Procurement Business Partner

Suffolk County Council Address: Endeavour House, Ipswich IP1 2BX - Hybrid working Salary: £40,777 - £47,054 per annum (pro rata for part time) Hours: 37 hours per week - flexible working options available Contract: Permanent At Suffolk County Council, we’re reimagining what local government can achieve. As a Procurement Business Partner, you’ll play a vital role in supporting smarter, more sustainable procurement strategies that deliver real value to our communities and the environment. Your consultative skills and commercial insight will help us evolve, improve, and make a lasting impact. Reimagine the possibilities. Your role and responsibilities As a Procurement Business Partner, you’ll deliver high-quality, timely commercial and procurement support to the council. You’ll act as a dedicated liaison to specific service areas, providing tailored procurement advice and acting as the primary link between departments and the wider procurement team.Our Procurement Team supports a wide range of departments across Suffolk County Council, including: Adult Social Care Children’s and Young People’s Services Suffolk Fire & Rescue Service Public Health & Communities Corporate Services Growth & Highways Infrastructure Your work will have a direct impact on essential services that touch the lives of people across Suffolk, every single day. On a typical day, you might lead and support the delivery of a wide range of procurement projects, planning and implementing continual improvement provide procurement advice and practical support to stakeholders, helping them achieve their goals while supporting the Council’s wider objectives build partnerships with internal and external stakeholders, acting as a trusted advisor lead and support tenders and negotiations and ensure compliance with UK procurement legislation and the Council’s Procurement Rules provide input on business cases and reports to senior officers and council members provide general advice on contract management, ensuring contracts are managed in line with the Council’s Contract Management Standards provide advice on social value, making sure our procurement activities create positive outcomes for Suffolk’s communities review and triage procurement requests, liaising with stakeholders as necessary to gather the information needed to establish an accurate procurement pipeline. We hope you’ll bring professional procurement/commissioning qualification (CIPS) or equivalent experience good interpersonal, persuasive, and negotiating skills appreciation of working within a large, complex political organisation (ideally within the public sector) project management and planning skills a collaborative spirit and a drive for continuous improvement proficient IT skills including e-tendering systems, MS Excel, Word and Teams/SharePoint strong communication skills including verbal, written and presentation a positive ‘can do’ approach to work, a willingness to learn and innovate Even if you don’t meet every requirement, we encourage you to apply. We value fresh perspectives and a willingness to learn and grow. You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (Word). The team You’ll join a friendly, professional Procurement Team that plays a key role in the strategic management of the Council’s wholly owned companies, delivering commercial challenge and ensuring cost-effective, efficient service provision. We support Directorates with tenders and quotations, offer training and development, and foster a culture of collaboration and innovation. Our team office days are Tuesday and Thursday with the remaining days being hybrid. These days are incredibly valuable for sharing ideas, supporting each other and enhancing our sense of belonging to the procurement team. Our team is proud to make a positive difference for Suffolk, and we’re committed to supporting each other’s wellbeing, growth, and success. We offer diverse and active staff networks, great flexible working options, and the opportunity to improve the lives of Suffolk residents. Empowering Everyone We’re big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We’re always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report. For more information Please contact Juliette Orsler or Neil Holland for a casual conversation. You can reach them by calling: Juliette on 01473 264852 or emailing juliette.orsler@suffolk.gov.uk or Neil on 01473 264785 or emailing neil.holland@suffolk.gov.uk. How to apply Step 1 - Read the Job and Person Profile (Word). Step 2 - Click ‘Apply Now’ to start your online application. Step 3 - Upload a CV (without name and personal details). Please note: Without a CV, your interest will not be progressed. Any supporting documents must be in either PDF or MS Word format. We value authentic applications that showcase your genuine skills and experiences. Applications suspected of being generated by AI may be rejected. We encourage you to present your own work and ideas throughout the application process. If you require any reasonable adjustments to the application process before the next selection stage, please contact our Recruitment Team by emailing recruitment@suffolk.gov.uk or calling 03456 014412. If you are invited to the next stage of selection, you will have another opportunity to request adjustments for the next stages of the process. Closing date: 11.30pm, 30 November 2025. Interview date: 8 and 9 December 2025. This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts. #LI-Hybrid