Procurement Officer in Cardiff

As part of the Procurement team, you will be responsible for undertaking a wide range of procurement activities including managing end-to-end tendering processes, ensuring compliance with the University’s Financial Regulations and wider public sector legislation, ensuring best practice and value for money principles are upheld, together with maximising commercial and social value benefits in all non-pay expenditure. You will act as a business partner liaising with internal departments providing professional guidance on how to achieve the best value outcomes.

The team is currently five people, four professionally qualified procurement professionals (including this vacancy) plus a Procurement Assistant. You will have knowledge of the legislative requirements of procurement, tendering and other key UK and Welsh Government policy objectives to ensure legislative compliance whilst managing risks. You will assist in providing key contributions towards the procurement strategy and planning, contract management process alongside a range of reporting mechanisms.

The role will involve working with a range of staff and stakeholders at all levels both internally and externally and will require confident and professional communication skills to maintain positive working relationships with all university schools and professional services departments.

You’ll lead the way by:

• Assisting in the delivery and management of all aspects of the university’s procurement tendering and contracting for a wide range of goods, services and works.
• Contributing to the key developments of the University’s e-payment solution using PCards, helping to manage the scheme.
• Providing advice and guidance to staff at all levels on all aspects of procurement and the achievement of value for money and social value.
• Providing procurement end user training, including guidance on the University’s Finance System, a Unit 4 Business World product and the PCard banking portal known as Barclaycard Spend Management.
• Reporting and analysing spend information to support the University’s departments and schools in procurement decisions.
• Providing resilience in managing the Procurement Administrator’s role in their absence.
• Being responsible for the operation of the department in the absence of the Head and Assistant Heads.

What you’ll bring:

• Experience of working in a professional procurement role involving tendering and contracting for goods, services and works, with knowledge of e-procurement systems.
• The ability to manage and support internal stakeholders to prepare and manage documentation for competitive tenders in accordance with the University’s Financial Regulations and following public procurement regulations (Procurement Act 2023).
• Strong communication skills to foster effective teamwork and collaboration, whilst managing and prioritising multiple tasks with competing and conflicting deadlines.
• GCSE Maths and English, Minimum of 2 Levels (or equivalent).
• Minimum level 4 or working towards level 4 qualification, Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) and experience of working within a public sector procurement environment.

We are a values-based University. We are proud of our culture, and we are there for our people. Our community spirit is the golden thread that underpins our values and behaviours. We support and embrace inclusion that enables everyone to feel respected and able to perform at their best. By joining our university, you'll find yourself in a unique environment where a wealth of knowledge and resources are readily available, supporting you with your career development.

We offer excellent benefits such as:

• Annual leave of 25 days, rising to 30 days after 1 years’ service, plus 12 bank holiday / concessionary days.
• Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme with generous monthly contributions.
• Excellent family friendly policies.
• Opportunities to learn and develop your skills with access to library and digital services facilities.
• Excellent sports and fitness facilities with subsidised membership.
• Free family access to our independent specialist wellbeing support provider, Health Assured.

All applications must be submitted online. The person specification will be used as a tool for shortlisting; so please make sure you use this information when writing your application. Applications may be submitted in Welsh, and an application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English. Should a high volume of applications be received, we may need to close this vacancy early. We therefore encourage you to apply as early as possible.

Cardiff Metropolitan University is proud to be a Disability Confident employer and a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant. All applicants with disabilities, or those who are part of the Armed Forces community who during the shortlisting process meet the essential criteria for the role will be progressed to the next stage. The University is committed to creating a highly inclusive culture. We offer family friendly and flexible working arrangements and a range of staff networks, forums and events to support and develop our people. We warmly welcome applications from those traditionally underrepresented in the higher education sector.

Why Work Here? We invite you to join our collaborative community! Dating back to 1865, we remain rooted in Wales with a global reach, offering you a world of opportunity. Our education, research and innovation deliver positive impact for equality, social inclusion and environmental sustainability, locally, nationally and internationally. Are you ready to contribute to something remarkable? Join us in helping us to progress and deliver real change.