Full Time working 37 hours per week, Permanent

An exciting opportunity has become available within Bristol City Council's Procurement & Contract Management Service for an experienced and highly motivated commercial professional.

The Council has strong commercial foundations in place. We are now focused on developing a more proactive, strategic and forward-thinking approach to procurement and contract management.

As Supplier Relations Manager, you will play a leading role in shaping this next phase:

You will lead the implementation of new commercial systems and tools, helping to make our processes more integrated, automated and data-driven.
You will collaborate with colleagues across the organisation, using spend, contract and market intelligence to develop and embed a Category Management approach that supports informed, strategic decision-making.
You will work closely with Contract Managers to continuously improve and strengthen contract management practices across the Council.
You will provide strategic leadership on supply chain matters, helping the Council identify, manage and mitigate commercial risks while maximising value from supplier relationships.

Bristol City Council is one of the largest organisations in the region, with a revenue budget exceeding £1 billion per annum and a capital programme valued at over £1 billion. We deliver a diverse broad range of services to residents and businesses across the city. This role offers a unique opportunity to influence commercial decision-making across a diverse contract portfolio and contribute to the delivery of high-quality public services.

You will manage a small specialist team and lead on supplier intelligence, category management and supply chain risk, helping shape the future direction of commercial practice across the organisation.

What are we looking for?

You will be an experienced commercial, procurement or contract management professional with a strong understanding of contract management practice, contract law and associated legislation. You will be confident analysing complex information, identifying risks and opportunities, and translating your findings into practical recommendations and actions. You will be comfortable working with data and systems.

You will have experience of building productive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders and suppliers, ideally within a commercial or public sector environment. Strong communication and influencing skills are essential, together with the ability to manage competing priorities and deliver results in a complex organisational setting.

We are particularly interested in individuals who can demonstrate:

Experience of contract management, supplier relationship management or commercial governance.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
The ability to negotiate, influence and manage challenging situations effectively.
Experience of working collaboratively with multiple stakeholders.
The ability to lead and develop high-performing teams.
A commitment to equality, diversity and inclusive working practices.
Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Office applications and a willingness to embrace new technologies.

Knowledge of local government and the challenges facing public services would be advantageous.

Your usual place of work will be City Hall, College Green, Bristol, BS1 5TR. While we operate a flexible hybrid working model, there will be an expectation to attend the office and meetings with colleagues, stakeholders and suppliers as required.

Why Bristol City Council?

At Bristol City Council, we go the extra mile for our people. We offer a supportive and collaborative working environment where you'll have the opportunity to make a real difference to the city and its residents.

For the majority of our roles, hybrid working arrangements are available, giving teams the opportunity to balance home and office working while meeting service needs.

Join us and you'll benefit from:

Flexible working and flexitime arrangements.
Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme.
Generous annual leave entitlement.
Learning and development opportunities.
A supportive working environment where your contribution is valued.

How do I apply?

If you share our values and are ready to be part of our exciting journey please select the apply button below.

To be shortlisted for interview you’ll need to demonstrate how you meet each of the essential criteria in the Person Specification within the Further Information section of your application. On occasion we will receive high numbers of applications, we may then shortlist against the desirable criteria along with the essential criteria, so if you can, please demonstrate how you meet this in your application.

We're a Disability Confident employer which means we value recruiting and retaining disabled people. Any job applicants who consider themselves to be disabled and meet the essential criteria in the Person Specification are guaranteed an interview. We'll make reasonable adjustments throughout the interview process and provide continued workplace support throughout your career.

If you have any further queries after reading the job advert and accompanying job documentation, please contact Matt King, Governance & Performance Lead (matthew.king@bristol.gov.uk).

Bristol City Council strives to have a workforce that reflects the communities it serves, we are therefore committed to ensuring diversity in our hiring process. We welcome, develop and promote people from all sections of the community. Appointments will be made on merit.

The personal information section (including your name) you’ll complete as part of the application form will not be visible to hiring managers, but is used confidentially to make sure that everyone is treated fairly.

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