Contract and Supply Officer

Purpose of the job

Have you ever wondered how suppliers are picked to create new buildings, where that new artwork in the town centre came from, who arranged for the local playground or skatepark to get updated, where do you buy a bin lorry, or even just how do the pens in the stationery cupboard get there?

Welland Procurement Unit makes requirements like these, and many more, a happen for several councils across the East Midlands. More than that we advise officers on how to get the best value for money, how to ensure what they do is legal, and work to get suppliers engaged to turn a council’s ideas and needs into a reality.

Welland Procurement is a self-funding commercial unit, bringing in much needed additional revenue to Melton Borough Council and are currently recruiting to cover the expanding membership and the extended scope of the unit.

Our membership serves a population of just under 1 million people and has a geography spanning 4 counties. We are ambitious and we want to make you part of our vision.

This role reports into the Deputy Head of Procurement.

About you

There is no standard size or shape to a good Contract and Supply Officer, however certain skills will be useful:

We are still a small unit so you will need to be a team player. You will have your own extremely varied, portfolio of work which will require you to adjust for moving priorities, so being able to work independently and flexibly is advantageous. A lot of your time will be working from home so you will need to be highly motivated to meet your targets. A creative mind would help with fitting our clients’ diverse and expanding needs into well-regulated processes whilst logical thinking will help with ensuring you deliver procurements to a robust plan. 

These last skills also help in identifying possible service improvements. All the team have input on how we operate, and your contributions will be encouraged. 

You will need a good working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite applications, particularly Word, Excel, Teams, Outlook and SharePoint – these are our main tools for communications, documentation, and reporting. We also have some web-based software to manage procurement processes. 

A working knowledge and understanding of the reasons for good procurement in the public sector would be advantageous.

This opportunity would be ideal for individuals who can really engage with people, some one able to influence others’ opinions, or assertively stand their ground when required. 

You will need to have a desire to develop yourself as the post holder will be expected to work towards their professional qualification in procurement (levels 4,5 and 6 leading to full MCIPS status). We want to make this a career choice, and these roles are seen as part of the successor planning toward senior positions in the team.

As part of Welland Procurement you will be working for Melton Borough Council which provides an excellent range of benefits and family friendly working policies. These include flexitime with no core hours, agile working arrangements which enables multi-site and home working, generous leave entitlement, a full week off at Christmas, Local Authority Pension Scheme and a clear commitment to your continued professional development.

We look forward to hearing from you if you are looking for the chance to work for a forward-thinking Council and make a real difference to the people of Melton and beyond. 

You may have heard in the news about Local Government Reform changing the structure of councils. If you have any questions about the future of this role, note this (along with all others in the team) will transfer into the new authority being created as standard, and may bring opportunities to further a career in procurement as part of that transfer. 

You can find out more about this role by viewing the full job description and person specification.

Tip for applications

To ensure your application has the best chance of success, please make sure you provide your most up to date CV and attach a covering letter which highlights how you meet each point in the job description.

Additional information

If you would like an informal chat, please do not hesitate to get in touch with:

Charlotte Highcock – Deputy Head of Procurement

Telephone: 01664 502497

Email: chighcock@melton.gov.uk

Closing date: Noon, Monday 28 September 2026.*

Interview Date: 05 and 06 October 2026.

*We reserve the right to close this vacancy early when we receive sufficient and suitable applications. Therefore, please ensure that you submit your application  as soon as possible so that you can be considered for this role.

Melton Borough Council is committed to offering a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that meet the essential criteria for a job profile and who:

• Declare themselves to have a disability covered by the definition outlined within the Equality Act 2010
• Are considered to be a care leaver
• Are a veteran or reservist

To find out more and to see if you may qualify, please read our guaranteed interview scheme document.