Highway & Traffic Services Procurement Category Manager

Highway & Traffic Services Procurement Category Manager

Full time, 37 hours – Permanent

RG8b (scp 39 – 42) £43,570 - £46,662

It’s an exciting time for our Highways & Traffic Services Team.  Over the last year we’ve taken great strides to modernise our offer; embarking on a Boroughwide Residential Roads & Pavement programme to improve the Council’s highway network. We have also embarked on a Council wide leadership development programme whilst developing an organisational culture through our Team Reading values. Further development plans are in place and we need you to help us achieve them.

We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.

About the role

We want our people to be the best they can and to give them a platform from which they can deliver the highest quality services to our residents. Central to this is the delivery of our Statutory Highway Maintenance works, as well as our extensive Capital Works programmes across roads, pavements, bridges, streetlighting and winter maintenance.

Reporting to the Highway & Traffic Services Manager this role will deliver the wide range of contracts across the team to ensure compliance with the Procurement Regulations and meeting our statutory obligations. The postholder will work in partnership with internal departments & external organisations.

Key areas of responsibility include:

• To develop, implement and maintain the Highways & Traffic Services procurement category management strategy
• Lead on the Procurement of highway & traffic services contracts
• To manage and monitor existing contracts within the Highways & Traffic Services Team
• To ensure audit and control of supplier engagement processes, spend and compliance with the Council’s Financial Regulations, Standing Orders and achieving VFM
• To identify and investigate opportunities to achieve greater cost effectiveness
• To create and maintain a Central Register of Contracts and preferred suppliers
• To draft, write and present written reports to senior officers and committees
• To provide knowledgeable and expert guidance and advice
• To contribute to other current or emerging procurement related projects and initiatives (including management of other public procurement activity)

You’ll be part of a team that relies on each individual to play their part to the best of their ability. As well as the colleagues that you work closely with every day, you’ll also be part of Team Reading, playing your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place. Our vision is to ensure that Reading realises its potential as a great place to live, work and play, and that everyone shares the benefits of this success. Our values and behaviours guide how we will achieve this:

Work Together as one team - champion and inspire a culture which ensures that all employees across the organisation work together to provide excellent outcomes for Reading

Drive Efficiency - create an environment in which resources are used efficiently and employees’ skills are developed and used effectively

Be Ambitious - aspire to deliver excellence and inspire and support others to reach their potential 

Make a Difference to Reading - inspire a culture in which the customer is the focus and where change is welcomed as an opportunity

About you

We’re looking for someone who can combine procurement with Highway & Traffic maintenance expertise with inspirational leadership, someone that enjoys a challenge, can make things happen, whilst never losing sight of the customer, our residents and users of the public highway. You should be an experienced Procurement Officer with a track record of contract delivery while supporting a team to successfully deliver contracts with the ability and desire to bring out the best in those around you.

Specific requirements

• Procurement experience gained in a large, complex organisation with multiple stakeholders
• A thorough and up to date knowledge of procurement legislation and best practice
• Experience of transforming procurement services with an emphasis on customer focus
• Experience of leading procurements for works, goods and services regulated by the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.
• Ability to work across a large diverse workload

Our offer

We offer a supportive environment to grow and develop your career with the opportunity to put your ideas across. Innovation and ambition is strongly encouraged, and you’ll get a great feel for that working in our friendly and collaborative environment.

You will be based at our Bennet Road Depot with some working from home required, with some unsociable hours when the need arises.

A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including:

• Generous holiday entitlement - 24 days holiday each year plus bank holidays - rising to 32 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave
• A wide range of flexible working opportunities
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Life Assurance - three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
• Season Ticket Loan - a loan to help with the cost of your rail or bus journey, to and from work
• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax

To arrange a confidential discussion on this position please contact Sam.Shean@reading.gov.uk   

Closing Date: 29^th May

Interview Date: to be confirmed

Interview Process: Interview either face to face or on MS TEAMS

Please note that the closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. Therefore, it is strongly advised that you complete and return your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.