Join us at a pivotal moment, where strategic procurement, vendor oversight, and long-term value delivery come together.
This role offers an exciting opportunity to play a key part in ensuring LGPS Central Ltd procures goods and services and manages its critical suppliers and service providers effectively. Working alongside and supporting the Procurement and Vendor Oversight Manager, the postholder will gain hands-on experience in procuring a varied portfolio of goods and services, contract management and third-party vendor oversight within one of the UK’s leading LGPS pooling organisations.
The role will suit someone who is organised, proactive, and keen to develop their expertise in procurement activities, contract management and vendor oversight. With exposure across the organisation including Investments, Finance, Legal and other services, this role provides the chance to build a strong understanding of public sector pensions pooling and the frameworks that underpin good governance and supplier relationships.
What you'll be doing:
Procurement
- Procurement strategy development and execution of procurement activities, including drafting of tender documentation, tender evaluation, and onboarding processes, in line with Procurement Act 2023 and internal procurement policy.
- Assist with drafting and maintaining procurement documentation, including Invitation to Tender (ITTs), evaluation templates, and contract registers.
- Liaise with internal teams to gather requirements and ensure procurement activities are delivered on time and compliant with legislation and policy.
- Embed procurement best practice, through advice, providing guidance and training.
- Deputise for the Procurement and Vendor Oversight Manager as required.
Vendor Oversight & Contract Management
- Support the monitoring and oversight of suppliers and service providers.
- Assist in maintaining governance, risk and compliance system in relation to third party vendor oversight.
- Assist functions in the management of supplier risk and supplier management.
- Lead user of tender and contract management system, providing training and support to other users.
- Provide support to functions to ensure service level agreements (SLAs) and key performance indicators (KPIs) are monitored and managed appropriately.
- Support periodic vendor reviews and reporting to internal governance forums.
- Support contract leads in undertaking supplier reviews and completing oversight activities.
Compliance & Governance
- Ensure procurement and vendor oversight activities are aligned with FCA, LGPS pooling requirements, and internal policies.
- Contribute to audits, compliance checks, and regulatory reporting as required.
- Promote strong governance, risk management, and transparency in procurement and vendor oversight processes.
Relationship Management
- Build collaborative relationships with internal stakeholders across Operations, Finance, Investments, and Legal.
- Support effective communication with suppliers, ensuring professional engagement and resolution of issues.
- Promote best practice in supplier management and procurement processes.
About Us
LGPS Central (LGPSC) Ltd is the FCA regulated asset manager for eight local authority pension funds across the Midlands. LGPSC is jointly owned on an equal shares basis by those Partner Fund, and it is responsible for managing £45bn+ of their assets. It is one of eight Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) asset pools in the UK.
LGPS Central's Partner Funds are:
- Cheshire Pension Fund
- Derbyshire Pension Fund
- Leicestershire Pension Fund
- Nottinghamshire Pension Fund
- Shropshire Pension Fund
- Staffordshire Pension Fund
- West Midlands Pension Fund
- Worcestershire Pension Fund
The Company is committed to responsible investment and has made responsible investment a core part of the investment process in every asset class.
LGPS Central offers a friendly and diverse, hybrid working environment with a range of employee benefits. The Company moved to new premises at i9, Wolverhampton Interchange in January 2022, close to local transport links.
Our objective is to be a leading investment management company working with and for our Partner Funds. With a focus on value for money and performance we want to aspire to be one of the best because this is how we will deliver the superior investment returns and low costs for our Partner Funds.
Requirements
Procurement Knowledge:
- Familiarity with public sector procurement processes, regulations (PCR 2015 and Procurement Act 2023), and best practice in tendering and supplier selection.
Vendor Oversight Skills:
- Experience supporting contract management, supplier due diligence and oversight activities.
Organisation & Attention to Detail:
- Ability to maintain accurate records, track deliverables, and monitor supplier performance.
Stakeholder Engagement:
- Strong interpersonal skills to support collaboration across teams and with external providers.
Analytical & Reporting Skills:
- Comfortable collating, analysing and presenting data associated with procurement activity and supplier performance.
Teamwork and Communication:
- Ability to work as part of team, promoting knowledge sharing and collaboration.
- Effective communicator, with the ability to communicate technical information at all levels, including to senior stakeholders.
Qualifications:
- CIPS Level 3 (Advanced Certificate) or working towards (desirable).
- Experience in procurement, vendor management, or contract management.
- Experience ideally within the public sector (desirable).
- Degree-level education (desirable but not essential with relevant experience).
What do we offer?
We are proud to provide our people with a premium and exclusive benefits package and we are continually improving the rewards we offer. Here are a few of the valuable rewards that you will enjoy:
- Competitive salary
- An enhanced and generous Pension Scheme
- 30 days' paid holiday plus bank holidays
- 2 days paid volunteering days
- An extra paid Company Day in addition to paid holidays
- Excellent Learning & Development Opportunities
- Welfare and Family friendly policies
- Enhanced pay for new parents
- Access to our Employee Assistance Programme 247 Health & Wellbeing Support
- Vitality Private Medical Insurance
- Hybrid Working
- Company Service Awards
- Cycle to Work Scheme
- Company Electric Vehicle Scheme
- Nominees of the Family Friendly Employer of the Year 2022 Personnel Today Awards 2022
- Winner of the Cultural Awareness Initiative of the Year FT Advisors Diversity in Finance Awards 2023
- Winner of Diversity and Inclusion Award LAPF In Investments Award 2023