Procurement Officer (Commercial & Procurement)

Location: Hybrid (minimum 1 day per week at County Hall, Dorchester)

Contract: Interim (4-6 months, with potential to extend)

Rate: £250-£300 per day (Inside IR35)

Hours: 37 hours per week with flexible working arrangements

Start Date: Immediate

About Connect2Dorset

Connect2Dorset is the managed service recruitment partner to Dorset Council, providing temporary, contract, and interim opportunities across the organisation. Built on values of being ethical, trustworthy, and caring, our profits are reinvested back into our Local Authority shareholders.

Overview

You will be part of a collaborative Procurement team of 15 colleagues, working across a diverse range of categories and service areas to support Dorset Council's strategic objectives. Reporting to the Senior Procurement Officer & Business Partner (Economy & Environment), you will work closely with commissioners, contract managers and stakeholders to deliver compliant, efficient and commercially focused procurement solutions that achieve value for money and positive outcomes for Dorset's residents and communities.

This is a hands-on delivery role suited to an experienced procurement professional who can quickly become productive, manage live procurements with minimal supervision and provide additional capacity during a period of significant procurement activity.

Role Purpose

The role requires a pragmatic procurement practitioner capable of working across multiple categories, developing proportionate sourcing strategies and supporting stakeholders throughout the procurement lifecycle. While the immediate workload includes a number of Economy & Environmental procurements, the emphasis is on recruiting a strong all-round procurement professional who can adapt quickly to changing priorities and support both current and pipeline procurement activity. The successful candidate will be expected to integrate effectively into the existing team and contribute to the timely delivery of procurement projects without requiring significant management oversight.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage end-to-end procurement processes in accordance with the 2015 Public Contracts Regulations and Procurement Act 2023 and Council governance requirements.
• Develop pragmatic, proportionate sourcing strategies and route-to-market recommendations.
• Prepare procurement documentation, tender packs and evaluation methodologies.
• Lead supplier engagement, tender evaluation, moderation and contract award processes.
• Provide clear, practical procurement advice to commissioners and service managers.
• Manage multiple procurement projects simultaneously, prioritising workloads to meet organisational requirements.
• Support and advise stakeholders on procurement risk, compliance and commercial considerations.
• Maintain accurate procurement records and provide clear project reporting.
• Identify opportunities for aggregation, standardisation and improved commercial outcomes.
• Challenge procurement approaches constructively to improve delivery timescales, value for money and overall outcomes.
• Support both in-flight procurements and the development of future procurement pipelines.
• Utilise the Council's e-tendering and contract management systems effectively.

Current Portfolio

The initial workload is expected to include procurements relating to:

• Estates management (lease management and lettings)
• Flood and coastal management
• Planning services
• Highways and engineering

Essential Skills & Experience

• Knowledge and experience of construction and infrastructure procurement, with a good understanding of NEC4 and JCT contracting.
• Experience of framework call-offs (CCS, ESPO, YPO, SCAPE, Pagabo, SWPA, EA).
• Demonstrable experience delivering public sector procurements from inception through to contract award.
• Strong understanding of public procurement legislation and procurement best practice.
• Ability to manage multiple competing priorities and deliver against challenging timescales.
• Experience developing practical sourcing strategies and commercial recommendations.
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication and influencing skills.
• Proven ability to work independently and with minimal supervision.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to provide accurate reporting and maintain audit trails.
• Experience using e-procurement/tendering platforms.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, Teams and associated Office 365 applications.

Desirable Skills & Experience

• Experience working within a local authority or wider public sector organisation.
• CIPS Level 4 qualification or progress towards MCIPS.
• Experience of delivering social value, sustainability and wider community benefits through procurement.
• Familiarity with a range of e-procurement and contract management systems and reporting tools.

What We're Looking For

This opportunity would suit an experienced procurement professional seeking a short-term assignment where they can quickly add value and support the delivery of a busy procurement programme. We are looking for someone who is commercially minded, delivery focused, collaborative and comfortable operating across a broad range of procurement categories.

The contract is initially expected to run for 4-6 months, with the potential for extension subject to business requirements.