When Rupert relocated to Surrey he was delighted to find a role where he could use his private sector knowledge to get the best deal for communities.
Getting a good deal is extremely important for councils right now and Rupert Boyle - Elmbridge’s Procurement Business Partner - is committed to doing this for every agreement signed.
From buying electric vehicles for the council’s fleet to help us reach our Vision 2030 goals to commissioning a resident survey, Rupert needs to ensure spending of council money represents the best value for residents.
After over a decade in procurement in the private sector, and many years in sales and marketing, Rupert joined Elmbridge in May last year, following a relocation to Surrey. It’s his first local government job and “it has been a steep learning curve” he said but a very enjoyable experience so far.
He sees bringing his experience from the private to the public sector as a way of using his knowledge to benefit local communities.
One aspect of the job he enjoys is getting to work with virtually all departments within the council as they all need to purchase goods, supplies or services at some point.
Rupert has been giving the procurement service an “overhaul” and is currently working on a new procurement strategy and overseeing the development of a new software system which should be rolled out later this year. “It’s a challenge, but achievable”, he said.
As a member of the council’s legal services team, he needs to ensure contracts are fully legally compliant, and oversees the council’s larger purchases of goods and services, while also supporting officers, when required, with smaller procurement projects.
“I really enjoy working at Elmbridge,” he said. “Everyone is really, really friendly and supportive. It’s a very rewarding role.”