Manager: Strategic Procurement

Tau ake rā te moana nei, e papaki kau ana ki te ākau tangata, kakenga waka ka mauru te tohu ki te arearenga o Mauao, he pou herenga mōu, he pou hononga mōu, kia herea ki te tika, kia herea ki te pono. Kia mau, kia ita, kia ū – haumi e, hui e, tāiki e!

Are you a strategic advisor and manager with a knack for solving procurement challenges and driving public value? Tauranga City Council is looking for a commercially astute professional to run its Procurement team and help shape commercial and contract management across the organisation.

Te Tūranga | About the role

As our Manager: Strategic Procurement, you’ll play a pivotal role in guiding procurement and commercial decisions that support Council’s strategic objectives. While developing a team, your focus will also be on providing expert advice, navigating complexity, and enabling smart, sustainable outcomes.

You’ll work closely with internal stakeholders, suppliers and possibly government partners to:

• Influence procurement strategy and policy development
• Solve problems with agility and creativity
• Ensure compliance while unlocking innovation and long-term value
• Champion sustainability and bicultural competence in procurement practices

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys working across diverse portfolios, and brings a flexible, solutions-oriented mindset to every challenge.

Ngā Pukenga | What you’ll need to succeed

We’re looking for someone with the leadership and commercial acumen, whose procurement and contract management experience span both public and private sectors.

You’ll Bring:

• A tertiary qualification in a relevant field such as commerce, finance, management/business, law, engineering, or logistics.
• Extensive experience in senior commercial or supply chain roles.
• Deep understanding of procurement systems and public sector frameworks.
• Strategic Vision: Ability to translate organisational goals into actionable commercial strategies.
• Commercial Acumen: Proven success in delivering value-for-money outcomes, managing supplier risk, and negotiating high-impact contracts.
• Leadership Excellence: Experience leading high-performing teams, mentoring staff, and driving continuous improvement.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Skilled in building partnerships across diverse sectors, including iwi, government, and community.
• Innovation & Sustainability: Commitment to sustainable supply chain practices and bicultural engagement aligned with Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Tō Tātou Kaunihera | About Tauranga City Council

Tauranga City Council is one of Tauranga’s largest employers, and we are always looking to attract great talent to join our driven, passionate, and community-focused team.

We always strive to ensure that you feel valued and supported in the workplace.

To highlight that our people are our greatest asset, we offer a wide range of benefits that include 5 weeks annual leave, flexible hours and work from home options, as well as career development opportunities.

You can find out more about working at Tauranga City Council here.

Te Tukanga | How to apply

If you want to be part of an energetic, fun, and supportive team, then we'd love to hear from you. For more information, please contact Rob Field at rob.field@tauranga.govt.nz

Please note we will not be accepting applications via email. If you wish to apply, please click ‘Apply’ at the bottom of this page and follow the link.

Applications will close 14th October

We’re committed to building a diverse team that reflects the communities we serve. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including those living with disabilities.
If you need any support or adjustments to take part in our recruitment process, please contact our Talent Acquisition team at recruitment@tauranga.govt.nz

• You must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand to apply for this role.
• Tauranga City Council does not accept unsolicited contact or applications from recruitment agencies. We will not pay fees or commissions related to unsolicited contact.

Job Description: Manager: Strategic Procurement