Senior Category Buyer and Category Buyer

The South West Police Procurement Service (SwPPS) has recently expanded its client base with the incorporation of Avon and Somerset Constabulary alongside its existing clients of Devon and Cornwall, Dorset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire police forces.

The increase in the client base has resulted in the need to recruit the following roles:

• Three Senior Category Buyers:

Two Senior Category Buyers within the ICT Category

One Senior Category Buyer within the Operations and Logistics Category 

• One Category Buyers:

The South West Police Procurement Service (SwPPS) is a well-established regional procurement department, set up in 2012, led by Devon and Cornwall Police and is responsible for circa £250m annual non pay spend, which via a category management structure develops and then implements strategic procurement strategies to support all the business and operational requirements of the five forces.

From an administrative perspective the SwPPS is part of Devon and Cornwall Police, but the team is nominally located across the five force headquarters within  the region:  

• Avon and Somerset Police (HQ in Portishead)
• Devon and Cornwall Police (HQ in Exeter)
• Dorset Police (HQ in Winfrith)
• Gloucestershire (HQ in Quedgeley)
• Wiltshire (HQ in Devizes).

Currently the team is fully enabled to work from home and whilst this approach is likely to continue, there will remain a requirement for all members of the team to travel, primarily via the use of hire cars, to any of the force premises across the entire region, as and when necessary.

This is an exciting career opportunity to join a highly motivated, professional regional procurement team. You will be working in a challenging and complex environment as the SwPPS provides vital support to front line policing across all five police forces across the South West region. You

The ideal candidates will already have or be studying for CIPS, have a strong background/understanding of public sector procurement within the above mentioned categories, well developed stakeholder management skills and will need to be willing and able to work collaboratively and build effective relationships with stakeholders at all levels.

Category Buyer

Grade: 6 £26,865 rising by yearly increments to a maximum of £29,793 per annum.

Senior Category Buyer

Grade: 8 £36,369 rising by yearly increments to a maximum of £40,662 per annum