Adolescent Health Study
City, Edinburgh
About Adolescent Health Study The Adolescent Health Study (AHS) is an ambitious new UKRI-funded initiative to establish a prospective, longitudinal population study that will generate a globally leading open science data platform and research resource. AHS aims to recruit at least 100,000 young people aged eight to 18 years from across the UK and to follow their mental and physical health and wellbeing over at least 10 years. It plans to collect data through questions and measures; to obtain bio-samples for a wide range of genomic and other high-throughput assays; and to capture linked data relevant to health and wellbeing from participants' health, education and other administrative records. Recruitment will take place mainly through schools. There will be a strong emphasis on engaging with and involving young people, schools, parents and other relevant stakeholders in the design and delivery of the study, as well as on including young people that represent as wide as possible a range of backgrounds, experiences and characteristics. AHS will focus on enabling a wide range of research, including studies of the critical biological and social developments that occur during the transition from childhood to adulthood and the determinants of both mental and physical health and wellbeing in adolescents and young adults. Purpose of the post The Procurement Lead is responsible for developing and delivering a robust procurement and commercial strategy that ensures value for money, compliance with Procurement Act 2023 regulations in line with AHS being primarily public funded and supports AHS study and operational objectives. The role will lead on sourcing, contracting, supplier management, and commercial governance, ensuring ethical, transparent, and efficient use of public funds. Main responsibilities Procurement Strategy & Leadership Develop and implement a procurement and commercial strategy aligned with organisational goals and funding requirements. Lead procurement planning across research programmes, operations, and corporate services. Act as a subject matter expert on public procurement policy and best practice. Drive continuous improvement in procurement processes, systems, and capability. Tendering and Contract Management Oversee end-to-end procurement processes including tendering, evaluation, and contract award. Ensure compliance with UK public procurement regulations (e.g., Procurement Act and associated guidance). Draft, review, and negotiate complex contracts, including research, clinical, and grant-related agreements. Manage contract lifecycle including performance monitoring, renewals, and extensions. Commercial Governance & Compliance Establish and maintain procurement policies, procedures, and governance frameworks. Ensure all procurement activities meet audit, transparency, and reporting requirements for public funding. Identify and mitigate commercial risks across supplier engagements. Support internal and external audit processes. Supplier & Stakeholder Management Build and maintain strategic supplier relationships, ensuring high performance and innovation. Collaborate with internal stakeholders (research teams, finance, legal) to understand needs and deliver value-driven procurement solutions. Work with external stakeholders including funders, partners and strategic advisors to develop optimum outcomes Provide commercial advice and guidance to senior leadership and project teams. Promote sustainable and ethical sourcing practices. Financial & Value Management Deliver value for money through effective sourcing and negotiation strategies. Monitor procurement spend and identify cost-saving or efficiency opportunities. Contribute to budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning processes. Ensure funding is used appropriately, ethically and in line with public funding requirements. Knowledge, skills and experience Essential Professional qualification in procurement or supply chain e.g., CIPS Level 5 or equivalent Degree or comparable experience in business, finance, law, or related field. Proven track record of managing complex procurement exercises and contracts. Experience in procurement or commercial roles within regulated procurement environments, specifically those classed as a public authority Strong understanding of UK public procurement regulations and best practice. Commercial acumen with strong negotiation and contract management skills. Experience of drafting and reviewing heads of terms and commercial agreements. Knowledge of intellectual property (IP) considerations in research contracts. Strong experience in supplier and stakeholder management. Excellent analytical, financial, and problem-solving abilities. Strong communication and influencing skills across all levels of an organisation. Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities effectively. Desirable CIPS Level 6 or equivalent Membership of a professional body (e.g., MCIPS or FCIPS). Experience managing high-value and complex contracts, including collaborative or partnership agreements Experience in procurement or commercial roles within charity and/or research sectors Detailed understanding of intellectual property (IP) considerations in research contracts. Detailed knowledge of the UK Procurement Act (or Public Contracts Regulations 2015 historically) and transitions between them. Experience of drafting and reviewing heads of terms and commercial agreements. Understanding of subsidy control, state aid, or funding compliance frameworks. Ability to analyse procurement data and generate insights using tools such as Excel, Power BI, or similar. Experience leading organisational change or transformation programmes in procurement. Ability to build procurement capability across a non-procurement stakeholder base. Dimensions This is a full-time role,37.5 hours per week, offered initially as an 18-month fixed-term contract with