Sourcing Lead

Are you an experienced procurement leader with a passion for strategic sourcing, commercial innovation and delivering value for money? Birmingham City Council is looking for a Sourcing Lead to join our newly established Commercial and Procurement Services. This is a fantastic opportunity to lead a specialist sourcing team, developing innovative procurement strategies that improve efficiency, strengthen supplier relationships and maximise public value.

You'll play a key role in shaping how the Council procures goods and services, ensuring procurement is ethical, commercially robust and aligned with the Council's strategic priorities.

• Leading and developing a high-performing Sourcing Team, creating a culture of collaboration, innovation and continuous improvement.
• Developing sourcing strategies that respond to organisational priorities, market opportunities and emerging commercial trends to deliver value for money.
• Building strong relationships with internal stakeholders and suppliers, providing expert commercial advice throughout the procurement lifecycle.
• Leading supplier performance management, using commercial and performance data to improve quality, manage risk and deliver measurable benefits.
• Driving the development of catalogue-based sourcing solutions and modern procurement approaches that improve efficiency and accessibility.
• Championing the effective use of procurement systems, technology and digital solutions to enhance commercial performance and service delivery.
• Ensuring all procurement activity is delivered in accordance with procurement legislation, governance requirements and robust project management principles.

We're looking for an experienced procurement leader who combines commercial expertise with excellent leadership and stakeholder management skills.

You’ll bring:

• Significant experience developing procurement and sourcing strategies within a regulated procurement environment that deliver measurable commercial value.
• Strong knowledge of procurement legislation, governance and commercial best practice, with experience managing complex supply chains and contracts.
• Experience using market intelligence, supplier performance data and commercial insight to inform sourcing decisions and drive continuous improvement.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and influencing skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships across senior stakeholders and supplier organisations.
• Strong analytical skills, using performance data to identify opportunities, manage risks and improve procurement outcomes.
• Experience leading, coaching and developing procurement professionals to build capability and deliver high performance.
• A Level 6 CIPS Diploma (or equivalent professional expertise), or a commitment to work towards the qualification.

Working for Birmingham City Council is more than just a job; it's about making life better for the 1 million plus people who live and work in the city. The Council is a fantastic place to work. You will find an organisation that is both challenging and supportive; with a leadership impatiently adventurous in its pursuit of excellence.

There is a clear vision which is ensuring that the Council is working for communities today and building for tomorrow, we focus our resources on five key priorities:

• A Prosperous Birmingham: through a focus on inclusive economic growth, tackling unemployment, attracting inward investment, and maximising the benefits of the Commonwealth Games.
• An Inclusive Birmingham: through a focus on tackling poverty and inequality, empowering citizens, promoting diversity and civic pride, and supporting and enabling all children and young people to thrive.
• A Safe Birmingham: through a focus on making the city safer, safeguarding vulnerable citizens, increasing affordable housing, and tackling homelessness.
• A Healthy Birmingham: through a focus on tackling health inequalities, encouraging physical activity and healthy living, supporting mental health, and improving outcomes for adults with disabilities and older people.
• A Green Birmingham: through a focus on street cleanliness, improving air quality, continuing the route to net zero, and becoming a city of…