PLEASE NOTE THIS POST IS ONLY OPEN TO INTERNAL APPLICANTS
Organisation: ESPO
Work Location: Barnsdale Way, Grove Park, Enderby, Leicester, LE19 1ES
Salary: Grade 13 £49,221 - £53,826 per annum (pro-rata for part-time) (Pay award pending)
Working Hours: 34 hours per week – Full-time
Contract Type: Secondment for maternity cover starting October 2026
Closing Date: 16th August 2026
Interview Date(s): TBC
Are you looking for a rewarding career where you can make a difference?
Do you want a job where no two days are the same?
About the Role
Working alongside the Head of Procurement & Compliance, Heads of Service Commissioners and Commercial Solicitors, to develop and embed a rigorous commercial approach to procurement of goods and services intrinsic to ESPO’s operational requirements, so that commercial risks are addressed and the best outcomes are achieved for ESPO.
Responsible for leading and managing the procurement activity pertaining to all ESPO departments’ requirements for equipment and support services while retaining a strategic and operational perspective when establishing formal contracts with an annual procurement spend of circa £24 million.
Increase awareness of statutory obligations amongst all ESPO staff involved in commissioning through an ongoing Internal Procurement Learning and Development plan.
Always maintain a strong understanding of public procurement regulations in force and how they influence and shape procurement activity.
Manage the quality of documentation issued to mitigate procurement risk and challenge.
Manage response to supplier complaints about and challenges to contract awards.
Responsible for procurement strategies and category work plans relevant to a diverse range of public sector markets. Be able to justify, present advice and conclusions to Chief Officers and Elected Members, as appropriate.
Ownership of the development of the procurement pipeline for ESPO and the establishment of a corporate contracts register to enable a planned programme of procurement activity and reporting of corporate spend patterns.
Implement a supplier relationship management strategy and contract management procedures for strategic contracts.
Work strategically with other public bodies, including Central Governments ‘Crown Commercial Services’ to respond to Government agendas on current ‘best practice’ in public procurement, including savings agendas.
Build powerful relationships across stake holders, peers and partners creating and fostering open and transparent relationships.
About You
To apply for this post, you must have:
- Business or other relevant Degree
- Membership of Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (MCIPS qualified)
- Evidence of commitment to continuing professional development
- Extensive experience of managing complex, high value procurement in the wider public sector
- Proven experience of providing high level professional advice
- Experience of taking a leading role within a category management environment and Proven track record in influencing and managing procurement improvements
- Experience of commissioning services and contract management, service level agreements and key performance indicators and Experience of managing complex projects in a multi-disciplinary team
We’d also expect you to share our commitment to our values and will ask you to evidence when you have demonstrated them as part of the interview process.
Reasonable adjustments will be considered for applicants with a disability. We are a Disability Confident Employer.
What we offer:
- Flexible working opportunities and access to employee benefits portal with car lease scheme.
- 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays (increasing to 33 after 5 years’ service), and a scheme to buy additional leave.
- Local Government Pension Scheme with a generous employer contribution.
- Great office location next to Fosse Park, with free on-site parking and easy access to M1 and M69.
Interested in Flexible Working?
We are open to discussions about flexible working, which may include part time working, job sharing, term-time working, flexible start and finish times, and hybrid working, depending on the requirements of the role and the service. If you would like to discuss the possible flexible working options that might be applicable to this role, please contact the person named below.
For more information or an informal discussion, please contact:
Mark Ewen, Head of Procurement & Compliance
Email: [email protected]
How to Apply
At ESPO, we’re looking for top talent from all walks of life. Whoever you are, wherever you’re from, and whatever your background - we care about what you bring to our organisation, not just what’s on your CV. That’s why we’ve designed a recruitment process that’s fair, accessible, and focused on potential. And with benefits that support people at every age and stage of life, we make sure you can thrive - both personally and professionally.
Click the apply button to submit your application, ensuring that you upload a supporting statement that explains how you meet the criteria listed in the ‘About You’ section above. Without this information, we won’t be able to assess your suitability for the role, and your application will be rejected. For tips on how to write your statement, see the How to Apply section on our career site.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
If you have any technical issues when trying to apply for this post or you want to request an application pack in an alternative format, please contact our Employee Service Centre by telephoning 0300 3030222 (select option 2) or raise a ticket via our online portal: https://emss.org.uk/support.
By applying for this post, you agree to our Terms and Conditions.
About UsAbout ESPO
We're a unique organisation, owned by the public sector and sharing their values and ethos, but operating with a commercial edge. As a specialist procurement body, we pride ourselves on establishing procurement solutions that save money for the public sector. View our prospectus to find out more.
We have modern, open-plan offices with excellent transport links and a friendly workplace environment. We offer flexible working, a generous holiday entitlement, a contributory pension scheme, training (including professional CIPS qualification) and opportunities to develop your career.
ESPO is supported by wide range of roles across many different disciplines including sales, marketing, IT, procurement, finance, operations (warehouse management and transport planning) and customer services. So whether you are interested in a public-facing role or playing your part behind the scenes, ESPO could be the place for you.
To learn more about working for ESPO please visit www.espo.org.
