Procurement and Payments Manager

The opportunity: This is an exciting opportunity to join the Girls' Learning Trust at a pivotal stage in our development. Following significant investment in our finance systems, processes and team structure, and with a fourth school joining the Trust in November, we are continuing to strengthen our Shared Professional Services to support a growing and ambitious organisation.

As Procurement & Payments Manager, you will lead a newly developed function responsible for procurement, supplier and contract management, payment processes and associated financial controls across all Trust schools and Shared Professional Services. Reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer, you will lead and develop a small team whilst working closely with budget holders and senior leaders across the Trust. This role offers a unique opportunity to make a tangible impact.

In addition to ensuring the effective operation of procurement and payment processes, you will play a key role in helping the Trust achieve greater value for money through improved procurement practices, stronger supplier management, more effective contract oversight and the identification of efficiencies across our non-staff expenditure.

What we offer: Staff are our most valued asset, and we are continuously working to introduce initiatives or make changes which support them both professionally and personally. Some of the initiatives we have recently introduced are a new Health and Wellbeing Cash plan for staff and their dependents; a generous discretionary leave scheme; and we have made changes to the performance review process ensuring a strong focus on continued professional development.

Our commitment to you: You will have the opportunity to shape and develop an important Trust-wide function, lead a committed team and contribute to the continued growth and success of the organisation. Most importantly, your work will help ensure that every pound spent delivers the greatest possible benefit to our schools and the young people they serve. We recognise that your induction and training will be key to your success and we will invest time to ensure you are given all the guidance and support needed at the outset and over the ensuing weeks to fulfil your role effectively. We will uphold a culture that promotes kindness, collaboration and recognition, ensuring an open, safe, supportive and inclusive environment where everyone feels heard, valued and empowered to contribute.

Key responsibilities for the role include:

• Leading the Trust's Procurement and Payments function across all schools and Shared Professional Services, ensuring the effective management of procurement, supplier relationships, contract administration, payment processes and associated financial controls.
• Leading and developing a small team, working collaboratively with budget holders and senior leaders, and supporting the delivery of value for money across the Trust's non-staff expenditure.
• Ensuring procurement and payment activities are carried out efficiently, compliantly and in accordance with Trust financial regulations, whilst fostering a culture of proactive procurement planning and continuous improvement.

The successful candidate will: We are looking for an individual who enjoys combining strong financial controls with a commercial mindset. You will be equally comfortable supporting colleagues, challenging existing ways of working, analysing expenditure and identifying opportunities to improve services and reduce costs. The successful candidate will be someone who can build strong relationships, influence stakeholders and help foster a culture of proactive procurement planning across the Trust.

Safer recruitment: The Girls’ Learning Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. In order to meet this responsibility, we follow a rigorous selection process to discourage and screen out unsuitable applicants. As well as verification of identity, we ask all employees to undertake an enhanced DBS disclosure. In line with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidance, we may also conduct an online search about any shortlisted candidates as part of our due diligence to identify any matters that might relate directly to our legal duty to meet safeguarding duties in accordance with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE). We welcome applications from all suitably qualified people and aim to employ a culturally diverse workforce, which reflects the nature of our communities.