7 Force - Head of Category Operations & Community Services

The 7Force Procurement Team is a new shared service supporting the seven police forces across the East of England (Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex Hertfordshire, Kent, Norfolk and Suffolk). This collaboration is responsible for third party spend of approximately £260m per annum, making the 7Force Collaboration the second largest police procurement collective after the Metropolitan Police.

The 7 Force Commercial Services Function are looking for a Head of Category for the Operations and Community Categories of spend. Responsibilities include the management & appropriate allocation of pipeline projects across the Category /Procurement Team, based on project value, risk and complexity.

The postholder is also responsible for the delivery of the most ‘Strategic Critical’ procurements and the overview of all strategic Contract Management & Supplier Relationship activity, within the allocated categories, with a view to securing better value for money from contractual arrangements and ensuring that contracted benefits are delivered.

In addition, responsibilities include leading complex negotiations and the resolution of disputes that may arise, providing expert commercial and legal advice to the OPCC’s and Chief Officer teams across the 7 Forces.

The post holder must have the ability to interact with all senior level management and represent the 7 Forces as a collective or individually, where necessary.

They must have the gravitas to influence external bodies such as the Home Office, Crown Commercial Services, Police Digital Service and Blue Light Commercial and participate, as appropriate, on nationally led initiatives, providing opinion, guidance and shaping future offerings.

The post holder must also be able to interact with budget holders and operational contract owners in the 7 Forces, ensuring the procurement pipeline accurately reflects business need priorities.

The post holder will be ideally educated to CIPS Level 5 in-line with the CIPS structure guidance or be able to clearly evidence equivalent levels of experience, technical knowledge and expertise by having worked as a Procurement professional for a complex, public-sector organisation.