Strategic Commercial Manager - Resources

About Us

Providing services to over 750,000 residents, supporting them at the most vulnerable times in their lives, and working across rural and urban communities with some of the most fantastic heritage and landscapes in the country. It is a significant responsibility, and the Commercial & Procurement Service sits at the heart of the organisation.

We are transforming our approach, moving away from a traditional procurement service to driving a more commercial mindset across the council. This means finding new and innovative ways of delivering value from savings to service improvements, from innovation in delivery to shaping the environment, economy and communities that we partner with.

• Strategic Commercial Partnering – senior commercial experts working closely with senior stakeholders to identify and explore long‑term opportunities, scan the horizon for opportunities and risks, and bring new commercial delivery models to the table (such as joint ventures, Local Authority Trading Companies and a range of investment options).
• Commercial Service Delivery – the engine room of the service delivering day‑to‑day projects from in sourcing, outsourcing, and re‑procurements, utilising the new freedoms under the Procurement Act 2023 to craft the most effective commercial processes to achieve the desired outcomes for residents.
• Contract & Supplier Management – setting the standard for excellent contract management across the council, working with our decentralised contract manager community to professionalise our capability and leading the contract & supplier management activity for our most complex and strategically critical agreements.
• Commercial Excellence – providing analytics, developing our commercial system roadmap, curating a commercial curriculum, setting policies, developing templates and tools, and supporting the efficacy of our service as a whole to drive more commerciality across the council.

As a service we are committed to recruiting on potential. The details below set out the specifics of the role we are recruiting for, and we want to encourage anyone with relevant experience to apply who is motivated by the Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) mission to support our residents and wants to be part of a transformation of a commercial & procurement service.

• Always learning
• Be kind and care
• Equality and integrity in all we do
• Taking responsibility
• Daring to do it differently

Are you ready to lead strategic procurement activities for some of the most complex and high‑value contracts in local government? Oxfordshire County Council is seeking a talented Strategic Commercial Manager to join our team. This pivotal role ensures our procurement strategies deliver value for money and align with the council’s objectives. You’ll work closely with Strategic Commercial Partners, drive continuous improvement and help shape the future of procurement across the council.

This role sits as part of our Commercial Service Delivery Team, leading the Resources pillar. This encompasses all of our corporate requirements, cutting across Digital, Property & FM, Professional Services, Communications, Finance and other resourcing directorates.

• Lead the development and implementation of strategic procurement plans for high‑value and complex contracts.
• Manage the end‑to‑end procurement process, ensuring compliance with all relevant regulations and council policies.
• Negotiate and deliver commercial projects to achieve the best value for the council.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Provide expert advice on procurement strategies and best practices.
• Monitor and report on procurement performance, identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Ensure procurement activities support the council’s sustainability and social value objectives.
• Lead and mentor a team of procurement professionals, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement.
• Ensure compliance with public procurement regulations and best practice.

• Proven experience delivering projects across the procurement lifecycle…