Job number
LBC05187
Contract Type
Permanent
Posting End Date
16 July 2026
Job Area
Regeneration and Economic Development
Salary: £69,563 - £77,056 a year plus £3,203 car benefit allowance
Hours per week: 37
Contract type: Permanent
We are looking for an experienced and ambitious procurement leader to join us as Head of Strategic Procurement.
This is a key leadership role, responsible for shaping and delivering the Council’s strategic procurement vision while leading a multidisciplinary team covering category management, contract management and social value.
Working closely with Directors, Senior Managers and Elected Members, you will ensure procurement delivers value for money, drives innovation, supports strong governance and protects the Council’s commercial and reputational interests.
What You will Do
- Lead and develop the Council’s strategic procurement function.
- Deliver and embed a new category management approach.
- Drive innovation, market engagement and strategic partnerships.
- Deliver efficiencies and savings in a challenging financial environment.
- Ensure compliance with procurement legislation and governance requirements.
- Champion social value, ensuring contracts deliver meaningful benefits for residents and communities.
- Build procurement’s reputation as a trusted, professional and enabling service.
- Position the Council as a leader in public sector procurement excellence.
Please note this role does not attract sponsorship.
You will be an accomplished procurement leader with a proven track record of delivering significant savings and leading high-performing teams within a regulated procurement environment. With substantial experience in public sector procurement or transferable expertise from a complex private or third-sector organisation, you will bring exceptional commercial acumen, strategic thinking and a deep understanding of procurement, commissioning and contract management.
You will be confident operating at a senior level, influencing stakeholders, elected members, suppliers and partners, and successfully leading change across complex organisations. An expert negotiator and problem solver, you will be able to translate commercial opportunities and market insights into practical solutions that deliver long-term value and measurable outcomes.
You will have up-to-date knowledge of procurement legislation and best practice, experience of developing procurement strategies and operating models, and a strong commitment to developing and empowering others. Membership of CIPS, or equivalent professional expertise, is essential, along with a recognised reputation as a leader in the procurement profession.
Our ambitious Luton 2040 Vision – that no-one in Luton will have to live in poverty – is at the heart of everything we do. We recognise that our people are remarkable, talented, committed and passionate about serving our residents.
The people of Luton depend heavily on this council – and that means our workforce! Are you ready to realise the remarkable and help us deliver our vision?
We welcome applications from all sections of the community and are committed to developing a workforce that reflects the diversity of our borough
On occasions, we may close a vacancy early due to a very high number of applications being received.
We offer a range of excellent staff benefits which include:
- From 25 to 32 days’ annual leave: linked to length of service and grade
- Buying annual leave scheme: buy up to 20 days additional annual leave
- Career Pathways: step up in your career or move into a specialist area
- Pension scheme: with generous employer contributions of up to 19.2 per cent (at April 2026) and 3x salary death in service grant
- Generous relocation package: up to £8,000 (subject to eligibility)
- Employee Assistance Programme: a free, 24/7 confidential counselling and wellbeing support service available to all employees, their partner or spouse and dependent children over 16 still living at home
- Work/life balance: flexible working options including working from home where possible. We welcome requests for flexible working arrangements including part-time hours and alternative working patterns
- Training and support: unlimited access to development courses, mentoring and support and clear career pathways
- Staff offers: includes discounts on your MOT, gym and fitness, restaurants and salons
- Arriva Travel Club: great value savings on local bus travel
We understand that job applications take time and effort, but a high-quality application shows that you are professional with a good attention to detail. The recruiting manager may receive a number of applications for each job advertised so you want yours to stand out!
Our ‘How to apply' page has more tips to help with your application: How to apply