potential route to permanency. Flexible working across several geographical locations in the UK. Travel may be required to AHS locations and partner organisations. AHS is a national organisation, and our activities take place across the UK. Application Process All candidates are required to complete the application form which can be found when clicking 'Apply Now' via Guardian Jobs, within Supporting Documents. Please refer to the 'How to Apply' section of the downloadable application form. Please note that only applications submitted directly to Gravitate HR will be accepted for this position. The closing date for applications is 11:00pm on Sunday 12 July 2026. Interviews are currently expected to take place on Wednesday 20 and Thursday 21 August 2026. Equal Opportunities Policy Statement AHS is an equal opportunities employer, and as such aims to treat all employees, consultants and applicants fairly. It is our policy to provide employment equality to all, irrespective of: Gender, including gender reassignment Marital or civil partnership status Having or not having dependants Religion or belief Race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins) Disability Sexual orientation Age We are opposed to all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination. All job applicants and employees who work for us will be treated fairly and will not be unfairly discriminated against on any of the above grounds. Decisions about recruitment and selection, promotion, training or any other benefit will be made objectively and without unlawful discrimination. Values It is an exciting time for the Adolescent Health Study (AHS) as we establish our senior leadership team and begin to plan the pilot studies. As the senior executive team evolves, the AHS values will be grounded in inclusivity, integrity, accountability, and collaboration.
About Adolescent Health Study The Adolescent Health Study (AHS) is an ambitious new UKRI-funded initiative to establish a prospective, longitudinal population study that will generate a globally leading open science data platform and research resource. AHS aims to recruit at least 100,000 young people aged eight to 18 years from across the UK and to follow their mental and physical health and wellbeing over at least 10 years. It plans to collect data through questions and measures; to obtain bio-samples for a wide range of genomic and other high-throughput assays; and to capture linked data relevant to health and wellbeing from participants' health, education and other administrative records. Recruitment will take place mainly through schools. There will be a strong emphasis on engaging with and involving young people, schools, parents and other relevant stakeholders in the design and delivery of the study, as well as on including young people that represent as wide as possible a range of backgrounds, experiences and characteristics. AHS will focus on enabling a wide range of research, including studies of the critical biological and social developments that occur during the transition from childhood to adulthood and the determinants of both mental and physical health and wellbeing in adolescents and young adults. Purpose of the post The Procurement Lead is responsible for developing and delivering a robust procurement and commercial strategy that ensures value for money, compliance with Procurement Act 2023 regulations in line with AHS being primarily public funded and supports AHS study and operational objectives. The role will lead on sourcing, contracting, supplier management, and commercial governance, ensuring ethical, transparent, and efficient use of public funds. Main responsibilities Procurement Strategy & Leadership Develop and implement a procurement and commercial strategy aligned with organisational goals and funding requirements. Lead procurement planning across research programmes, operations, and corporate services. Act as a subject matter expert on public procurement policy and best practice. Drive continuous improvement in procurement processes, systems, and capability. Tendering and Contract Management Oversee end-to-end procurement processes including tendering, evaluation, and contract award. Ensure compliance with UK public procurement regulations (e.g., Procurement Act and associated guidance). Draft, review, and negotiate complex contracts, including research, clinical, and grant-related agreements. Manage contract lifecycle including performance monitoring, renewals, and extensions. Commercial Governance & Compliance Establish and maintain procurement policies, procedures, and governance frameworks. Ensure all procurement activities meet audit, transparency, and reporting requirements for public funding. Identify and mitigate commercial risks across supplier engagements. Support internal and external audit processes. Supplier & Stakeholder Management Build and maintain strategic supplier relationships, ensuring high performance and innovation. Collaborate with internal stakeholders (research teams, finance, legal) to understand needs and deliver value-driven procurement solutions. Work with external stakeholders including funders, partners and strategic advisors to develop optimum outcomes Provide commercial advice and guidance to senior leadership and project teams. Promote sustainable and ethical sourcing practices. Financial & Value Management Deliver value for money through effective sourcing and negotiation strategies. Monitor procurement spend and identify cost-saving or efficiency opportunities. Contribute to budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning processes. Ensure funding is used appropriately, ethically and in line with public funding requirements. Knowledge, skills and experience Essential Professional qualification in procurement or supply chain e.g., CIPS Level 5 or equivalent Degree or comparable experience in business, finance, law, or related field. Proven track record of managing complex procurement exercises and contracts. Experience in procurement or commercial roles within regulated procurement environments, specifically those classed as a public authority Strong understanding of UK public procurement regulations and best practice. Commercial acumen with strong negotiation and contract management skills. Experience of drafting and reviewing heads of terms and commercial agreements. Knowledge of intellectual property (IP) considerations in research contracts. Strong experience in supplier and stakeholder management. Excellent analytical, financial, and problem-solving abilities. Strong communication and influencing skills across all levels of an organisation. Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities effectively. Desirable CIPS Level 6 or equivalent Membership of a professional body (e.g., MCIPS or FCIPS). Experience managing high-value and complex contracts, including collaborative or partnership agreements Experience in procurement or commercial roles within charity and/or research sectors Detailed understanding of intellectual property (IP) considerations in research contracts. Detailed knowledge of the UK Procurement Act (or Public Contracts Regulations 2015 historically) and transitions between them. Experience of drafting and reviewing heads of terms and commercial agreements. Understanding of subsidy control, state aid, or funding compliance frameworks. Ability to analyse procurement data and generate insights using tools such as Excel, Power BI, or similar. Experience leading organisational change or transformation programmes in procurement. Ability to build procurement capability across a non-procurement stakeholder base. Dimensions This is a full-time role,37.5 hours per week, offered initially as an 18-month fixed-term contract with potential route to permanency. Flexible working across several geographical locations in the UK. Travel may be required to AHS locations and partner organisations. AHS is a national organisation, and our activities take place across the UK. Application Process All candidates are required to complete the application form which can be found when clicking 'Apply Now' via Guardian Jobs, within Supporting Documents. Please refer to the 'How to Apply' section of the downloadable application form. Please note that only applications submitted directly to Gravitate HR will be accepted for this position. The closing date for applications is 11:00pm on Sunday 12 July 2026. Interviews are currently expected to take place on Wednesday 20 and Thursday 21 August 2026. Equal Opportunities Policy Statement AHS is an equal opportunities employer, and as such aims to treat all employees, consultants and applicants fairly. It is our policy to provide employment equality to all, irrespective of: Gender, including gender reassignment Marital or civil partnership status Having or not having dependants Religion or belief Race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins) Disability Sexual orientation Age We are opposed to all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination. All job applicants and employees who work for us will be treated fairly and will not be unfairly discriminated against on any of the above grounds. Decisions about recruitment and selection, promotion, training or any other benefit will be made objectively and without unlawful discrimination. Values It is an exciting time for the Adolescent Health Study (AHS) as we establish our senior leadership team and begin to plan the pilot studies. As the senior executive team evolves, the AHS values will be grounded in inclusivity, integrity, accountability, and collaboration.
Gleeson Recruitment Group
City, Birmingham
Interim Learning & Development Commissioning Lead 12 months FTC Birmingham 36K to 46K Large Scale Business Gleeson Recruitment Group is partnering with a large, complex business to recruit an experienced Interim Learning & Development Commissioning Lead on a 12-month fixed-term basis. This is an excellent opportunity for a learning and organisational development professional with strong commissioning, supplier management and stakeholder engagement experience to play a key role in shaping workforce capability and organisational performance. This role is mainly office based for the duration of the contract out of their offices in Birminghm. The Opportunity Reporting into the Head of Organisational Development, you will lead the commissioning, management and evaluation of externally delivered learning and development programmes, ensuring investment in learning delivers measurable business impact, exceptional learner experiences and value for money. Working across a diverse stakeholder landscape, you will identify capability requirements, develop commissioning specifications, manage supplier relationships and utilise data-driven insights to continuously improve learning outcomes. Key Responsibilities Lead the commissioning and implementation of externally delivered learning, leadership and organisational development programmes. Develop service specifications, outcome measures and procurement documentation. Manage relationships with learning providers, consultants, coaches and external partners. Monitor supplier performance against agreed objectives, quality standards and contractual requirements. Evaluate programme effectiveness using learner feedback, performance metrics and organisational outcomes. Manage budgets, undertake financial analysis and assess return on investment. Produce reports, dashboards and recommendations to support strategic decision-making. Partner with senior stakeholders to identify capability needs and workforce development priorities. Support organisational development projects and continuous improvement initiatives. About You You will bring: Significant experience commissioning, procuring, managing or evaluating learning and development programmes within a complex organisation. Strong supplier and contract management experience. Experience translating organisational capability needs into effective development solutions. Proven ability to evaluate learning impact using qualitative and quantitative data. Experience managing budgets and delivering value-for-money outcomes. Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills. Strong analytical capabilities with experience using data to drive decisions. A degree-level qualification or equivalent professional experience. CIPD qualification or substantial experience within Learning & Development, Organisational Development or Workforce Development. Desirable Experience Experience within Higher Education, Public Sector or similarly complex environments. CIPD Level 5 or Level 7 qualification. Experience commissioning leadership or organisational development programmes. Knowledge of public sector procurement processes. Experience with LMS platforms, learning analytics and digital learning solutions. What's on Offer Opportunity to influence strategic workforce development initiatives. Exposure to senior stakeholders and organisational change programmes. Flexible and hybrid working arrangements. Competitive salary and benefits package. To apply for the position, please click on the apply now button and your CV will be sent directly to the responsible recruiter. We will respond to successful applicants within 7 days, however please feel free to get in touch if you would like any further information about your application. At Gleeson Recruitment Group, we embrace inclusivity and welcome applicants of all backgrounds, experiences, and abilities. We are proud to be a disability confident employer. By applying you will be registered as a candidate with Gleeson Recruitment Limited. Our Privacy Policy is available on our website and explains how we will use your data.
Interim Learning & Development Commissioning Lead 12 months FTC Birmingham 36K to 46K Large Scale Business Gleeson Recruitment Group is partnering with a large, complex business to recruit an experienced Interim Learning & Development Commissioning Lead on a 12-month fixed-term basis. This is an excellent opportunity for a learning and organisational development professional with strong commissioning, supplier management and stakeholder engagement experience to play a key role in shaping workforce capability and organisational performance. This role is mainly office based for the duration of the contract out of their offices in Birminghm. The Opportunity Reporting into the Head of Organisational Development, you will lead the commissioning, management and evaluation of externally delivered learning and development programmes, ensuring investment in learning delivers measurable business impact, exceptional learner experiences and value for money. Working across a diverse stakeholder landscape, you will identify capability requirements, develop commissioning specifications, manage supplier relationships and utilise data-driven insights to continuously improve learning outcomes. Key Responsibilities Lead the commissioning and implementation of externally delivered learning, leadership and organisational development programmes. Develop service specifications, outcome measures and procurement documentation. Manage relationships with learning providers, consultants, coaches and external partners. Monitor supplier performance against agreed objectives, quality standards and contractual requirements. Evaluate programme effectiveness using learner feedback, performance metrics and organisational outcomes. Manage budgets, undertake financial analysis and assess return on investment. Produce reports, dashboards and recommendations to support strategic decision-making. Partner with senior stakeholders to identify capability needs and workforce development priorities. Support organisational development projects and continuous improvement initiatives. About You You will bring: Significant experience commissioning, procuring, managing or evaluating learning and development programmes within a complex organisation. Strong supplier and contract management experience. Experience translating organisational capability needs into effective development solutions. Proven ability to evaluate learning impact using qualitative and quantitative data. Experience managing budgets and delivering value-for-money outcomes. Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills. Strong analytical capabilities with experience using data to drive decisions. A degree-level qualification or equivalent professional experience. CIPD qualification or substantial experience within Learning & Development, Organisational Development or Workforce Development. Desirable Experience Experience within Higher Education, Public Sector or similarly complex environments. CIPD Level 5 or Level 7 qualification. Experience commissioning leadership or organisational development programmes. Knowledge of public sector procurement processes. Experience with LMS platforms, learning analytics and digital learning solutions. What's on Offer Opportunity to influence strategic workforce development initiatives. Exposure to senior stakeholders and organisational change programmes. Flexible and hybrid working arrangements. Competitive salary and benefits package. To apply for the position, please click on the apply now button and your CV will be sent directly to the responsible recruiter. We will respond to successful applicants within 7 days, however please feel free to get in touch if you would like any further information about your application. At Gleeson Recruitment Group, we embrace inclusivity and welcome applicants of all backgrounds, experiences, and abilities. We are proud to be a disability confident employer. By applying you will be registered as a candidate with Gleeson Recruitment Limited. Our Privacy Policy is available on our website and explains how we will use your data.
