Senior Procurement Officer in Edinburgh

ASA Recruitment’s client, a Public Sector organisation in Edinburgh, is currently looking to recruit a Senior Procurement Officer on a hybrid basis, on an initial 3-month contract (with potential extensions) on a rate of c.£350-400 inside of IR35 (based on experience).

The Role:

To provide professional procurement support to a broad range of staff. To carry out end-to-end procurement projects for goods, services and works; conduct detailed spend analyses to identify strategic opportunities that will improve value; and to apply best practice supplier relationship and contract management techniques. Through professional procurement practice, maximise the return on capital, revenue and research grant spend. Play a key role in delivering results which underpin the wider organisational strategy and thereby contribute to maintaining our success.

Responsibilities:

• To plan, project manage and deliver efficient, effective and legally compliant tendering processes for Research Groups, Schools/Colleges or Professional Services teams. Provide added-value services which meet customers’ needs, achieve value for money and quality of goods, services and works, analyse and manage risks effectively and ensure probity, and maintain project and contract documentation and management reports.
• To engage with senior stakeholders to agree procurement needs, priorities and resourcing, and deliver major procurement projects on time and on budget. To develop common approaches to market through agreed commodity procurement strategies.
• To manage suppliers’ performance against contracts and appropriate Key Performance Indicators, and their relationships with our main clients, seeking continuous service improvements, innovation and in-life cost savings. Maintain communications with other suppliers to provide advice on current and future requirements, to develop competition, deliver corporate social responsibility, and process efficiency (e.g. e-commerce), emphasising these benefits to suppliers and customers.
• To work closely with Operational Procurement to deliver a first-class procurement service, ensuring the content on the organisation’s Oracle ERP system (‘People and Money’) and other relevant procurement sites remains accurate, and that procurement processes are streamlined and facilitate compliant procurement.
• To analyse expenditure records, seeking opportunities to reduce duplication and inappropriate sourcing; identifying areas for consolidation of business onto fewer and better suppliers; and creating strategic relationships that deliver innovation and true partnership benefits. To work as part of the wider Finance Team to streamline processes across the organisation in goods, services and works procurement.
• To develop, with the Category Head, and provide appropriate web-based, face to face or other format guidance and training to staff externally where appropriate. To disseminate best practice and project governance including whole life costing and project investment / ROI appraisal that delivers true value for money, cash savings and efficient and effective processes.

Essential Experience:

• The post-holder should have full Membership of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (MCIPS) or a relevant degree, or have significant procurement experience and be making/willing to make progress towards formal membership.
• Commitment to continuous professional development.
• This job requires a procurement professional who is a hands-on individual with the knowledge, skills and aptitude to influence colleagues (who are not directly managed and are located in other areas) to contribute to projects and continuously improve practice.
• An aptitude for dealing with complex issues and limited budgets, reorganising priorities, and multi-tasking on concurrent projects in a frequently changing environment is necessary.
• At least 3 years’ experience delivering a relevant procurement service, showing knowledge appropriate to this high value, technically diverse environment.
• Personal credibility and ethics; capacity and confidence to manage projects and deliver change with aptitude for developing and implementing policy.
• Understanding customer service and key performance indicators in a devolved environment.
• Good communication skills and sensitivity to balancing customers’ needs and organisation obligations are essential.
• Presentation skills to deliver project and other management reports and recommendations for improved practice.
• Good analytical and computing skills, accuracy and attention to detail, ability to develop performance monitoring and benchmarking and analyse databases and spreadsheets.

Desirable Experience:

• IACCM membership.
• Degree/HND or equivalent qualifications.
• Experience in public or regulated sector is preferred but not essential, plus knowledge of applicable legislative framework.
• Direct experience of implementing new initiatives is an advantage, demonstrating examples of responsiveness and successful introduction of change.
• Knowledge of the Higher Education sector would be an advantage.