Procurement Manager

Are you an experienced public sector procurement professional looking for a role where your work truly makes a difference?

Crescent Purchasing Consortium (CPC) is a not-for-profit charity that gives back to the education sector and a one-stop procurement shop, with a vision of being the first-choice procurement services charity that gives back to the education sector. Combining professional support, expert guidance, and resources with FREE training and development opportunities via Crescent Learning.

Why join CPC?

CPC provides a range of services which include, 80+ compliant frameworks, with several approved by the Department for Education (DfE), consultancy services which can aid with every aspect of an institutions procurement journey from facilitating flexible procurement outsourcing, five days a week, to designing a strategic procurement package to maximise your savings.

Each year CPC's Board of Trustees review the level of reserves our charity has and any surpluses are reinvested back into the education sector via the 'Giving Back' initiative. To date over £2 million has been designated for re-investment in the form of various projects with the largest amount being used specifically for awarding non-refundable grants to CPC members supporting SEND learners, wellbeing and absenteeism in colleges, schools, academies, and universities nationwide.

 CPC’s Vision, Mission, and Values

• CPC’s Vision is to be the first-choice procurement services charity that gives back to the education sector.

• CPC’s Mission, we want our members to receive outstanding procurement services.   

• CPC’s Values

  • People First - We provide a caring, inclusive, and supporting environment that focuses on individual needs to enable our people to be the best they can be.

  • Customer Always - Everything we do is for the benefit of our customers, to help them provide the best service possible to their learners.

  • Excellence -We are 100% committed to delivering the highest-quality services that exceed expectations, with continuous improvement at the heart of what we do. 

The role

As Procurement Manager within our Contracting Team, you’ll lead the delivery of high-quality, fully compliant procurement solutions across your category area, Place (predominantly Estates, Facilities and Construction related frameworks, DPS and Dynamic Marketplaces). This means shaping and managing a portfolio of framework agreements and dynamic markets that help our members source goods, works and services simply, compliantly and effectively under the Procurement Act 2023.

In this role, you will:

• Lead the full end-to-end procurement cycle for a range of categories

• Develop business plans, conduct market engagement and manage competitive tender processes

• Build and maintain effective relationships with members, suppliers and internal stakeholders

• Oversee the performance of frameworks and dynamic markets, driving quality and value

• Manage, mentor and support Contract Managers, Senior Procurement Officers and Procurement Officers within your category

• Ensure all processes and documentation meet public sector procurement legislation and CPC’s high standards

This is a role where you’ll have autonomy, influence and the opportunity to make a measurable impact across education.

About you

We’re looking for someone who brings strong expertise, commercial thinking and a collaborative mindset.

You’ll be a great fit if you have:

• Significant experience in public sector procurement

• A solid understanding of UK procurement legislation—especially the Procurement Act 2023

• Broad category knowledge, particularly estates, facilities and construction and experience delivering high-performing commercial agreements

• Confidence managing stakeholders and leading a small category team

• Proven ability to deliver value, quality outcomes and continuous improvement

Qualifications:

• MCIPS (or working towards it) is highly desirable, but equivalent experience will also be considered.

• If you're a proactive procurement professional who enjoys autonomy, leading people and delivering meaningful outcomes, we’d love to hear from you. 

Salary and Benefits

In return for your dedication, we offer a wide range of benefits including:

• Salary of up to £50,000-£55,000 FTE per annum depending on experience.

• Generous yearly discretionary bonuses following successful probation of up to £3,500

• Flexible, agile working patterns, working 2 days at the Head Office and 3 days at home to help balance home and work life pressures, plus free parking at head office.

• Access to a local government pension scheme which includes death-in-service and ill health.

• Opportunities to develop through our inhouse development programmes and through external learning with full support given to achieve MCIPS.

• 41 days holiday (including three days additional leave for Christmas holiday closure and bank holidays).

• Time off for volunteering opportunities.

• Enhanced leave packages such as paid sickness, carers leave, bereavement and compassionate leave and maternity pay.

• Support for wellbeing with access to 8 mental health first aiders and the opportunity to join an Employee Assistance Programme.

• The chance to get involved in a number of working groups, such as Equality Diversity and Inclusion, Wellbeing and Sustainability.

• The opportunity to join our Women's, Men's and Carer's employee support networks which provide safe spaces for colleagues to share their experiences.

• Social and employee events throughout summer and at Christmas.

• Has a programme of ‘giving back’ to the communities in which it is based and which it supports.

• Travel expenses paid for any additional required travelling outside of your contracted place of work.

Next Steps

The deadline to apply is Sunday 29th March 2026

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview at Crescent Purchasing Consortium’s Head Office in Salford. The interview process will consist of a traditional panel-based Q&A on the specific requirements and skills for the Procurement Manager vacancy.

If you like what you’ve read, please don't delay in applying as we may close vacancies early where we receive a high volume of applications.

Please click on the link below for the job description:

https://www.thecpc.ac.uk/docs/procurement-manager-jdpdf-2

Please note that VISA sponsorship is not offered for this role.

We are a disability confident employer so if you need any adjustments made to support your application, for example, if you require information in different formats or if you have any accessibility issues, we’re more than happy to review our processes. Please feel free to get in touch with us at peopledevelopment@thecpc.ac.uk.

As an equal opportunities employer, Crescent Purchasing Consortium is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and does not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership.

We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join us.