Karishma Sheikh

MCIPS-qualified Procurement and Category Management professional with 10+ years' experience delivering complex public-sector procurements across local government, housing and public health environments. Extensive expertise in PCR 2015, Procurement Act 2023 readiness, contract management, strategic sourcing, stakeholder engagement and high-value procurement programmes exceeding £100m. Proven track record delivering value-for-money outcomes, savings targets, social value commitments and compliant procurement solutions within politically sensitive environments.

Spent the last 18 months on a personal sabbatical leave in order to achieve some personal milestones and travel.

Interim Procurement Category Manager at Liverpool City Council (2023-01 – 2024-11)

Provide business partner approach to support the delivery of a strategic sourcing pipeline whilst analysing LCC spend profiles for public health services category area (approx £181m) covering services such as drugs & alcohol support, obesity and homelessness. Provide comprehensive, relevant and high value insight into all procurement aspects of the category area and ensuring stakeholder engagement at all levels as required up to Chief Executive level depending on project specific political and spend values of up to £100m. Meeting customer requirements by delivering value for money, identifying cost savings and process efficiencies through innovative solutions through extensive knowledge and experience of Procurement Contract Regulations (PCR), Contract Standing Orders (CSOs), and Local Authority Constitution and Plans. Ensuring effective spending of public health grants ensuring vigourus reporting and regular due diligence checks are carried out.

Contract

Management activities of all active and upcoming contracts and projects ensuring involvement from all stakeholders internal and external alike. Constant update and maintenance of key systems, reports, as well savings and social value in accordance with CPU targets. Support and participate in completion of cabinet reports for councillors approval and additional reports required by the independent inquiry commission as well as with the Local Government Association.

Procurement Business Partner at Stonewater Housing Association (2022-08 – 2023-01)

• End to end procurement cycle including procurement time-lapse, gantt chart
• Responsible for all contracts under corporates services, customer experience and finance
• Highly strategic importance procurements undertaken such as a new ERP system up to £1m
• Managing difficult stakeholders
• Working under pressure and meeting tight deadlines
• Understanding the public regulations and providing options appraisals
• Familiar with all relevant framework providers and digital marketplace as well as DOS5
• Review and strategic plan following up the initial publication by government procurement bill
• Putting together contract documents and terms and conditions
• Improve internal documentations and tender packs
• Responsible for corporate services, finance and customer experience categories
• Reporting directly to the Assistant Director of Procurement

Procurement Category Manager at Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (2015-11 – 2022-09)

Management end to end process in the procurement of tenders including user needs analysis; market research; sourcing activity; structure of tenders; market engagement; tender evaluation; negotiation; and all contractual matters. A robust commercial outlook with understanding of risk.

Experience of stakeholder management, with strong communication, negotiation and influencing skills. Knowledge of contract law, the ability to draft contracts and experience of Public Sector procurement. Responsible for leading on key procurement decisions that affect the Strategic Category spend areas, both in respect of having to deal responsively to day to day queries and advice from key stakeholders within the organisation, through to having to formulate, lead and present a strategic vision of Category procurement that meets the future long term needs of the organisation.

Ensure Social

Value considerations are included in procurement processes, with focus on encouraging participation of SME's and Third Sector organisations in service delivery. Contributed towards organisation's savings target contribution of up to £1m. Lead all from start to finish procurement above £50,000 and above EU threshold values using PCR regulations and OJEU. Create and market procurement project plans and identify where corrective action is needed to ensure procurement issues are managed effectively throughout the procurement cycle, thereby delivering effective project outcomes and efficient working. This includes the effective project management, change control management and, where possible, reducing procurement timescales and resources required.

Experience in many fields from adults services such as car care home services, resources such as cleaning services, printing services, stationery, office furniture, financial services (treasury), banking services, IT related services (software and hardware), refurbishments, homelessness services, neighbourhood services such as parks and lake maintenance etc.

Program Buyer at Lear Corporation (2012-10 – 2015-05)

• Managing & ensure purchasing progress of X152, X150, X250, X251 & T5 Jaguar Land Rover Programs
• Managing a team of 15 commodity buyers located all over Europe to ensure smooth running of RFQ & ECN Progress
• Manage the changes the taking place on a daily basis of customer orders to ensure purchase order with suppliers reflect the same change
• Work closely with the Program Manager and Engineering team to update on the latest statuses of RFQ/ECN deck on a weekly basis
• Resolve any issues faced by the commodity buyers as well as other Program issues
• Working on streamlining the delivery terms with suppliers across the different sites
• Manager Program BOMs, Capacity levels, invoices queries & changes to the Program
• Raise tooling orders and approve RFQ/ECNs
• Work closely with the PPAP engineers to ensure all the quality checks on all part levels have taken place
• Report to the European Directors on Program updates and highlight any concerns or issues
• Use several systems such as AS4000, SRM, Profile & PLM to manage all the programs and track the latest status

Purchasing coordinator at Volvo Group UK (2011-09 – 2012-09)

• Daily negotiations over the phone and by email with suppliers on price and delivery
• Regular system update and maintenance of parts inventory and stock checks
• Raising daily purchase orders using Autopart system & chasing existing outstanding back orders for delivery dates
• Close cooperation with product managers when introducing new parts & negotiation deals on promotional parts
• Build key contacts and supplier relationships through daily queries and regular efficient flow of communication
• Work closely with the returns team to make sure all returns are dealt smoothly and efficiently whilst liaising closely with the warehouse
• Deal with shortage & damaged deliveries by closely working with the warehouse manager & liaise effectively with suppliers
• Manager special projects & responsibility by raising necessary orders by liaising with suppliers on delivery as well as customer & raise invoices for customer
• Solve any invoice queries, and work closely with account to ensure all payments run smoothly

Purchasing and Planning Administrator at Nikon Metrology UK (2011-04 – 2011-09)

• Daily negotiations over the phone and by email with suppliers regarding urgent production kits on price and delivery
• Regular data entry to update and maintain parts inventory and order records
• Assisting the planning team on forecasting demand for purchase orders and production orders
• Closely working with engineers and operation manager to improve the planning time of builds and improve accuracy of delivery forecasts
• Update the new in-house system and stock levels
• Build key contacts and supplier relationships through daily queries and regular communication
• Work closely with the repairs team to make sure all repairs are dealt smoothly and efficiently whilst keeping all administrative tasks up to date

Hospital Services Administrator at Spire Leicester Hospital (2010-06 – 2011-09)

• Collecting payments and booking appointments
• Following correct procedure for registration of new patients
• Dealing with phone and face to face enquiries from the general public, insurance, consultants and also other staff members
• Preparation work for oncoming admissions
• Making sure the patients are charged correctly as well as ensuring they receive correct after care treatment after procedures
• General office tasks also involved such as filling and faxing

Junior Buyer at BMW Manufacturing Ltd (2008-07 – 2009-07)

• Managing and lead a major project with a team of approx. 15 colleagues leading to over £100,000 savings
• Taking part in consolidation of suppliers whilst working alongside senior buyers
• Involvement in the VPS activities and implementation team
• Gained valuable training including negotiation training enabling me to get involved in large tenders alongside senior buyers
• Updating and renewing the price agreements for contracts for the UK plants requiring daily B2B dealings

MCIPS – CIPS (2019 – 2019)

BA Honors Degree in Business and Management – De Montfort University (2006 – 2010)

A Level in Business, French & Law – Wyggeston & Queen Elizabeth I College (2004 – 2006)

GCSE – Rushey Mead Secondary School (2001 – 2004)

– Babington Community Technology College (2000 – 2001)