Procurement and Contract Assistant in Northallerton

Contract: 1 x Permanent and 1 x Fixed Term for 12 months available (secondment considered for internal candidates)

Hours: 37 hours per week – Full Time

Location: Northallerton, North Yorkshire – Hybrid Working

The procurement team are responsible for ensuring that all procurement and contract management activities (commercial arrangements) provide the very best value for money for the council. We provide professional advice, guidance and insight regarding markets, suppliers, and contractual options to help support service delivery and improvement. We are a well-respected and award-winning service with a reputation for excellence. Joining us, you will be inspired by new opportunities and the exposure and experience to develop your skills professionally. You will join a highly experienced and collaborative team and will be supported to work in a commercially minded fashion, building excellent working relationships with colleagues across the organisation, all united in their motivation to deliver the best outcomes for our council.

Role summary

The role includes coordinating procurement exercises, managing contract administration and maintaining key documents. You will also provide day-to-day administrative support, including managing inboxes, handling Freedom of Information requests, processing payments, and supporting supplier and contract performance monitoring. You will build strong working relationships with internal colleagues, partners, and suppliers, ensuring high standards of customer service and communication. The role requires attention to detail, strong organisational skills, and the ability to contribute to delivering value for money and continuous service improvement.

What we are looking for

• We welcome applications from candidates with public sector experience, or transferable skills gained in roles such as project or contract administration, business support or other customer facing/service professions.
• You may be a great fit if you have:
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Excellent communication and Customer Service Skills.
• An analytical mindset with the ability to interpret data.
• A proactive approach and willingness to learn procurement frameworks and regulations.
• Proactive, can-do attitude.

Duties and responsibilities

• Deliver low value/low risk procurement and contract activities to agreed cost, time and quality standards.
• Support Procurement & Contract Officers in the delivery of operational procurement work.
• Ensure all procurement and contract activities comply with Council standards and governance frameworks.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records on procurement systems, including the procurement pipeline and contract publications.
• Coordinate and support contract and service meetings, including preparing agendas, documentation, and taking minutes.
• Contribute to KPI tracking and performance reporting to support contract management and service improvement.
• Provide day-to-day administrative support, including managing inboxes, FOI requests, and processing payments.
• Support the production and publication of the contract register and procurement pipeline in line with transparency requirements.
• Deliver high standards of customer service, handling enquiries professionally and responding appropriately to feedback.

What we Offer

We are a strong performing authority, with supportive political leadership and talented teams providing the platform to have a fulfilling, challenging and successful career in a truly stunning place. In addition to your salary, we offer a range of great benefits to help you financially and make life a bit easier. These include:

• A local government pension scheme with 15.1% employer contribution.
• Salary sacrifice schemes.
• Modern flexible working practices.
• Learning and development packages.
• Employee discount benefits including shopping and gym discounts.
• Green car and cycle schemes.
• Travel loans.
• Health Assured – confidential help and support for your wellbeing.

NYC are committed to directly recruiting staff and will not accept applications nor services from agency suppliers in respect of our vacancies. We are committed to meeting the needs of our diverse community and aim to have a workforce reflecting this diversity. We are also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. North Yorkshire Councils’ purpose is to deliver services and facilities to the diverse residents and visitors of North Yorkshire. To ensure we deliver inclusive services we strive to have a diverse workforce where everybody can be themselves by respecting differences and embedding equality of opportunity. We celebrate diversity and recognise each other’s contributions; we therefore welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds.