Head of Procurement
Location: The Lumen, St James' Boulevard, Newcastle upon Tyne, various ‘spoke’ offices throughout the North East and remote working arrangements.
Salary: SM3, £83,663 – £88,633 per annum.
Contract: Full-time, Permanent
Reporting to: Director of Finance and Investment
Closing Date: Tuesday 28 April 2026 at 23:59
We are seeking an influential and strategically minded Head of Procurement to lead the North East Combined Authority’s commercial and procurement agenda at a senior level.
This pivotal leadership role will shape a modern, high‑performing procurement function that supports the region’s ambitions across transport, skills, housing, sustainability and economic growth. You will set the strategic vision for procurement, provide authoritative commercial leadership, and ensure the organisation operates with strong governance, assurance and a clear focus on long‑term value, social impact and financial sustainability.
As the organisation’s senior commercial expert, you will guide Cabinet and senior leaders through major commercial decisions and complex, high‑value commissioning. You will embed robust policies and assurance frameworks, ensure compliance with new legislation such as the Procurement Act 2023, and lead a transparent, best‑practice approach to commercial activity. Alongside this, you will drive commercial excellence through strategic sourcing, category management and innovative tendering to secure high‑quality outcomes and long‑term value for money.
You will build strong relationships with suppliers, consortia and partners to promote ethical procurement, sustainability and meaningful social value. You will mentor and inspire a high‑performing procurement team, while supporting commercial capability across the wider organisation. Through collaborative leadership and continuous improvement, you will help ensure procurement is strategic, impactful and future‑focused for the North East.
About you
You are a strategic procurement leader capable of shaping organisation‑wide decisions and positioning procurement as a key driver of value, innovation and good governance. You bring experience from large or complex environments, offering clear, confident advice to senior leaders and Cabinet, anticipating risks and navigating complexity with sound judgement.
You will be a people‑centred leader who builds strong teams, champions modern and efficient ways of working, and fosters a collaborative, positive culture. You will help strengthen systems, improve processes and ensure procurement operates as a trusted strategic partner across the organisation.
A professional procurement qualification such as CIPS, or equivalent senior‑level experience, is essential. Above all, you will lead with integrity and a commitment to delivering meaningful, long‑term impact for the North East.
If you have the strategic insight, professional expertise and people‑centred leadership we’re looking for, we would love to hear from you.
We are proud to be an inclusive employer, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, communities and experiences. We support flexible working and encourage applications from candidates who are under‑represented including women, disabled people, LGBTQ+ people and those from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds.
To arrange an informal discussion about this role, please contact Noel Kay, Strategic Finance Business Partner; noel.kay@northeast-ca.gov.uk
For further information about the North East Combined Authority please visit our website www.northeast-ca.gov.uk
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