Category Officer (Children Services)

The role of our Procurement and Contract Management team is to support OCC, and the wider public sector system in Oxfordshire, to deliver effective and consistent services and ensure that products and services purchased from suppliers represent value for money.
The post holder will work with their Category Manager and fellow Category Officers to deliver agreed procurement and contract management activities in relation to their assigned category within Children Services, ensuring that resources are flexed and prioritised to meet changing demands and to ensure performance aims and objectives are successfully delivered in accordance with agreed targets.
Function Leadership
• To act as a professional adviser on procurement and contract management matters to Service Leads and other Officers for health, education and social care, supporting effective decision making in relation to the procurement of goods and services from suppliers.
Strategy and Decision Making
• To work with Commissioners and Service Leads across both Councils to drive the development of a sub-category strategy for a health, education and social care spend category ensuring that this is consistent with the broader category strategy owned by the relevant Category Manager.
Relationships and Stakeholder Management
• To build effective working relationships, relating to health, education and social care across the Council, its suppliers and other partners which deliver effective and consistent services, and which represent value for money.
• To work with Commissioners and Officers across the Council to deliver of procurement and contract management activities for their health, education and social care spend category.
Technical / Professional
• To deliver procurement and contract management activity for their health, education and social care spend category in the Council, ensuring the effective and efficient delivery of the required outcomes and benefits.
• To support the Category Manager in ensuring that the Council is compliant with the requirements of Standing Orders relating to Contracts and the Public Procurement Regulations (or replacement) and all legislative requirements associated with the procurement of goods and services within a public sector organisation for their health, education and social care spend category
PERSON SPECIFICATION /SELECTION CRITERIA
Essential
*Membership (or working towards) of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and
Supply (MCIPS) or an appropriate equivalent body.
*Procurement and contract management work experience spanning at least 3 years in the public sector with evidence of successful delivery across the procurement and
contract management cycle.
*Experience of managing strategic commercial relationships with key suppliers and major contractors within a health, education and social care spend category.
*Good knowledge of category management, strategic procurement processes and contract management including emerging practices.
Experience of delivering against third-party spend savings targets, in areas relevant to the health, education and social care spend category.
*Significant knowledge and understanding of procurement and contract management policy, practices, procedures and legislation.

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