Head of Commercial & Contract Management

Why Southwark?

Can you use your commercial expertise to shape the future of one of London's largest housing services?
Do you thrive on leading complex procurement strategies, managing high-value contracts and delivering tangible value for residents?
Does the opportunity to influence more than £120m of annual spend while driving service improvement across a major London borough excite you?

If yes, we have the perfect role for you!

Our Repairs & Maintenance Service is looking for an outstanding Head of Commercial & Contract Management to join our senior leadership team and help deliver excellent housing services for Southwark's residents. This is a rare opportunity to shape commercial strategy at scale, influence major investment decisions and lead a high-performing team responsible for some of the council's most significant contracts.

What You'll Be Doing

Reporting to the Director of Repairs & Maintenance, you'll provide strategic leadership for procurement, commercial management and contract performance across Housing Services. You'll lead on the development and delivery of long-term procurement strategies, oversee major contract negotiations, and ensure our commercial arrangements deliver value for money, high-quality services and excellent outcomes for residents.

You'll work closely with senior leaders, elected members, contractors and external partners to identify opportunities for innovation, improve contract performance, manage risk and maximise the impact of our housing investment programmes. You'll also lead and develop a team of commercial professionals, creating a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.

The role carries responsibility for the commercial oversight of contracts and services worth approximately £120 million per annum, making it one of the most influential commercial leadership positions within Housing Services.

What We're Looking For

We are looking for a strategic and commercially astute leader with a proven track record of delivering results in complex, high-value environments.

You will bring:

• Significant experience in a senior commercial, procurement or contract management role.
• Experience managing and overseeing multi-million-pound contracts and commercial programmes.
• Strong knowledge of procurement legislation, contract management and commercial best practice.
• Experience delivering commercial transformation, service improvement and cost efficiencies.
• The ability to build productive relationships and influence senior stakeholders across large organisations.
• Experience leading, motivating and developing high-performing professional teams.
• Excellent analytical, negotiation and communication skills.
• A CIPS Diploma or equivalent qualification in Procurement, Supply Chain, Quantity Surveying, Business Management, or substantial relevant experience.

Most importantly, you'll share our commitment to delivering excellent services for residents and making a positive difference to the communities we serve.

Contact Information

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Shona Snow at shona.snow1@southwark.gov.uk.

Additional Information

This post is politically restricted under the terms of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.

Occasional out-of-hours working may be required.

Please note that we are unable to accept applications from individuals who require visa sponsorship.

Benefits and More Information

Find out more about why Southwark is a great place to work:
Why Southwark?

Advert close date: 11:59pm on 18/11/2026
Shortlisting date: 20/11/2026
Interview date: 30/11/2026

The closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. We strongly advise you to complete your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

This vacancy is subject to the council's redeployment arrangements. Eligible redeployees will be considered first, and the vacancy may be withdrawn if a suitable redeployee is appointed.

Southwark Council will only contact candidates through official Council recruitment channels. We will not ask you to provide passport details, proof of address, National Insurance number, bank details or payment at application stage. These checks are only requested during onboarding once an offer of employment has been made. If you're unsure whether a communication you've received is genuine, please contact the Resourcing Team before sharing any personal information.

We are an organisation that is passionate about our people and understands that diversity strengthens our ability to serve our communities. This is demonstrated through our ambitious commitment to tackling inequality and creating a workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We particularly welcome applications from members of Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level within the Council.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme

As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role and identify with one of the following groups:

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans.
• People who are currently in care or have previously been in care.
• People who consider themselves disabled or have a long-term health condition.

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Attachments

• Head of Commercial and Contract Management G15.docx

Equal Opportunities

Southwark Council recognises that the diversity of our population and our workforce is a strength. We value the differences between people, and the ways that those differences can contribute to a richer, creative and more productive work environment. Find out more by clicking here