Procurement / Commercial Consultant

Location: Birmingham (Hybrid - minimum 1 day per week on-site)
Day Rate: £500-£575 (dependent on experience)
Duration: 8-10 weeks per assignment (~40-50 days)
Engagement: Interim / Consultancy

We are supporting a leading infrastructure consultancy engaged by a major UK local authority to deliver two strategic review programmes across a high-value capital infrastructure portfolio (circa £50m-£75m annually).

These engagements are designed to assess, challenge and enhance both pre-procurement and post-contract processes, ultimately improving governance, consistency and commercial outcomes across a complex programme of works, services and resource-based contracts.

This is a high-impact assignment where the successful consultant will play a key role in shaping future operating models, processes and standards.

The appointed consultant will be responsible for delivering structured reviews and recommendations across one or both of the following areas:

• Assess current approaches to pre-procurement activities, including scope development, requirements definition and tender documentation
• Identify weaknesses in process, governance alignment and quality assurance
• Evaluate consistency of approach across teams and programmes
• Review the effectiveness of evaluation criteria, including quality questions and scoring mechanisms
• Provide recommendations to enhance robustness, standardisation and clarity of tender documentation
• Suggest improvements to governance compliance, peer review processes and pre-procurement workflows

• Review existing contract administration processes across works and professional services contracts
• Assess consistency and effectiveness of change control, risk management and reporting procedures
• Identify areas of commercial exposure, inefficiencies or inconsistency across teams
• Evaluate current practices against industry standards and best practice (including NEC-aligned environments)
• Recommend improvements to contract governance, controls, oversight and performance monitoring
• Support development of more structured, repeatable approaches to contract management

• End-to-end review of current-state processes and operating practices
• Identification and documentation of key risks, gaps and inefficiencies
• Development of clear, actionable recommendations aligned to best practice
• Formal written report outlining findings and proposed improvements
• Presentation of findings and recommendations to senior stakeholders

• Large-scale infrastructure and highways delivery programme
• Mix of professional services, civil engineering works and contingent resource contracts
• Delivery via regulated public sector frameworks
• Alignment to Procurement Act 2023 governance
• Predominantly NEC contract forms in use
• Multi-stakeholder environment with varying levels of commercial maturity

We are seeking experienced consultants with a strong track record in delivering similar review, audit or transformation assignments.

Essential experience:

• Proven background in procurement, commercial or contract management roles
• Experience delivering process reviews, audits or transformation programmes
• Strong understanding of public sector procurement governance and frameworks
• Knowledge of NEC contracts and their practical application
• Experience within infrastructure, highways, transport or capital projects environments

Key skills:

• Ability to rapidly assess and understand complex operating environments
• Strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills
• Analytical mindset with a focus on identifying practical, implementable improvements
• High-quality report writing and presentation capabilities
• Commercial awareness and attention to risk, governance and compliance

• Hybrid model with minimum 1 day per week on-site in Birmingham (flexible but subject to programme needs)
• Remaining time can be delivered remotely
• Flexibility required to engage with stakeholders and attend key sessions in person where needed

• Opportunity to deliver one or both review programmes depending on experience
• Immediate start preferred
• Potential for further phases of work depending on outcomes

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced procurement or commercial consultant to deliver meaningful, high-value work within a major public sector organisation. The assignment offers the chance to influence future best practice across both procurement and contract delivery, leaving a lasting impact beyond the duration of the engagement.