The LDA
Senior Procurement Specialist/ Category Manager – Works & Works Related Services
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Senior Procurement Specialist – Category Manager
About the Land Development Agency
The Land Development Agency (LDA) is the State’s affordable housing delivery body. Its main role is to:
- Acquire and develop State and other land
- Deliver affordable homes
- Support the creation of thriving communities
- Deliver ongoing positive social impact
The LDA is overseen by an independent Board of Directors and has a capitalisation of up to €8.75bn. To date, €6.25 billion of equity capital has been committed by Government, with an additional €2.5bn capitalisation permitted from other sources/debt.
The LDA has made significant progress:
- Active in over 20 State Land sites
- Delivery pipeline of exceeding 25,000 homes
- Partnership with the country’s largest homebuilders for 8,000 additional homes under Project Tosaigh
- Master-planning initiatives, including:
- Limerick Colbert Quarter
- Dublin Digital Hub
- Galway Sandy Road
Role Summary
As the Senior Procurement Specialist – Category Manager, you will:
- Own and manage a defined procurement category
- Report directly to the Procurement Lead – Portfolio Manager
- Operate as a Category Manager, not a mere tender administrator
- Develop and implement category strategies
- Lead end-to-end procurements
- Manage risk and contract performance
- Serve as the trusted commercial advisor and critical friend to the business, ensuring portfolio strategy translates into deliverable outcomes
Key Responsibilities
Category Strategy & Leadership
- Build deep knowledge of supply markets, commercial models, risks, and opportunities within your assigned category.
- Develop and execute a category strategy that aligns with portfolio and corporate objectives.
- Shape sourcing approaches focused on value delivery, risk management, and housing development acceleration.
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Procurement Delivery & Commercial Excellence
- Lead complex, high-value, and high-risk procurements in compliance with both Irish and EU public procurement law.
- Design sourcing strategies, procurement routes, selection and award criteria, and evaluation methodologies.
- Apply public procurement frameworks pragmatically and commercially to drive efficient delivery.
Stakeholder & Commercial Partnership
- Partner with senior stakeholders to shape strategic commercial and procurement solutions.
- Serve as a trusted advisor providing insight, challenge, and support.
- Lead multi-disciplinary evaluation teams and moderation processes.
Tendering, Contracting & Transition
- Manage the entire procurement lifecycle, including:
- Market engagement
- Tender documentation
- Evaluation processes
- Regulation 84 reporting (where applicable)
- Contract negotiation
- Mobilisation
- Transition to execution
- Embed and maintain robust contract management frameworks to ensure performance optimization.
Public Procurement Law, Governance & Risk
- Apply deep expertise in Irish and EU public procurement regulations.
- Identify, assess, and mitigate commercial, legal, and delivery risks.
- Ensure audit, assurance, and Public Spending Code compliance across category operations.
Systems, Data & Continuous Improvement
- Ensure effective use and continuous refinement of procurement systems, including:
- Templates
- Dashboards
- Registration portals
- Contribute to ongoing advancements in:
- Procurement policy guidelines
- Processes and procedures
- Champion continuous improvement in category management best practices.
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Requirements
We seek **apt and experienced Irish public procurement professionals who:
- Operate as Category Managers, not merely tender process coordinators.
- Have a proven track record in leading large-scale, legally compliant procurements under Irish and EU legislation (essential).
- Are commercially astute, with an outcome-focused mindset and the ability to design cost-effective strategies while managing inherent risks.
- Possess exceptional stakeholder management skills and robust commercial judgement.
- Excels in working within ambiguity and complexity while delivering clear outcomes.
Person Specification
Successful candidates must demonstrate:
- Strong analytical and commercial capabilities to drive value from procurement activities.
- Confidence in leading evaluations and negotiations at senior levels.
- A pragmatic, solution-focused attitude to compliance challenges.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills to facilitate engagement with diverse stakeholders.
- High professional integrity, ensuring trust in procurement decisions and processes.
Advantageous but not essential: A professional qualification in procurement (e.g., CIPS or equivalent). Instead, real-world experience in public procurement law and category leadership is critical.
How to Apply
- Closing date for applications: Friday 15th July, 5:00 PM.
- Emphasis on inclusivity: The LDA is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to promoting and supporting a diverse and inclusive workforce. Reasonable accommodations will be provided where needed.
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