Procurement Operations Capability Lead

He angituutanga: The opportunity 

Make procurement simple, compliant, and high‑performing for our city.

Hamilton City Council undertakes significant levels of procurement activity every year across construction, infrastructure, professional services, ICT, insurance, maintenance, fleet, and operational goods and services. Within our centre‑led model, the Procurement team sets policy, standards, systems and assurance, while business units own category strategies and manage day‑to‑day sourcing and contracts.

We are looking for a Procurement Operations & Capability Lead to shape how procurement operates across the entire organisation — ensuring our people have the tools, processes, systems, and confidence to buy well and deliver public value.

About the role

As the process owner for end‑to‑end procurement and P2P pathways, you’ll design, improve, and operationalise procurement practices so buying is simple, compliant, and digitally supported. You will lead the development of templates, guidance, and training; configure and optimise procurement systems; and embed consistent ways of working across Council.

You will also play a critical role in ensuring probity, supplier risk management, and compliance with Council rules, Government Procurement Rules, and the Office of the Auditor‑General’s expectations.

This is a key leadership role within a procurement transformation programme and will directly contribute to lifting maturity, capability, and confidence across the organisation.

Key responsibilities

In this role, you will:

• Lead the implementation of procurement process improvements, ensuring the procurement maturity action plan is implemented, not just documented, and that new ways of working are understood, practical, and actually used.
• Configure and optimise procurement systems in partnership with Digital, Finance and Procurement teams, with a focus on improving user experience.
• Operationalise templates, forms, and guidance, embedding capability through training, support and clear, consistent procurement pathways.
• Work with the Head of Procurement and Change Manager to drive adoption of procurement improvement initiatives.
• Support maturity assessments to ensure the 32 maturity actions are implemented, operating, and embedded.
• Uplift procurement capability across the organisation through coaching, tools, and training.
• Improve Council’s procurement maturity score through better processes, systems, and user confidence.
• Ensure business flows smoothly so the wider organisation interacts quickly and effectively with Procurement.
• Ensure probity and supplier risk management are consistently delivered through a centre‑led model.
• Support compliance with Hamilton City Council’s Procurement Rules, Policies and Procedures, and with the Office of the Auditor‑General’s Procurement Guidance for Public Entities.

About you

• Experience designing or improving procurement processes or systems
• Strong understanding of public‑sector procurement or centre‑led procurement models
• Confidence working with digital tools, workflows, and P2P systems
• A passion for capability building — training, supporting and empowering people
• An ability to turn policy into practical, usable tools and processes
• A collaborative, solutions‑focused approach

Why join us?

At Hamilton City Council, you’ll help shape the systems and practices that support hundreds of procurement activities every year. You’ll have the opportunity to influence organisation‑wide capability, work on meaningful improvement initiatives, and ensure procurement delivers real public value for our city.

You’ll join a supportive, forward‑looking team committed to smarter, simpler, and more transparent procurement.

Qualifications

Oo puumanawa me oo wheako | Your skills and experience

• 10 years+ experience in large, complex business organisations.
• 5-7 years managing e-procurement, contract management, or workflow platforms in medium to large corporations or public sector organisations.
• 3+ years at a senior level leading change management related projects in large organisations.
• Experience in leading and implementing process improvement programmes which have successfully embedded into large organisations.
• Proven experience of turning action plans into embedded practice.
• Bachelor level degree qualification (business, commerce, supply chain, public administration or similar).
• Accredited change management qualification required- Prosci, ADKAR or equivalent.
• Strong experience in leading change management programmes, stakeholder mapping, communications, champions.
• An ability to thoroughly implement Hamilton City Council’s 32-action Maturity Improvement Plan.
• Practical capability in process rollout, system configuration and training.
• Operationally pragmatic- preferring fit for purpose over perfection.
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills with strong stakeholder and change-delivery skills.
• An understanding of The Government Rules of Procurement and Local Government Procurement would be preferred.
• Thinking differently, acting with integrity, working together, and making it happen.
• Analytical ability and business acumen.
• Able to deal with ambiguity.
• Advanced written communication and presentations.

Additional Information

He aha te wariu o te utu kaimahi? | What’s the salary? 

Circa $145K dependent on skills and experience.

Ngaa waahi whakarato painga kei a maatou: What we offer 

• Flexible by choice; an award-winning flexible working policy.
• Opportunities for professional development.
• Two Wellbeing days per year.
• Free health insurance through Unimed including hospital/surgery grade cover and discounted. membership rates for family members.
• Free annual health checks and flu vaccination.
• Ability to purchase additional annual leave.
• Eye testing/glasses cost reimbursement.
• Discounted purchases from local businesses; gym memberships, cafes, dentists, hairdressers and many more.

Me Tono Inaaianei!: Apply Now! 

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If you wish to include a cover letter with your application, please combine this in the same file as your resume and upload as a PDF file. Alternatively, you can use the 'Write a message to the Hiring Team' text box.

Applications close on the: 06/04/2026

Note: We will be shortlisting as we receive applications.

Council is committed to honouring the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi/Treaty of Waitangi through its relationship with Kiingitanga, Waikato Tainui, mana whenua and maataa waka within Hamilton Kirikiriroa.

All candidates will be notified of the outcome on their application via email. Short-listed candidates will be required to complete an interview process, reference checks and a criminal check. Further background checking will be required when relevant to the role. View more information about these checks, our commitment to the Privacy act and details for international applicants by clicking here

It is important to us that we support you throughout our selection process (interview and assessments). If you have any access needs during this process, let us know in advance so we can make sure these are met.

As a council, we believe in creating a welcoming environment where everyone feels valued and belongs. We value inclusiveness (Kotahitanga) – we respect and value the unique perspectives, experiences, and talents that everyone brings.

This role is being sourced directly. If/where Hamilton City Council requires the support of a recruitment agency, we will seek this support from our panel of selected agencies. Hamilton City Council will not be responsible for, and will not pay, any commissions, fees or other payments related to unsolicited contact.