Associate Governance and Assurance Lead, Commercial and Procurement Services DEPT CC

Permanent

Grade D - £45,091 – £53,460

Consultation grade - subject to formal evaluation under the Equal Pay Programme

Working 36.5 hours per week

Sponsorship is not available for this post. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK that does not require employer sponsorship for the duration of the appointment.

Use your procurement expertise to strengthen commercial governance and assurance

Are you a procurement specialist with experience in strengthening procurement governance, managing commercial risk, and providing assurance across complex procurement activity?

Do you understand procurement legislation, have strong commercial judgement and enjoy ensuring that procurement decisions are compliant, commercially sound and deliver value for money?

Birmingham City Council is looking for an Associate Governance and Assurance Lead to join our newly established Commercial and Procurement Services (CPS).

This is an exciting opportunity for someone with practical experience in commercial procurement, procurement governance or procurement‑focused contract management to help strengthen the Council's approach to governance, compliance and commercial assurance.

You’ll work closely with procurement professionals, commercial teams and key stakeholders to review procurement activity, assess commercial and contractual risks, strengthen controls and ensure decisions are supported by robust governance arrangements.

Whether you’re already working in procurement governance or have a commercial procurement background and are looking to develop your expertise in assurance, this role offers the opportunity to make a real impact within one of the UK’s largest local authorities.

As an Associate Governance and Assurance Lead, you’ll help ensure procurement activity is compliant, commercially viable, appropriately risk assessed and supported by effective governance processes.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Supporting the development, implementation and continuous improvement of procurement and commercial governance frameworks, processes and controls, ensuring alignment with legislation and Council policies.
• Reviewing procurement business cases, sourcing strategies, contract award reports and commercial documentation to assess compliance, contractual obligations, commercial risks and value for money.
• Providing practical advice and guidance to procurement colleagues and budget holders on procurement legislation, governance requirements, assurance processes and commercial best practice.
• Identifying and assessing procurement, financial, operational and contractual risks, recommending proportionate controls and escalating significant concerns where appropriate.
• Coordinating procurement assurance activities, governance reviews and reporting requirements, ensuring appropriate checks, approvals and documentation are completed to a high standard.
• Working collaboratively with Procurement, Finance and operational stakeholders to support informed commercial decisions, strengthen compliance and improve procurement outcomes.
• Developing guidance and supporting team members to improve governance processes, strengthen controls and embed continuous improvement through assurance findings and lessons learned.

We’re looking for someone who combines practical procurement knowledge with strong commercial awareness, sound judgement and an understanding of how effective governance supports successful procurement outcomes.

You’ll bring:

• Experience working in commercial procurement, procurement governance, procurement assurance or procurement‑focused contract management, with a good understanding of the end‑to‑end procurement lifecycle.
• A sound…