The South West Police Procurement Service (SWPPS) has an exciting new opportunity for a Category Buyer to join their regional team of experts delivering procurement services to the five Police Forces in the South West. It is a fantastic time to join the team as it continues to grow and deliver value for money through the procurement lifecycle, having a positive impact on the policing service we provide to our communities. The team is almost thirty strong and are responsible for over 500 contracts with a spend of circa £480m.
Procurement in policing is varied and includes works, goods, and services that support operational policing. As a Category Buyer you will provide expert support to the work of SWPPS and will lead on individual procurements to deliver each category’s strategy. This will involve engagement with key stakeholders (including operational and technical experts in each of the forces) and building effective and productive relationships with specific suppliers.
Applicants should be able to demonstrate commercial acumen and ideally hold CIPS (Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply) Level 3 or be willing to undertake and achieve the CIPS qualifications.
This is a hybrid working role with flexibility to work from home and/or one of the five Police Headquarters in the South West region (Exeter, Portishead, Gloucester, Devizes, Winfrith). There is an expectation to attend occasional onsite meetings within the region.
This is a great opportunity not only to join one of Policing’s largest procurement teams and gain from all the benefits that brings, but ultimately contribute to operational policing and make a positive difference to the communities we serve.
