Senior Consultant (Innovation Procurement)

Job Description

Senior Consultant (Innovation Procurement) RC355

Contract type/Duration: Permanent

Working hours Full time

Band: 3.1

Salary: £51395 to £62,013 (depending on office location and proven ability)

Reports to: Head of Regional and Local Growth Technical

Location: Milton Keynes/London (minimum of two days a week in the office. You can do more than two days if preferable)

Closing date: 10am 11th of May 2026


The Role

Connected Places Catapult leads the Innovation Procurement Empowerment Centre (IPEC), which helps public authorities and commercial buyers use procurement spend to unlock better outcomes, drive more diverse and localised supply chains, and provide an order book for high-potential businesses with the public sector as the first customer. Through tailored support programmes, thought leadership and partnerships, IPEC is shaping a new standard for procurement practice under the Procurement Act 2023. To understand our approach, see The art of the possible in public procurement and Innovation Procurement Empowerment Centre (IPEC) - Connected Places Catapult

We are recruiting a senior consultant to lead IPEC work programmes and provide hands-on technical procurement expertise across innovation procurement. This is not a generalist role. We need someone who has designed and run live procurement processes, combined with innovation expertise - who understands the end-to-end lifecycle from preliminary market engagement through to contract award and can advise buyers with the authority that comes from having delivered outcome-based innovation programmes.

You will help design and deliver skills programmes that build procurement confidence and capability across public and, sometimes, private sector partners. You will work with contracting authorities and commercial buyers to shape challenge briefs, design routes to market, and set conditions of participation that open markets to SMEs and new entrants rather than locking them out. You will know where the Procurement Act creates genuine flexibility - refining award criteria between stages, integrating dialogue into multi-stage processes, using preliminary market engagement to develop supply chains - and where equal treatment and proportionality still apply.

We are particularly interested in candidates with experience across innovation procurement approaches such Contracts for Innovation, pre-commercial procurement, innovation partnerships or dynamic purchasing systems - and who understand how to bridge the gap between R&D-funded demonstrators and mainstream contract pipelines. You will also be expected to grow the IPEC community and network, , and identify and secure commercial opportunities for the programme.

Key Responsibilities

Be a subject matter expert in procurement and especially how it can help drive innovation in meeting the needs of relevant partners. In doing so:

• Shape, lead and deliver value through successful delivery of programmes designed to upskill and provide technical guidance to partners (internal and external)
• Lead stakeholder management and relationship building at senior levels to ensure buy in, in particular into IPEC’s cohort programme for effective innovation delivery,
• Lead pre-market procurement engagement activities with public sector and industry partners scouting for diverse suppliers including high-growth potential companies
• Support partner public authorities to successfully scale innovative solutions after contract award
• Effectively focus on creating more impact and generating value
• Work with account leads and teams to support opportunity identification, qualification and contracting.
• Oversee and ensure compliant use of CRM process and system.
• Ownership of pipeline management for accounts and business development, including development of high-quality client proposals and responses to tenders.
• Ensure dissemination and feedback on Connected Places Catapult standard internal communications.
• Support the development of others in your professional community's skills to ensure consistency of service delivery and expertise.
• Coach and mentor junior colleagues.
• Drive high attendance at professional community activities and events.
• Maintain own professional development.

Ensure an ethos of equity, inclusivity and diversity underpin your work activity, contribute to inclusive innovation across all Catapult activities.

You may be required to undertake any other reasonable duties to support the Catapult in achieving its strategic outcomes and ensure effective business operations.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• Hold a high degree of technical procurement knowledge (CIPS other)
• Experience of leading end to end public procurement process and an understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the procurement sector, including an understanding of the Procurement Act 2023.
• Expertise in change management
• Familiarity of procurement policy and wider use of guidance to support effective use of procurement policies.
• Confident influencer and communicator with the ability to adapt style and message for a variety of different audiences. Experience of managing relationships with very senior stakeholders
• Displays commercial acumen in leading, shaping and guiding activities.
• Seek, encourage and create the conditions for continuous improvements in processes, systems, behaviours and ways of working.
• Organise work and team around multiple simultaneous initiatives, with reference to key policies, practices and procedures, effectively prioritises tasks and delegates effectively.
• Use management information to understand trends, gaps, challenges and opportunities and make commercial decisions.
• Can work as part of team, including matrix management, fostering a culture of innovation and curiosity.

Benefits

• 9 day fortnight for everyone, every other Friday.
• 23.5 holiday entitlement for everyone, with pro-rata calculations for part-time employees, along with a Christmas shutdown period for additional days off.
• Competitive pension, up to 10% company contribution to help you save for your future.
• Two paid days of volunteering leave per year (pro-rata for part-time employees) to support charitable activities.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) providing 24/7 confidential work/life support services to you and your immediate family members.
• Cycle to Work Scheme encouraging a healthy and sustainable commute.
• Cash Health Plan, offering reimbursement for a wide range of essential and everyday healthcare expenses, promoting your well-being.
• Payroll Giving scheme, allowing regular charitable contributions from pre-tax income, maximizing the impact of your donations.
• Discounts and offers from a wide variety of retailers, enhancing your purchasing power and providing savings opportunities.
• Mortgage Advice benefit, delivered in partnership with Charles Cameron & Associates – provides employees with free, expert mortgage advice and end-to-end mortgage support from the application process through to completion.

Employment here is based solely upon individual merit and qualifications directly related to professional competence. We strictly prohibit unlawful discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, colour, religion, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy status, sex, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, mental or physical disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, or any other characteristics protected by law. We also make all reasonable accommodations to meet our obligations under laws protecting the rights of the disabled.