Beginning his procurement with us at ECC in 2021, John has recently been promoted to the role of Procurement Manager after recognition of his hard work meant he secured the role.

Following on from the completion of his Graduate degree, we spoke with John to gain a glimpse into his experience here:

Hi John, could you tell us a bit about yourself?

I am a 25 year old Essex native, and I am the current Contract Manager for Local Bus Services.  I finished my master’s in risk management in 2021 just after joining ECC, having previously worked in Logistics. I keep active outside of work, with snowboarding and scuba diving being some of my favourite past times. I am also a long suffering Leyton Orient fan.

What prompted you to apply here?

I applied to the Graduate Scheme within the Procurement Team, as I wanted to work in a role where I felt my work mattered. Being able to see my work benefiting the community I lived in was a real motivator in applying, but it was also obvious that Essex would invest a lot of time and energy into my development. The nature of the scheme meant I would be given the opportunity to take ownership early on in my career, which has hopefully built a foundation of knowledge and confidence I will use for the future.

Sounds great, can you tell us about the development opportunities you have had whilst working here?

The Graduate Scheme ensures that you see multiple sectors within the Council, where you can work with a range of individuals and stakeholders. I rotated through the Corporate Team, Children and Families, and the Waste Team, before finally settling into the Passenger Transport Team. This gives you a breadth of knowledge regarding the Public sector and Procurement, and ensures you can carry out all facets of the Procurement process. I have also received tuition and funding for my CIPS qualifications, which are a prerequisite for working at higher levels in Procurement in this country. Graduates are pushed to embrace ownership and accountability early on, so that we can be fast tracked into management positions.

How about any exciting projects you have been involved with?

It is hard to choose! A personal favourite of mine was working with the Children’s Society on the Inside Out Project, which provided life coaching and support for young people in fostering. There were stressful moments of course, but that was because the service mattered and it was an honour to work for those in Fostering.

Finally, what would your advice be to anyone considering us as an employer?

It is a cliché, but just go for it! Essex County Council have always be prepared to upskill its workforce, so if you want to join to better yourself and the community you live in, this is the perfect place.

Has John’s story inspired you?

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