Procurement Specialist x 3

Full Description

Our client is a public sector body that ensures national safety from external and internal threats. As a result of this, any successful candidates will need to pass security clearance prior to commencing employment which could take between 6 – 9 months. If you wish to apply to these roles, you will need to seriously consider the timeframe before starting an application. The role will be based in Brompton, West London with 2-3 days a week in the office.

The organisation manages c£80-£100m spend per annum across various categories, working alongside other UK government departments and international partners. The work is cutting edge, innovative, and given the subject matter, of a sensitive nature.

We are looking for 3 x Procurement Specialists who will be required to undertake Category Management, contributing to delivering Commercial excellence for the organisation, providing a customer focussed service, understanding the business needs and stakeholder drivers, with the aim of becoming a trusted commercial advisor. You will also develop relationships with the organisation’s key and strategic suppliers, driving value for money and risk management excellence across the category.

The role of a Procurement Specialist is varied and you will play an essential part in supporting the overall commercial lifecycle. You will be working primarily on aspects relating to category management, feeding into strategy and policy development, analysing data and using market insight to support the sourcing options, and working on aspects across the procurement process. You will work as part of a larger team, but be expected to work autonomously and independently, and liaise with the wider business and partner organisations to support improved commercial outcomes.

This job description applies to three different Procurement Specialist roles that are currently vacant, each in a different sub-pillar within the unit. The sub-pillars are Operations, Professional Services, and Technology.

Key Tasks – The post holder will be required to do the following:

Strategic delivery and management within a category:

• Supporting development of specifications to deliver requirements that are in line with business needs, and existing category strategy.
• Engaging, where required, with the relevant lead ensuring that business requirements are in line with existing category strategies.
• Carrying out analysis, research and requirements gathering to feed into demand forecasting and category strategies.
• Tracking progress against category plans and working to deliver key tasks.

Understands relevant sourcing options and analysis, and delivers positive outcomes through the procurement process:

• Working independently across end-to-end strategic sourcing activities for the organisation.
• Engaging with key stakeholders across the organisation to support the team develop a clear and agreed view of business requirements.
• Advising and providing professional guidance throughout the sourcing process, supporting the evaluation of a range of sourcing models.
• Drafting the commercial recommendations into business cases, demonstrating a project’s benefits, value for money and risk.
• Providing a procurement service to the organisation which delivers demonstrable value for money and compliant goods and services contracts as part of a team of procurement professionals on larger procurement activities.
• Understanding, and being able to advise on, sourcing compliance and frameworks.

Ensuring effective Commercial contract and supplier management within the category:

• Supporting contract management via the management of strategic contracts within relevant categories.

Building and maintaining key relationships across the organisation and with important external stakeholders:

• Engaging and working closely with the relevant senior business lead, ensuring that business requirements are supported by category strategies.
• Identifying key suppliers and articulating management and engagement level required to assure the supply chain.
• Assisting with senior internal stakeholder management across the business, helping them be informed about business elements that aim to move forward critical decision making at the top level.
• Assisting with senior external stakeholder management, holding working level relationships with individuals at external stakeholder groups.

Enabling and developing the organisation:

• Contributing to the maintenance and updating of systems throughout the procurement lifecycle.
• Feeding into catalogue and content management for the organisation, owning key aspects and working with stakeholders to promote the use of catalogues.

Working within a secure environment upon sensitive projects as required.

Key Skills – The post holder must meet the following essential criteria:

• A good level of Category Management experience and knowledge
• Good understanding of sourcing and procurement methodologies, as well as relevant Public Sector processes, policy and governance
• Effective communicator who can work with a range of stakeholders
• Ability to change and adapt in order to work effectively in a variety of situations
• Ability to understand and appreciate different and opposing perspectives
• Ability to prioritise and manage own workload to deliver to deadlines and knowing when to seek support when needing to balance both operationally urgent and important tasks
• A good level of understanding across category discipline
• Excellent written & oral communication and interpersonal skill
• Excellent time management and delegation skills
• Good report writing skills

The following are desirable criteria for the post holder:

• Ability to understand commercial imperatives including trading relationships.

Experience – It is essential the post holder has the following experience:

• A successful career in procurement/ similar environment with typically category management/ procurement experience where evidence of cost savings and value for money efficiencies can be demonstrated.
• Understanding of Procurement Legislation (Public Contract Regulations 2015 and Defence and Security Public Contract Regulations 2011).
• Experience of working effectively with internal stakeholders.

The Procurement Hive is a procurement consultancy and procurement recruitment business.

Transform your talent – Our People on Demand service utilises over 35 years of combined experience, recruiting supply chain and procurement talent for a wide range of organisations across the globe.

The Procurement Hive celebrates and supports diversity and is committed to ensuring equal opportunities for both employees and applicants.