Associate Procurement Consultant in Manchester

Joining Arup’s purpose, shared values and collaborative approach has set us apart for over 75 years, guiding how we shape a better world. Our Procurement Advisory team provide strategic advice and procurement services to construction and infrastructure clients in the UK and internationally. We are an award‑winning Centre of Excellence recognised by industry bodies including the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS), who recently shortlisted our team for the CIPS Excellence in Procurement Award 2023 for Procurement Consultancy Project of the Year. We pride ourselves on providing expert advice across a variety of projects.

The Opportunity

Our Procurement Advisory business is growing with a strong increase in the demand for our expertise. As a result, we have a new opportunity for an experienced procurement professional to join our ambitious team, based out of either Leeds, Manchester or Sheffield but as a part of our national procurement advisory business, with occasional travel required. Every day you will be encouraged and supported to demonstrate and develop your procurement and consultancy expertise in various contexts, showcasing your skills and experience on complex and diverse projects to support our clients in identifying and implementing innovative procurement solutions to drive value through their projects.

At Arup, you belong to an extraordinary collective – in which we encourage individuality to thrive. Our strength comes from how we respect, share and connect our diverse experiences, perspectives and ideas. You will have the opportunity to do socially useful work that has meaning – to Arup, to your career, to our members and to the clients and communities we serve.

Is this role right for you?

In your role, you will jointly lead alongside other specialists in the Procurement Advisory team, and colleagues across Arup, to deliver a wide variety of procurement activities at every stage of projects and the procurement lifecycle. This will include:

• Leading projects and advising clients, providing expert procurement advice and delivery capabilities to clients commissioning capital programmes and projects across various sectors.
• Lead best practice procurement strategy, tender management, and tender evaluation services across the public and private sectors to deliver tangible value and sustainable outcomes.
• Responsible for co‑ordinating the production of reports and procurement documentation ensuring consistency and quality and provide input into project business cases, strategies, and delivery models to embed robust and pragmatic commercial and procurement practices.
• Liaising with other experts within and outside the organisation on complex issues, and in some circumstances managing sub‑contractor arrangements.
• This includes managing project delivery teams, providing senior technical and pastoral support.
• Meeting with clients to present findings on projects and on a business‑development basis to discuss new opportunities and manage relationships with existing and new clients to raise the profile of the Procurement service and represent Arup, by growing strong networks and by attending and speaking at events.
• As required, provide high quality commercial advice and support to clients to define, negotiate and award a range of standard and bespoke contracts.

Requirements

We are looking for individuals with knowledge and experience in embedding excellence into end‑to‑end procurement across the built environment. This is likely to include:

• BSc qualified and Full Member of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (MCIPS).
• Experienced working within a client facing environment, with a confident approach to managing client relationships with a track record of identifying and bidding for new projects and opportunities.
• Demonstrable experience of drafting procurement strategies and tender evaluation reports for a variety of construction, infrastructure, and professional services projects with knowledge of wider commercial principles and best practice, including contracting strategies and commercial risk management.
• Awareness of public sector procurement (e.g. use of the Public Contracts Regulations or Utilities Contracts Regulations) or another regulated procurement environment, including awareness of the upcoming Procurement Act implications.
• Understanding and application of contract forms such as NEC, JCT, FIDIC. Experience of other forms of contract is also valued.

What We Offer you

At Arup, we care about each member’s success, so we can grow together. Guided by our values, we provide an attractive total reward package that recognises the contribution of each of our members to our shared success. As well as competitive, fair and equitable pay, we offer a career in which all of our members can belong, grow and thrive – through benefits that support health and wellbeing, a wide range of learning opportunities and many possibilities to have an impact through the work they do. We are owned in trust on behalf of our members, giving us the freedom, with personal responsibility, to set our own direction and choose work that aligns with our purpose and adds to Arup’s legacy. Our members collaborate on ambitious projects to deliver remarkable outcomes for our clients and communities. Profit Share is a key part of our reward, enabling members to share in the results of our collective efforts. We also provide Private medical insurance, Life assurance, Accident insurance and Income protection cover. In addition, you’ll have access to flexible benefits to help you look after all aspects of your wellbeing and give you the freedom and flexibility to find the best solutions for you, your family, and your individual needs.

Different People, Shared Values

Arup is an equal opportunity employer that actively promotes and nurtures a diverse and inclusive workforce. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, regardless of age (within legal limits), gender identity or expression, marital status, disability, neurotype or mental health, race or ethnicity, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and whether you’re pregnant or on family leave. We are an open environment that embraces diverse experiences, perspectives, and ideas – this drives our excellence.

Our Application Process

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Recruitment Agencies

We have a Preferred Supplier List of trusted partners to assist us when required and do not acknowledge any speculative CVs or unsolicited candidate introductions from agencies not on the list.