Service Manager; Social Care

Scotland Excel is the Centre of Procurement Expertise for local government in Scotland. Established in 2008, they are a leading public sector shared service and operate as a non-profit organisation funded by Scotland’s 32 local authorities.

Scotland Excel has a contract portfolio that supports the delivery of a wide range of essential public services provided by councils and includes contracts for children’s services and adult social care. We work closely with a wide range of key stakeholders to develop national solutions which embed national care policies and best practice and provide local commissioners with a choice of high-quality services which meet the individual needs of people who require support.

The services commissioned support some of the most vulnerable people in our communities.

We are seeking a maternity cover for a critical senior manager role leading the team in the delivery of strategic sourcing activity and best practice contract management. You will be joining the Strategic Commissioning Team at an exciting time as we work with our members to determine the strategy for Scotland Excel’s future role in social care. Working within the Strategic Commissioning Team places you at the centre of this important and evolving landscape.

In this role you will provide leadership to a team of highly experienced and dedicated commissioning professionals bringing practical experience of delivering and managing complex contracts. You will support your direct report category managers by bringing knowledge, expertise and practical experience of tackling complex procurement or commissioning work.

Social care experience is preferred but not necessary as your category manager direct reports are experienced commissioners and experts in their respective category areas. You will provide procurement and commercial expertise to support them in the delivery of high value complex contracts. This will include developing and implementing sourcing strategies and building strong relationships with key stakeholders. You will support your direct reports to oversee the end‑to‑end procurement process, drive continuous improvement, manage provider performance, and ensuring best value through a robust commercial approach.

We are seeking a highly capable candidate with a business‑related degree or equivalent qualification with public sector procurement experience and significant management experience. You will have a strong commercial aptitude and be able to confidently work with complex service budget breakdown information and have experience in leading commercial negotiations.

The ideal candidate will be skilled in using Microsoft Office and procurement‑related systems, comfortable applying e‑technologies, and able to interpret financial information with confidence. We are looking for someone who can plan, organise, influence and communicate effectively, demonstrating proven leadership, sound decision‑making abilities and practical people‑management experience.

If you are an experienced individual with a strong and proven track record of delivery within a complex procurement environment and you are excited by the chance to influence nationally and drive meaningful change across Scotland’s public services, we’d love to hear from you.

When joining Scotland Excel, you will have access to a fantastic range of benefits including a hybrid and flexible approach to work which can include a nine-day fortnight, a defined benefits pension scheme, generous holiday allowance and opportunities for professional development.

Scotland Excel is committed to diversity and inclusion and is a Disability Confident registered employer who welcomes applications from all backgrounds. If you wish to be considered under the Disability Confident scheme please let us know when applying or by email to