Commercial Category Lead (12 Month Maternity Cover) Salary: £40,000 - £42,000 DOE Excellent Benefits Location: Cambridgeshire (Hybrid - 2-3 days onsite) Employment: Full Time, Fixed Term Contract This is an opportunity to join a highly respected public sector organisation delivering essential regional services, supporting a growing commercial and procurement function during an important period of development. The organisation has built a strong reputation for collaboration, continuous improvement, and community impact, offering a stable and supportive environment where procurement professionals can make a genuine difference whilst continuing to develop their careers. Due to maternity leave, the organisation is now seeking an experienced Commercial Category Lead to join the team on a 12 month fixed-term basis. The Role As a Commercial Category Lead, you will take ownership of end-to-end procurement and commercial activity across a broad range of spend areas, supporting stakeholders throughout the full procurement lifecycle. This is a highly stakeholder-focused role requiring someone confident working closely with operational teams, providing guidance and support to individuals unfamiliar with procurement processes, whilst ensuring activity remains compliant, commercially effective, and aligned to public sector regulations. You will work closely with internal departments, suppliers, and wider public sector partners to deliver value-for-money procurement solutions in line with Procurement Act legislation and best practice. Commercial Category Lead Responsibilities: Manage the full procurement lifecycle from sourcing strategy through to contract award and management Deliver compliant procurement activity in line with Procurement Act 2023 and public sector regulations Provide commercial advice and procurement guidance to internal stakeholders Identify savings opportunities and support value-for-money initiatives Support supplier performance management and commercial risk mitigation Utilise e-tendering portals and procurement systems to manage compliant tender activity Support collaborative procurement opportunities with wider public sector organisations Ensure procurement documentation and contract records remain accurate and audit compliant Deliver procurement awareness and guidance sessions to internal teams Commercial Category Lead Benefits: £40,000 - £42,000 salary DOE Flexible hybrid working model with strong work-life balance Opportunity to work within a stable, purpose-driven public sector organisation delivering essential regional services Broad, varied procurement exposure across multiple spend categories and stakeholders Supportive and collaborative team environment with ongoing professional development opportunities Commercial Category Lead Requirements: This role would suit someone who: Has strong public sector procurement experience (essential) Holds a minimum CIPS Level 4 qualification Has experience managing end-to-end procurement and contract management activity Is confident supporting and influencing non-procurement stakeholders Has strong knowledge of Procurement Act 2023 and PCR2015 regulations Is comfortable operating within a hands-on, operational procurement environment Can work autonomously whilst collaborating within a small commercial team Desirable: Experience within local government, healthcare, utilities, housing, or other regulated public sector environments Experience using e-tendering platforms such as Delta, Contracts Finder, Find a Tender, or similar systems Knowledge of social value, sustainability, and ethical procurement practices To Be Considered: Please either apply by clicking online or emailing me directly to Charlie.doyle@hirecracker.com. For further information, call 01244 739 301 or 07736 920 086. By applying for this role, you give express consent for us to process & submit (subject to required skills) your application to our client in conjunction with this vacancy only. Key Skills: Commercial Category Lead, Procurement Lead, Public Sector Procurement, Category Management, Contract Management, MCIPS, CIPS Level 4, Local Government Procurement, Public Sector Commercial, Hirecracker, HCOperations