which should emphasise your achievements. A covering letter accompanying an application of maximum 1 page outlining your specific suitability for the role can also be included.
Please could you forward your CV with a covering letter to nigel.kletz@walthamforest.gov.uk
Equal Opportunities
Waltham Forest is a diverse borough where diversity is valued and is integral to both, service delivery and employment of its staff. The Council is proud of its rich mix of communities and as the largest employer in the area, it works hard to respond to the changing needs of its population. We use our statutory duties on race, gender and disability equality and best practice in respect of age, faith and sexual orientation to ensure equality of opportunity in the workplace. The Council is committed to meeting its 4 equality objectives: - Promoting equality of opportunity - Opposing all forms of discrimination, intolerance and disadvantage - Ensuring our workforce reflects the diverse communities of Waltham Forest at all levels. - Providing fair, appropriate, accessible and excellent Services to all. Respecting Diversity is a core Council value. To support the above and reduce the risk of bias in its recruitment activities, the council is operating an anonymous shortlisting process, which hides personal information that can identify individuals until their application has been considered for shortlisting. The council also operates a scheme whereby, for jobs graded up to and including scale SO2, internal candidates are considered first. This includes those candidates who self-identify as having a disability for the purposes of the Disability Confident scheme. For more information, please refer to our recruitment and selection policy
How to apply
Application Information The councils preference is for on-line application forms. However if you have a disability and are unable to complete an on-line application, please ring 0208 496 4227 who will be able to arrange an alternative. For more information on how to complete your application form, follow this link: Applying for a job at Waltham Forest Council
