Thank you for your interest in joining Thurrock Council as our new Director of Strategic Commissioning and Procurement.

This is a newly created role and one that reflects both how far we have come and where we are heading as an organisation. Thurrock is at a pivotal moment in its journey. We have made significant progress in our recovery and improvement programme, established a strong and stable senior leadership team, and are preparing for a future that will look very different from the past.

The move to a permanent Chief Executive, alongside the progress we have made in strengthening our governance, financial resilience and organisational maturity, gives us confidence about the future. At the same time, Local Government Reorganisation presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shape how public services are commissioned, designed and delivered across a much larger South West Essex footprint.

Against this backdrop, we are creating a Strategic Commissioning and Procurement Hub that will bring together commissioning, procurement, commercial strategy and contract management into a single, high-performing function. Our ambition is to establish a true Centre of Excellence: one that provides strong professional leadership, supports better decision-making, helps services achieve greater impact and ensures we get the very best value from every pound we spend.

This role is about much more than process, governance or procurement. It is about shaping markets, building partnerships, influencing strategic decisions and helping the council respond to some of the most important opportunities and challenges it will face over the coming years. You will work across the whole organisation, partnering with senior colleagues, Members, statutory officers, health partners and providers to improve outcomes for residents and help create a stronger, more sustainable council.

What excites me most about this opportunity is that it offers the chance to build rather than inherit. We have a clear vision, strong corporate support and genuine commitment from across the organisation, but there remains significant scope for the successful candidate to shape the service, influence its future direction and leave a lasting legacy. This is a role for someone who enjoys bringing people together, thrives on complexity and is motivated by the opportunity to create something that will endure well beyond their tenure.

We are realistic about the challenges ahead, but we are equally optimistic about what can be achieved. Thurrock is a council with momentum, ambition and a willingness to do things differently. We are fortunate to have talented colleagues, supportive partners and elected Members who are committed to delivering the best possible future for our communities.

If you are looking for a role where you can combine strategic leadership, commercial thinking, partnership working and public service impact, I hope you will consider joining us.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Alex Powell
Deputy Chief Executive