SENIOR CATEGORY SPECIALIST - PROCUREMENT

Personnel Area: Corporate Services  

Branch: Strategic Procurement

Salary Range: (Band 7) AUD $132,572 - $144,942 per annum + 14% superannuation + benefits (Remuneration stated is for the full-time positions)

Work type: Temporary, Full-time, 

Duration: Up to 3 years (extension potential thereafter but not guaranteed).

Location: Brisbane Square, with flexible working from home arrangements

Our Branch  

Strategic Procurement manages Council’s procurement of goods, services and works to deliver strong commercial and community outcomes. The branch provides category management, strategic sourcing, contract management and supplier relationship expertise for high-risk, high-value arrangements across Council.

The Roles:

A number of opportunities are now available for Senior Category Specialists within Strategic Procurement. 2 opportunities sit in the Construction and Operations team and will manage categories covering construction, infrastructure, maintenance and operational services. 

4 positions sit within the ICT team and will manage technology-related procurement categories, strategic ICT contracts and supplier relationships supporting Council’s operations and future initiatives.

Senior Category Specialists provide expertise and strategic leadership in category management for high-risk, high-value contracts and strategic suppliers. The roles work with stakeholders to develop category plans, lead strategic sourcing activities, manage contracts and supplier relationships, analyse expenditure and demand, and improve commercial and service outcomes. 

You will work in a collaborative and delivery-focused environment involving complex stakeholder requirements, diverse supply markets and competing priorities. The work combines longer-term category planning with active sourcing, contract management, supplier performance and emerging commercial matters.

You will engage regularly with business areas, technical specialists, suppliers and other government entities. You will need to exercise sound judgement, manage several matters concurrently and provide clear, practical procurement and commercial advice.

Key focus areas include: 

• developing, coordinating and implementing category and sourcing strategies across the procurement lifecycle
• managing procurement planning with stakeholders to deliver agreed schedules and outcomes
• analysing expenditure, demand, financial information, supply markets and category performance
• leading strategic sourcing activities, evaluations, commercial negotiations and contract establishment
• managing allocated contracts throughout their lifecycle, including obligations, renewals and supplier performance
• identifying and managing continuity-of-supply, commercial and other category risks
• working with suppliers and stakeholders to identify innovation and value-chain improvement opportunities
• developing category plans, scorecards, reports and performance measures
• contributing to procurement policies, procedures and demand-management initiatives
• building productive relationships across Council, government entities and supplier markets
• managing a high volume of concurrent matters while maintaining accurate procurement and contract records.

To be successful you will have: 

• demonstrated experience developing and implementing category strategies, including strategic sourcing and contract management
• strong analytical capability, including expenditure analysis, financial analysis and commercial decision-making
• experience assessing value chains and working with suppliers to identify innovation and service improvements
• proven experience negotiating, establishing and managing contracts and supplier agreements
• the ability to understand stakeholder requirements and translate them into practical procurement and commercial outcomes
• strong interpersonal and written communication skills, including the ability to negotiate, influence and resolve complex commercial issues
• the ability to manage competing priorities and deliver quality outcomes in a large and complex organisation
• a collaborative approach and commitment to continuous improvement and high performance.

Experience in construction, infrastructure, operational services or ICT procurement will be highly regarded, depending on the position.

Benefits of working for Council include: 

• flexible working hours, and flexible arrangements
• free gym and wellness centre
• award winning superannuation fund
• generous leave provisions
• end of trip facilities
• competitive salary. 

Benefits of working for Council: CLICK HERE

How to apply: Click on the 'I’m interested' button to complete your online application. Please upload your tailored resume and covering letter (of no more than one page) demonstrating your suitability to the position.

*Eligibility for internal only roles includes external applicants who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander and/or as a person living with a disability. Applicants from these groups are required to complete the diversity and inclusion questions on the application form to enable Council to determine eligibility.

This role may require a Criminal History Check, or you may be required to undertake a pre-employment medical assessment to assess your ability to perform the genuine occupational requirements of the role.

For more information: Please call Robert Payie on 07 3178 3950 

People from diverse backgrounds, including those living with a disability and/or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who may have questions about the recruitment process or working at Council, are encouraged to reach out to the contact above, who can connect you with a member of Council’s Diversity and Inclusion team.

Appliation Closing Date: Sunday 25 October 2026 at 11:55pm AEST.

Brisbane City Council is a multi-award winning accessible and inclusive workplace where our people represent the diverse communities we serve, are supported, and can feel safe. Council has been awarded Employer of the Year at the National Disability Awards and has been recognised multiple times with ‘Gold Employer’ status from the Australian Workplace Equality Index for LGBTI inclusion.

Council and its employees must follow the Public Sector Ethics Act 1994 (Qld) and the Code of Conduct. This means employees are expected to act with honesty, fairness, and always prioritise the public interest over personal or private gain. The Code of Conduct requires employees to openly disclose any other work they do outside of Council — including paid or unpaid employment, operating their own business or volunteering in certain circumstances — and to manage any conflicts of interest or other risks (such as fatigue) in a way that puts the public interest first. Maintaining employment outside Council does not preclude you from being considered for roles within Council.